Hotels in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

All the hotels in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica, are located near the casinos, bars, nightclubs, bars, sports books, discos and restaurants of Gringo Gulch.


Hotel Grano de Oro is a true oasis, a sanctuary in the heart of the city. Nearby points of interest include National Theater, Gold Museum, Sabana Park, Jade Museum and the Central Market. Converted from a Tropical Victorian mansion the Hotel Grano de Oro maintains the warmth and comfort of a private home.


Adventure Inn
(Near San Jose Airport)

Hemingway Inn

These lively places - great for meeting local Costa Rican people - turn the after dark scene here into one of the country's most exciting.


Downtown San Jose hotels range from budget to expensive, but do not raise their rates during high season (December-April) as do most beach resorts.

Whether you want a king bed or a luxurious suite, you will find several places from which to choose

Welcome to Gringo Gulch

The Gringo Gulch area begins around the Holiday Inn, which faces Parque Morazan, and extends south past the del Rey and the Morazan to Avenida Central. Two more excellent choices - El Presidente and Balmoral - are found here. The newest hotel in the area is the Sleep Inn, next to Colonial Casino.

The latter is also known as the Pedestrian Walkway, or at least the portion that has been paved with cobblestones and blocked off to traffic.

The area can be considered to enclose everything east to Calle 13, and west to the National Theatre in the Plaza de la Cultura.

Some visitors view the corner facing front the del Rey as the heart of the Gulch. Others insist it is moving west, toward the Land of the Rising Sun.


From the many hotels in downtown San Jose, you can walk to all the most popular bars, clubs, and other nightlife and entertainment opportunities close to and near the Gringo Gulch area.


Lodging, rooms, accommodations can go for as low as $50 a night, or you can, of course, spend a lot more for a luxury suite. Don't try to book resort or villa around this part of the country, or at least not within the city limits.

If planning to stay more than a week, you might consider one of several aparthotels, located from San Pedro on the east side to the Parque Sabana area on the west. These are like mini-apartments that can save you money.

The capital is an exciting city, situated 2 hours from Jaco beach, 3 to Quepos and Manuel Antonio by car or bus

And you may fly to Guanacaste in about an hour.

Local tours include day trips to nearby volcanoes, a 4x4 adventure tour, river rafting, and other tourism attractions.


A place in the capital can cost a little or cost a lot. The Hemingway Inn beats the Holiday Inn for character and style as well as in price, for example.

A map showing real estate opportunities is not required. Time shares are illegal here, so you won't be bothered by pesky "agents" hawking condos on every street corner.