Science, Photography, and Trip Reviews
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San Jose Area Hotels
Hotels, lodges, villas, bungalows, restaurants, & dining
Beaches, pools, tropical vegetation, & nature walks
Grano de Oro, Hotel Bougainvillea, Finca Rosa Blanca Inn, & Xandari Resort
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Regions of Costa Rica
Costa Rica can be broken down into a number of regions or specific destinations. You can start with an overview of Costa Rica. For specific details of a region or destination choose the one of interest. There is the Central Region, which includes San Jose and the Central Valley, and features the Poas Volcano and the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. San Jose area hotels are found on a separate web page. Hotels at other destinations are reviewed with a specific destination's web page. To the north of San Jose is Arenal where you find the spectacular Arenal volcano, and Monteverde where the very impressive Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is located. Tortuguero is found in the eastern part of Costa Rica on the Caribbean Sea. There you see great wildlife from boats in rivers and canals. The region in the northwest adjoining the Pacific Ocean is Guanacaste. This is where you find popular beaches and the beach town of Tamarindo. This is the driest part of Costa Rica. The Central Pacific region includes the Jaco area and the near by Carara National Park. The Central Pacific also includes Manuel Antonio and the very popular Manuel Antonio National Park. In the southwest region on the Pacific coast is the Corcovado National Park. It is in a remote location, but is a great place to visit. Contact Us for more information.
Hotels
Scattered throughout Costa Rica are small distinctive hotels that are representative of the country. They are much more charming than the large skyscraper hotels. These small hotels often have the rooms scattered on the property in small buildings like bungalows or villas. The grounds of the property often have beautiful vegetation and a pool. Food served in the hotel restaurants can be very good. Hotels located on the Pacific Ocean have attractive beaches. This page reviews some hotels in or near San Jose. Other hotels are reviewed with the web page for a specific destination.
Most travelers to Costa Rica spend their first and last nights in San Jose. So it is a good idea to choose a hotel that offers things to do upon arrival, especially if your first tour does not start until the next morning. The same thing applies to your last last night in San Jose, since you are usually taken to the airport the next morning to catch your flight back home.
Hotel Grano de Oro
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Hotel Grano de Oro Courtyard. |
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Hotel Grano de Oro restaurant. |
The Hotel Grano de Oro is a luxurious hotel in San Jose not far from the downtown area. We have walked downtown from the hotel and back. It is a short taxi ride for those that prefer not to walk. This small hotel has been converted from an old mansion with a Victorian style, and is quite beautiful. It is one of our favorite places to stay in the San Jose area. The restaurant is very attractive with great food and service, and is considered one of the best restaurants in San Jose. See the pictures above. There are standard, superior, and deluxe rooms as well as suites. Wi-Fi is available in all of the rooms. An Internet station is found in the lobby. There is a jacuzzi terrace and massage services are offered.
Hotel Bougainvillea
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Hotel Bougainvillea from their grounds. |
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Hotel Bougainvillea pool. |
The Hotel Bougainvillea is located ten minutes from downtown San Jose. The San Jose International Airport is twenty-five minutes away. The hotel grounds contain ten acres of lush gardens. Walking around the grounds is a great way to relax. There is also a pool, tennis court, sauna, and fitness center. The hotel and pool are pictured above. Both rooms and suites are available. Views are either of the gardens or the city. Wi-Fi is available in the rooms and hotel facilities. The restaurant has large windows overlooking the gardens. There is also a bar.
Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn
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Finca Rosa Blanca lobby. |
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Finca Rosa Blanca lobby patio area. |
The Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation and Inn is a luxurious boutique hotel with only thirteen rooms. There are two master suites and eleven junior suites. All of the rooms are elegant, and each room has a jacuzzi. Wi-Fi is available in the rooms. There is a restaurant, pool, hot-tub jacuzzi, and a spa. The eight acres have more than 300 fruit trees and thousands of native and tropical plants. Tours are offered of the forty acre coffee farm and a naturalist guide offers bird watching tours in the gardens and the coffee farm. The inn property offers great views of the Central Valley. The San Jose International airport is only about fifteen minutes away. The hotel lobby and a patio are shown above.
Xandari Resort & Spa
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Xandari resort villa. |
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Xandari resort villa patio looking towards the Central Valley and San Jose. |
Xandari Resort and Spa is located on forty acres, and is really a destination in itself. It is located about twenty minutes from the San Jose International airport. Spread throughout the property are villas with interesting architecture. In fact, the owner is an architect. With each villa is a patio that overlooks the Central Valley and San Jose. At nighttime the lights from San Jose create an attractive sight. Pictured above is one of the villas and a patio. Each villa is different. This is one of our favorite hotels in the San Jose area.
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Xandari resort restaurant. |
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Xandari resort lap pool. |
The resort has an indoor/outdoor restaurant. We prefer the outdoor area, which is pictured above. Many of the fruits and vegetables come from the resort's organic greenhouse, orchard, or gardens. There are two sixty feet lap pools and a 125 feet pool. A pool is pictured above. The resort has a spa village, which is found in a tropical garden. Wi-Fi is offered in the lobby area near registration and close to the restaurant.
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A nature walk at Xandari resort. |
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Xandari resort flower garden. |
The gardens on the property are lush and beautiful. They surround the villas. You will want to take walks around the property. One of the walks is pictured above as well as a gorgeous flower in one of the flower gardens. There are also longer trails of a mile or more (several kilometers) that go through orchards and lead to waterfalls. Below Rebecca is pictured in front of some impressive large bamboo on one of the walks. Also shown is one of the waterfalls you can hike to. This is a nice place to spend time.
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Rebecca in front of bamboo on a nature walk at the Xandari resort. |
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Waterfall on a nature walk at the Xandari resort. |
Regions of Costa Rica
Costa Rica can be broken down into a number of regions or specific destinations. You can start with an overview of Costa Rica. For specific details of a region or destination choose the one of interest. There is the Central Region, which includes San Jose and the Central Valley, and features the Poas Volcano and the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. San Jose area hotels are found on a separate web page. Hotels at other destinations are reviewed with a specific destination's web page. To the north of San Jose is Arenal where you find the spectacular Arenal volcano, and Monteverde where the very impressive Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is located. Tortuguero is found in the eastern part of Costa Rica on the Caribbean Sea. There you see great wildlife from boats in rivers and canals. The region in the northwest adjoining the Pacific Ocean is Guanacaste. This is where you find popular beaches and the beach town of Tamarindo. This is the driest part of Costa Rica. The Central Pacific region includes the Jaco area and the near by Carara National Park. The Central Pacific also includes Manuel Antonio and the very popular Manuel Antonio National Park. In the southwest region on the Pacific coast is the Corcovado National Park. It is in a remote location, but is a great place to visit.
Photos by Sunny Breeding. We sell prints and images.
