Costa Rica Tours > Hotel Reviews > Boutique > B & Bs and Inns of downtown San Jose, Costa Rica - Hemingway Inn: Literary Lodging
B&Bs and Inns of downtown San Jose, Costa Rica Hemingway Inn: Literary Lodging
On a breezy hillside street a few steps from downtown San Jose, the Hemingway Inn offers a one-of-a-kind B&B experience in addition to its convenient location. The eclectic atmosphere and charm instills a sense of "being somewhere" rather than just staying in a typical hotel or other accommodations.
It was named for Ernest Hemingway, though he never slept here. The former Spanish hacienda was the residence a coffee barons’ family in the novelist’s heyday and remained so until 1992, after being converted into one of the travel guides' most frequently recommended places to stay in San Jose. It’s easy to see why: this intriguing three-star B&B still possesses the character and ambiance of a unique private home.
Aboard his sailboat in Cuba, on safari in Africa -- numerous photographs of Hemingway decorate the walls of the comfortable living room and other public areas. These and assorted original accents and design elements make the Hemingway Inn as much a work of art as it is a place to spend the night. One wall of the living room, for instance, is lined with lithographs depicting classic San Jose architecture, trains and other scenes from the past. Bamboo accents, rosewood inlays and Costa Rican paintings contribute to the sense of harmony with nature, a rare find in the city.
The seventeen rooms, bearing the names of literary greats such as Jack Kerouac, are individually appointed and styled. (Downstairs rooms have names that remind one of Hemingway’s famous haunts, Kilamanjaro and Cuba.) All beds are Posturepedic. Each room features a private tiled bath and hot water shower, ceiling fan and an in-room safety deposit box (additional fee). You also get 60-channel cable TV, clock radio, private phone with free in-country calls and free Internet access for your laptop.
On the open air patio, you’ll start the day with an exotic tropical buffet breakfast. Savor local fruits and juices, home-made tamales, eggs and Costa Rica’s world-famous coffee. Then ask the bi-lingual staff at the front desk for a free hiking map, help with finding just the right tour, one of the many restaurants in the area or a rental car.
You won’t need a rental car to see downtown’s most significant sights, because a description of the vicinity reads like a walking tour from a travel guide. The Jade Museum, for example, is a short block downhill. Across the street from this museum, picturesque Parque Espana offers a quiet place to relax and get photos of the a statue of an unnamed conquistador. The famous steel schoolhouse, designed in France at the turn of the century, is across the street from Parque Espana, and Parque Morazan with its classic dome is another block down. Then from the nearby pedestrian walkway on Avenida Central, you can stroll to the National Theatre, Simon Bolivar Zoo, the National Museum (with its fine collection of altars, masks and various archeological exhibits) and other places on your must-see list. The "Gringo Gulch" area around Avenida Central is primed with a variety of restaurants and nightspots. From the inn itself, you can take a private path to the La Palma next-door for Peruvian fare.
After a day of hiking around the city or through one of the nearby rain forests, volcanoes or other tropical attractions, return "home" and relax in the Hemingway’s big outdoor hot tub. Tropical plants and ferns virtually surround the tub, and a 30-foot-high wall of tropical trees forms a natural ceiling that makes you feel as if you’re relaxing in a jungle-lined pool, with the soothing sound of a fountain for background music.
One of the country’s top B&Bs, the Hemingway Inn truly sets the stage for exploring the multifaceted jewel of this tropical land at your own pace. Hemingway may not have slept here, but you can be certain that he had done so, the old man might have never returned to Key West or Cuba.
Phone/Fax: 011(506) 221-1804
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