San José hotels near Simon Bolivar Zoo

Pros: Very nice people, beautiful beautiful hotel

Cons: Minor, but shower head left room for improvement

Pros: Food at hotel restaurant is incredible. Staff very helpful and accommodating.

Cons: Gym could be better.

Pros: Beautiful hotel; staff was very eager to help. Enjoyed dining in a quiet environment; good food.

Pros: We had two nights at the hotel at the tail end of our trip around Costa Rica. The Hotel exudes history and stature and the restaurant is absolutely incredible. everything we ate was exceptional. The staff were also very helpful.

Cons: Given the age of the building the rooms are quite dated and to be honest let the hotel down a little. We had a very small bed that was not overly comfortable.

Pros: The food was amazing in the restaurant, though definitely $$$. Loved how comfy the beds were, how super clean it was, loved the service, and really everything was 100%. The staff went out of their way to make sure that when breakfast only opened 30 min before our private transport was due to arrive, that they had everything mad for us quickly for breakfast and it tasted amazing! Had an excellent night of sleep here and they were just the friendliest and the cleanest. Worth it.

Cons: The nuns next door were having a crazy loud party. I was assured this is pretty unusual, and in fact the three other times I’ve stayed, it has been incredibly quiet there. Best sleep in San Jose.

Pros: Lovely stuff willing to help with anything The restaurant is really good as well

Pros: Location, staff, décor and cleanliness of the hotel

Cons: not a lot a closet space

Pros: - central location - nice rooftop terrace - nice staff - fresh omelette in the morning

Cons: - atmosphere in the breakfast room is not very cosy - lot of construction work in the street

Pros: Comfortable overnight stay.

Pros: Parking was easy. Early checkin was allowed.

Cons: Food was nothing special. Another bar bill ended up on our tab but was subsequently removed.

Pros: The rooftop patio is adorable! Amazing views of the mountains while you're surrounded by a gorgeous assortment of flowers. Loved that they provided a bottle of distilled water in the rooms. The free breakfast was delicious and has many options.

Pros: the staff was so lovely and helpful, the lobby and dining area are nice. very accommodating.

Cons: the room itself was very basic and felt empty as opposed to the design of lobby and building.

Pros: The staff, including the trainees, were extremely helpful and would go out of their way to help me find places that I wanted to see. They worked well together, letting me know when my Uber had arrived outside. The hotel is very clean and well located, and within an easy (5-10 minute) walk from the National Theatre, museums, pedestrian-only street, as well as by Starbucks and other restaurants. I had a very good-sized room, and enjoyed dinner my first night at the hotel's roof top restaurant/bar. The free breakfast each morning is exceptional, with hot entrees, fresh tropical fruit and juices, breads, yogurts, and made-to-order omelets (note that the staff will also make freshly-squeezed orange juice from the juicer near the entrance). Coming from the U.S., the hotel room, complete with a large, varied breakfast and free WiFi, is a bargain.

Cons: The entrance to the hotel can be a little confusing the first time you arrive. It is staffed all the time, so I felt very safe. There is a bus stop right across the street, so sometimes the sidewalk can be a little crowded. These are very minor items which did not affect my overall impression of the hotel.

Pros: Everything very good! Nice staff, super service, very beautiful decorated Hotel, exellent breakfast, comfy beds. Not the first time and for sure not the last time! Sabine

Pros: Hotel Presidente is a hidden gem. Right in the centre of town, you couldn’t be closer to the museums, parks, restaurants and shops. This is a lovely boutique hotel at very reasonable rates with excellent customer service. Breakfast was excellent too, with a large selection and eggs made to order, so totally fresh.

Cons: Nothing!

Pros: Large room with comfortable bed and bedding. The shower is very unusual with windows above. The breakfast is excellent- plenty to choose from and a chef prepares eggs and omelettes to your liking. Helpful front desk staff. Gated free parking.

Cons: It would be nice to have a make up mirror in the bathroom but they have a large mirror with good light in the room that was ok substitute.

Pros: Bed and roof bar

Cons: No guests.

Pros: Great location in the heart of the city. Great restaurant and rooftop bar were good. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Rooms were clean and comfortable beds

Pros: the breakfast was okay. location is okay if you're staying a night and have to go to the airport the next day.

Cons: The front desk staff lacks professionalism. On one occasion, I was hoping to use the phone to book a tour. The front desk attendant said that he knew a better company and dialed a number and my friend didn't really ask for specifics and booked the tour. As a side note, that company that starts with the letter "M" was the worst experience I had in Costa Rica in terms of safety while driving. Not only did the front desk attendant have the audacity to refer us to this "M" company, when I called to ask what the company's name was he told me to act like we asked for the number and not tell anyone that he had referred us to them. This is not even the tip of the iceberg. On one occasion, my friend and I were getting a couple of drinks and since most people go out at night, we were called "squares" in Spanish for staying in and drinking at the hotel instead of outside. We found two cockroaches in the hotel which is normal since the front door is always open, but upon finding a third cockroach a day later, I managed to keep it under a glass and left it for the cleaning staff to discard because I forgot to do it. When we returned later that same night and the room was cleaned, we were not given a new glass. The cleaning staff rinsed the glass and left it on top of the desk. I mean, who does that? As a side note, the cockroach was about two inches big and touched the surface of the cup.

Pros: Fleur de Lys was a wonderful place to stay in San Jose. The building is beautiful and the rooms are very attractive and comfortable. Having a room with a small balcony was an added bonus; the view was of the city, but the fresh air was delightful. The rooms are not air conditioned, but there is an effective fan that kept it comfortable (in the winter season at least.) Breakfast is served in a lovely dining room area. The hotel is within easy walking distance of the National Museum and the National Theater as well as the hustle/bustle of downtown shops and businesses. We felt very safe walking around during the day and in the early evening.

Cons: There was no mention in the advertising that this hotel does not have an elevator and most rooms are on the second and third floors. It was not a problem for us, but it should be mentioned in the information section.

Pros: Staff very friendly and helpful, comfortable and clean bed, location of the hotel,

Cons: Parking, tv not working,

Pros: We loved this hotel it was just a fun place. The staff was very helpful. Arranged a couple of tours for us which we enjoyed. The bar had things going on and pretty good food. It is a happy place I would recommend it to anyone.

Cons: The beds could be more comfortable.

Pros: Daniel at the reception was very helpful and tried to speak German. He was really kind. The breakfast is delicious and has a good variety.

Cons: Room had windows to a patio inside the hotel, not really fresh air

Pros: Staff is very nice and helpful. The place is very clean.

Cons: The hotel is very old and thereforw pretty noisy. The facilities are not the best due to the age of the place.

Pros: Loved this hotel it was walking distance to everything and the staff and hotel were amazing

Cons: No window in our room

Pros: A nice hotel and a great place to stay in San José. Well located, comfortable rooms, really nice staff, and a good breakfast.

Pros: Clean (like, immaculate!), pretty and comfortable. The perfect place to spend a night or two. The staff was friendly, the food was good, and the atmosphere was very peaceful. Walking distance to shops, downtown squares and panaderias.

Cons: There is a train that runs behind the property a couple times a day. It's not too loud and we never heard it at night, but important to note for people who are really noise sensitive.

Pros: Nothing to Like

Cons: They over charge you when you get there for stuff that you didnt even hear about it.

Pros: The cleaning lady and the staff were nice people.

Cons: I paid almost 200€ for 3 nights in a windowless room...even with that, the room will not get totally dark at night. The elevator was so slow in showing up that I had to take the stairs (to the 5th floor) most of the time. Gym was terrible, a dungeon, windowless hole in the basement. Very overrated hotel, it shouldn't charge so much for such poor quality and service.

Pros: Over night staff

Cons: Need to allow guest with out charge

Pros: It was surprisingly very comfortable.

Cons: Not too much....

Pros: Excellent location close to city center, I ordered the junior suite and it was really good, very good breakfast. To summarize - great value for money

Pros: I liked everything about the hotel. We did not eat the breakfast though, it was $15. We walked two blocks and had a delicious local meal for $3.

Cons: The very tny parking garage.

Pros: Really good Bed and Bathroom (shower): Comfortable room and central position.

Cons: Breakfast: quality and variety are Ok, but the place is to small and there are just an automatic coffee machine for all guests. That's too "cheap" for a 4 Stars Hotel.

Pros: Best Location you've ever found, clean room and smelled very good, the staff was really nice, best value!!!

Cons: The fact that we couldn't stay more time, we had to go back to our home town.

Pros: The staff were very knowledgable and friendly, especially Francisco. He was exceptionally friendly and made us feel appreciated. The breakfasts were also extremely good with a whole lot of variety!

Pros: Nice folklore decoration and good breakfast.

Cons: A renovation would seriously upgrade the hotel. The overall atmosphere is nice but the rooms are old, with thin walls and outdated bathrooms.

Pros: The hotel is very unique and is very quaint. It is very clean and the people there are very nice. I liked it and it was very reasonable, so I would definitely stay again. The area of the hotel is very close to everything.

Cons: The walls are pretty thin, so the outside noises and conversations seem to carry. This would still not keep me from visiting again. It has a lot more plus that minus. The hotel could use some new mattresses for better comfort.

Pros: The hotel is very cozy and warm. the breakfast excellent and the restaurant superlative, genuine ingredient and amazing dishes, I booked already for January... the staff very professional . Alessandra

Pros: The breakfast was great! Bring extra towels, they don’t give face clothes just 2 big towels, and they charge for extra. The front desk was nice, the rooms are a little old but with charm. It was a good value for a 1 night stay!

Cons: Well I made reservations in the hotels “famous” restaurant! Well! The hostess guy who apparently is the son of the owner, was SO RUDE! There was blatant disrespect! I thought I was feeling aa bit of racism. But I was told that he was rude to others. I ordered 2 drinks and because of the snide remarks and snickering in Spanish I paid the bill and got up and left without drinking the drink. The Sangria wasn’t good anyhow! I went to the TAPAS PLACE NEXT DOOR on the corner called “Restaurant Flamenco” & spent $80 US dollars on a WONDERFUL MEAL! It was so good omg! We ate and ate. The drink was good. We had 5 tapas plates and 2 entrees and it was one of the highlights of my trip! The ambience and music made me feel like I was in Spain again! I give them 5stars and the hotel restaurant a -1star!

Pros: Charming, classic hotel. Calm atmosphere, friendly staff, beautiful, quirky decor.

Cons: I was staying in the room down the hallway from the restaurant. There is quite a bit of noise every night and the space is very open so it could be disturbing for a guest who is a light sleeper. I am not so it wasn’t a problem but I do want to flag that for the hotel.

Pros: My sister and I stayed one night at Hotel Aranjuez. The service was amazing and room was clean and comfortable. We were nervous because we hadn't heard good things about San Jose, but we felt safe and welcomed as soon as we arrived at the hotel. The receptionist gave us great recommendations for restaurants and activities, and the hotel was close to most major sights. I would definitely recommend staying at Hotel Aranjuez!

Pros: Beautiful place and centrally located.

Cons: We have stayed a few times and every single time there are no bathroom floor towels and when showering, the floor gets very wet and slippery (in two different rooms we stayed at). My partner slipped and fell into the shower because of the extremely wet floor. We then proceeded to use one of the towels provided to place on the floor to not slip and to not be standing on a super wet floor, but when asking for 1 additional towel to dry ourselves, we had to pay 1$ per towel. Which I think given that there are no bathroom floor mats and it gets super wet everywhere when showering, is a bit over the top for the rate that we are already paying. The breakfast is only until 8:45 am now so you have to be aware to get up early and not get there late. It would have been great to have a little more time for breakfast at least until 10am to be able to enjoy the morning a little more.

Pros: Fabulous breakfast in a beautiful garden with exotic birds and squirrels. The hotel restaurant was amazing and great value. Beautiful food and attention to detail.

Pros: I liked the location of the hotel a lot because it was walkable to some cool neighborhoods in San Jose. I also really loved the hot tub and pool feature.

Pros: Location was great,staff were fabulous, delicious breakfast, hot shower, comfy bed and lovEly hot tub - all at a good price - we would book again.

Pros: This is a lovely hotel with plenty of character and close to food and parks. We would definitely stay here again!

Pros: The hotel staff greeted us and seemed genuinely glad to see us. They were very helpful about seeing some sights. The property was a cool old mansion converted into a hotel.

Pros: Only location, that's it.

Cons: The room was dirty. There was a lot of someone's hair on bathroom floor and tile and it was really gross. Bathroom towels were not really clean. The owner of the property was also rude and he was so impatient. Breakfast was basic, eggs, toasts, coffee, jam, nothing special. Luckily I only spent there one night. Only location was good, really close to downtown San Jose.

Pros: Waterslide, breakfast is made to order

Cons: N/a

Pros: Friendliness and helpfulness of staff

Pros: Hearty breakfast included: choice of eggs and meat/gallo pinto/or yogurt/cereal... all with fresh fruit plate, coffee, juice, sweet bread Wifi Cool community lounge spaces, covered but "outdoors" make nice places to read or chat during a rainstorm Staff was friendly, very helpful in person and via email. Building was lovely.

Cons: Ants in the room- although it's a thing in Costa Rica, and they took care of it as soon I as I reported it; the pool is very small and only 2 lounge chairs available, which were old and sagging; when rooms were vacant doors were left open... which I only mention because if I had my kids with me I would feel like that could be dangerous...

Pros: The staff.. all of them were very friendly and super accommodating!

Pros: Friendly helpful staff in front, especially David. Convenient location in San Jose. Good breakfast from a choice of three. Comfortable room for the price. The owner Tomas was very nice and helpful.

Cons: Our safe in our room was problematic as it didn't always function. However, on a positive note they did fix it. Computer was older and rather slow though the latter may be more of an issue with the server in the area.

Pros: Clean, safe, comfortable, and friendly and professional staff. Has gym for a quick workout. You can tell owner takes pride in his property. Breakfast is what owner likes to eat every morning and his wife makes the green hot sauce from scratch. Ended up staying three days instead of one. Location is really good for walking around downtown.

Cons: Rooms are a little dated but are nice and clean and beds are comfortable. Enjoyed stay very much.

Pros: Beautiful interior, great location

Cons: The room didn't have any windows