San Jose Hotels

Many people who vacation in Costa Rica only see the Central Valley and San José briefly, if at all. The country’s main international airport, the Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO), is located in the suburb of Alajuela, and travelers will often arrive and step straight into a waiting transfer to their hotel.

However a smart choice can be to take one or more nights on either end of your vacation and complement your package with a night in a San José hotel. This can make the entire travel experience just that little bit more relaxing since the nearest beach destination is over an hour away. It also affords you the opportunity to take in some of the less well-known attractions of the stunning Central Valley and to stay in some of the boutique hotels close to San Jose.

Day Trips from San Jose Hotels

The central valley is also home to some great tourist day trips. The waterfall gardens at La Paz make for an incredible day out, with all manner of flora and fauna on display, as well as great food and the chance to take a walk along a river with several of the largest waterfalls in the Central Valley.

You can combine this trip with a hike up the Poas Volcano to see the incredible crater lake and learn all about the country’s volcanoes. Poas is also strawberry country, and when driving around you will not fail to stop at any number of the local street side stalls selling incredible fresh strawberries. Also, if you can find it, Chubascos is a local gem of a restaurant offering some of the finest “Comida Típica” (Costa Rican traditional food) you will find in the country.

It may well be that the beaches, jungles, and volcanoes of Costa Rica are where you wish to spend most of your time, but it would be a mistake to totally overlook San José and the Central Valley. Not only are there world class hotels and restaurants, but there is no end to the things to see.