The Best Hotel in Central Valley, Costa Rica

Most international flights come into Costa Rica in the evening and head out early in the morning, meaning you likely have to stay your first and last nights in or near San José, and the Central Valley can be considered "near." For getting away from it all and still being close to the country's main airport, the lodgings around San José make splendid alternatives to staying in the city itself. It may pain you to tear yourself away from that beach villa or rain-forest lodge, but you can still come back to something distinctive here on your last night in Costa Rica. Small mom-and-pop places, sprawling coffee plantations, nature lodges, and hilltop villas with expansive views are some of your options. The large chains are here as well, but the real gems are the boutique hotels, many of which are family-run places and have unique designs that take advantage of exceptional countryside locations. Subtropical gardens are the norm, rather than the exception, and air-conditioning is usually not necessary.