San José Province · Costa Rica
Where to stay in San José
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San José is a city in San José Province, Costa Rica, home to about 335,000 people. This guide covers 1 hotel in San José.
- Places to stay in this guide
- 1
- Best months
- December to March
- Nearest airport
- SYQ7 km · Tobías Bolaños International Airport
- Currency
- CRCCosta Rican colón
- Time zone
- America/Costa Rica
- Plugs
- A, B · 120 V
- Emergency
- 112
- Language
- Spanish
About
About San José
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and the capital of San José Province. It is in the center of the country, in the mid-west of the Central Valley.
San José is on a plateau in the Central Valley at 1200 m elevation. It is ringed by lush green mountains and valleys. The population of the Central Valley - which could be described as the San José metro area - is probably half of the whole country. It is served by the primary airport (which is in nearby Alajuela), the University of Costa Rica, most if not all embassies, and many museums, cultural venues, hotels, markets, etc. It is the hub of the country.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in San José
See
- Museo de Oro Precolombino
- Museo del Jade
- Museo de los Niños
- Museo Nacional
- Costa Rican Museum of Art
- Museo de arte y diseño contemporáneo (MADC)
- Hacienda la Chimba
- La Paz Waterfall Gardens
- Spirogyra Butterfly Garden
Do
The main downtown area is a bustling collection of well-laid out streets filled with bustling traffic and lined with eclectic, historic architecture. On the surface it is a gritty downtown area, but look inside and you'll find friendly people, quirky spots, and the historic side of San José that change your impression. A walking tour is the best way to see this area. Every Thursday a dozens of young jugglers gather at the Parque Morazán and juggle together, often with percussion music. It is a free event in public space. Normally you will be invited to play with them and it's a lovely experience if you like street art.
- Parque Morazán
- La Sabana
- Cine Magaly
- Melico Salazar Popular Theater
- National Theater
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Places to stay in San José
1 place to stay from the chains this guide covers, each linked to its own website.
| Place to stay |
|---|
| Barceló San José hotel |
Schematic: the city centre in orange, each place to stay as a dot, distance rings in kilometres.
Where to stay
Which part of San José to stay in
As San José is the undisputed economic, cultural, academic and political center of the country there are plenty of hotels and hostels of all kinds aimed at Ticos and foreigners alike who are here on business or pleasure.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Where the places to stay in San José are
113 places to stay in this guide with known coordinates, grouped by straight-line distance from the city centre (the point Wikidata gives for San José), nearest first. Distance on foot or by road is longer.
11 places
- Gran Hotel · 0.2 km
- Hotel Presidente · 0.5 km
- Balmoral Hotel · 0.5 km
- Holiday Inn San Jose Aurola · 0.6 km
- Santo Tomas Hotel · 0.6 km
- Hotel Novo · 0.6 km
- Sleep Inn Hotel Paseo Las Damas · 0.7 km
- Hotel CR Lounge by Little Havana · 0.7 km
- Taormina Hotel and Casino · 0.7 km
- Sportsmens Lodge · 1.0 km
- Selina San Jose · 1.0 km
29 places
- Hotel Villa Tournon · 1.0 km
- Hotel Quinta Avenida · 1.0 km
- Hostel Casa del Parque · 1.1 km
- Hostel Casa Colon · 1.2 km
- Radisson Hotel San Jose - Costa Rica · 1.2 km
- Costa Rica Guesthouse · 1.3 km
- Hostel del Paseo · 1.3 km
- Hotel Ambassador · 1.3 km
- Hotel Casa 69 · 1.3 km
- Casa Aldea · 1.4 km
- Park Inn San Jose by Radisson · 1.4 km
- Park Inn by Radisson San Jose, Costa Rica · 1.4 km
- Hotel Aranjuez · 1.4 km
- Hotel Cacts · 1.5 km
- Hotel 1492 · 1.6 km
- Hotel Boutique Luz de Luna · 1.8 km
- Finca Escalante · 1.8 km
- Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel · 2.0 km
- Auténtico Hotel · 2.0 km
- Crowne Plaza San Jose Corobici · 2.3 km
And 9 more, further out.
25 places
- Barceló San José · 3.2 km
- Hilton Garden Inn San Jose La Sabana, Costa Rica · 3.3 km
- Best Western Plus San Jose · 3.9 km
- Casa Lourdes · 4.1 km
- Casa Kibi Kibi · 5.0 km
- Isla Verde Hotel · 5.4 km
- Wyndham Garden San Jose Escazu · 5.6 km
- Colours Oasis Resort · 5.8 km
- Tierra Magica · 6.2 km
- Apartotel & Suites Villas del Rio · 6.8 km
- Residence Inn by Marriott San Jose Escazu · 6.9 km
- AC Hotel San Jose Escazu · 6.9 km
- Hyatt Place San Jose Pinares · 7.3 km
- Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Escazu · 7.4 km
- Costa Verde Inn · 7.6 km
- Real InterContinental at Multiplaza Mall · 8.1 km
- Sheraton San Jose Hotel, Costa Rica · 8.6 km
- Out of Bounds Boutique Hotel · 8.6 km
- Apartotel Don Francisco · 8.7 km
- Adventure Inn · 9.0 km
And 5 more, further out.
48 places
- Terrazas de Golf Boutique Hotel · 10.0 km
- Luna Inn B&B · 10.1 km
- Alameda Cariari · 10.1 km
- City Express San Jose Aeropuerto · 10.1 km
- Wyndham San Jose Herradura · 10.3 km
- Hotel Villa Los Candiles · 11.2 km
- Posada Nena · 11.2 km
- La Boruca · 11.6 km
- Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen · 11.9 km
- Studio Hotel Boutique · 12.0 km
- Hilton Garden Inn Santa Ana San Jose, Costa Rica · 12.0 km
- Quality Hotel Real San Jose · 12.2 km
- Aloft San Jose Hotel, Costa Rica · 12.9 km
- La Riviera Hotel · 13.1 km
- Hotel Suites Merlyn Airport · 13.3 km
- Hotel Santa Maria Inn · 13.3 km
- Berlor Airport Inn · 13.9 km
- Casa María Aeropuerto B&B · 14.3 km
- Airport Costa Rica B&B · 14.3 km
- Hotel Mango · 14.6 km
And 28 more, further out.
Where to stay
More hotels in San José
112 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Gran Hotel | 0.2 km | |
| AC Hotel San Jose Escazu | 6.9 km | |
| Adventure Inn | 9.0 km | |
| Airport Costa Rica B&B | 14.3 km | |
| Alajuela City Hotel & Guest House | 17.5 km | |
| Alameda Cariari | 10.1 km | |
| Aloft San Jose Hotel, Costa Rica | 12.9 km | |
| Apartotel & Suites Villas del Rio | 6.8 km | |
| Apartotel Don Francisco | 8.7 km | |
| Apartotel Tairona | 2.6 km | |
| Asclepios Wellness and Spa | 21.8 km | |
| Auténtico Hotel | 2.0 km | |
| Balmoral Hotel | 0.5 km | |
| Berlor Airport Inn | 13.9 km | |
| Best Western Plus San Jose | 3.9 km | |
| Buena Vista Chic Hotel | 19.2 km | |
| Cariari Bed & Breakfast | 9.2 km | |
| Casa Aldea | 1.4 km | |
| Casa Conde Hotel & Suites | 2.6 km | |
| Casa Kibi Kibi | 5.0 km | |
| Casa Lourdes | 4.1 km | |
| Casa María Aeropuerto B&B | 14.3 km | |
| Casa Vistas del Conde | 15.2 km | |
| City Express San Jose Aeropuerto | 10.1 km | |
| Colours Oasis Resort | 5.8 km | |
| Costa Rica Guesthouse | 1.3 km | |
| Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen | 11.9 km | |
| Costa Rica Tennis Club & Hotel | 2.3 km | |
| Costa Verde Inn | 7.6 km | |
| Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto, Costa Rica | 9.4 km | |
| Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Airport Alajuela | 16.0 km | |
| Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Escazu | 7.4 km | |
| Crowne Plaza San Jose Corobici | 2.3 km | |
| DoubleTree by Hilton Cariari - San Jose Costa Rica | 9.7 km | |
| Establo San Rafael Horseback B&B | 24.1 km | |
| Finca Escalante | 1.8 km | |
| Hampton Inn & Suites San Jose Airport | 14.9 km | |
| Hilton Garden Inn San Jose La Sabana, Costa Rica | 3.3 km | |
| Hilton Garden Inn Santa Ana San Jose, Costa Rica | 12.0 km | |
| Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport | 14.8 km |
All 113 hotels in San José, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit San José
The most comfortable months for a city stay in San José are December to March. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; October is the wettest, with about 436 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
San José travel calendar 2027: every day with public and school holidays, sunrise and sunset and the typical high and low (also as JSON).
Public holidays in Costa Rica, 2026
Shops and offices may close on these dates.
Getting there
Getting to San José: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ), about 7.1 km from the city centre in a straight line; Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO, 16 km) and Quepos Managua Airport (XQP, 55 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
Public transport system includes buses, various administrations have mulled some type of light rail for the city but as of mid 2018 there has been nothing more than talks on the subject. Bus lines, maps, schedules and ticket prices are available on Moovit. This is the preferred bus navigation app among locals. The bus system is reliable, comfortable, extensive, and very cheap. Buses operate on a system of single ride payment. There are no day, week, or month tickets and no transfers.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
SYQ · Tobías Bolaños International Airport
SJO · Juan Santamaría International Airport
XQP · Quepos Managua Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in San José
Eat
Costa Rica is among the more "Americanized" parts of Latin America and you'll find a wide selection of fast food establishments in San José. Locals have a fondness for foreign rather than "typical" (Costa Rican) cuisine and particularly for American cuisine. Even most Costa Rican restaurants will serve pizza, pasta, burgers, and fries. Be careful with food being sold on the street. It has been found to at times to have contamination from not being washed properly. Fruits and vegetables sold in stores and official markets are safe to eat.
Drink
Most of the bars/nightlife scene in the city is in Barrio La California, known as "La Cali" for short, and the city center.
Stay safe
In San José and throughout the nation's urban centers, the traffic is wild and dangerous. It is not the norm for cars to stop for pedestrians; in fact, they generally drive very fast, which can make crossing streets dangerous. Traffic laws and particularly "Alto/Stop" signs are frequently disregarded by locals (although that doesn't mean you should do the same). Take caution in the area to the northwest of the city center, and do not visit at night. The area around the Coca Cola Bus Terminal is not safe during the day or night. There is a risk of theft in La Cali, particularly for foreigners.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
San José: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit San José?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in San José are December to March. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; October is the wettest, with about 436 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to San José?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ), about 7.1 km from the city centre in a straight line; Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO, 16 km) and Quepos Managua Airport (XQP, 55 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in San José?
Costa Rican colón (CRC).
Nearby
Destinations near San José
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; public holidays from python-holidays (MIT); places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.