Hotel Review
Country Inn and Suites by Radisson, San José Aeropuerto, Costa Rica
TripAdvisor: 4 Stars (740 reviews)
Duration of Stay: March 7 – March 8
Wi-Fi: Average*
Breakfast: Yes
Notes: This hotel is close to the airport and right off one of the main roads. It was about an eight-minute drive from the airport, but that was with light traffic. Even though the hotel is in the middle of the city, it feels very secluded and like you’re in the middle of the rainforest. The concierge and the other staff members were incredibly friendly and helpful. There is a beautiful pool that looks super inviting. The walkways connecting the buildings have trees arching over them with tropical flowers growing beneath. The room was nice and big, and it was hot initially because the air conditioning was off. Turning it on remedied the heat. The tap water here tasted fine. A negative aspect of this hotel was that the walls of the rooms are pretty thin. Guests can hear people roaming the hallways and heavy doors slamming shut.
Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San José
TripAdvisor: 4.5 Stars (1,917 reviews)
Duration of Stay: March 8 – March 9 and March 18 – March 19
Wi-Fi: Above Average
Breakfast: Not Complimentary (unless you are a Marriott Premium member)
Notes: This hotel is absolutely beautiful, as it was on a golf course and overlooked some of the mountains of Costa Rica. It was very open and always had an amazing breeze running through it. There were two pools and a hot-tub. The concierge was super helpful and called taxis at all hours of the day, and he had great recommendations for activities in San José. The rest of the staff was welcoming and kind as well. The rooms were amazing, there were a lot of electrical outlets, there was plenty of space and the beds were extremely comfortable. The water from the sink was good, and there was fruit-infused water in the lobby. Overall, this was a great hotel.
Arenal Paraiso Hotel Resort and Spa, La Fortuna
Trip Advisor: 4 Stars (1,361 reviews)
Duration of Stay: March 10 – March 12
Wi-Fi: Average
Breakfast: Yes (Above Average)
Notes: Staying at this hotel feels like boarding at a really nice summer camp, as the rooms were cabins spread across a beautiful landscape. The concierges at the front desk tell guests when they check in that there isn’t any Wi-Fi in the rooms, but as it turns out, in some of the rooms, Wi-Fi was available. The air conditioning in the rooms was very finicky. It was either super cold or super hot. No more than two adults are allowed to stay in one room, and there was a limited number of electrical outlets. The hot springs were nice, and the view of the volcano was incredible. The front desk was helpful about calling taxis and having a place to book different tours. The lobby is stocked with a water dispenser for guests to fill up their water bottles (or use the dispensable cups they have), but the water from the sink was also fine.
Heliconia Hotel, Monteverde
TripAdvisor: 3 Stars (408 reviews)
Duration of Stay: March 13 – March 15
Wi-Fi: Below Average
Breakfast: Yes (Below Average)
Notes: This hotel is like a log cabin townhouse. It has a lot of room but not many electrical outlets. It had a tub outside of the bathroom, which is a little strange. The water from the sink tastes OK, but there is no water offered in the lobby, and instead, the lobby has fruit juice. There is absolutely no internet unless you were in the lobby and even then, it is not super reliable. The view of Monteverde’s landscape is beautiful, as the hotel is situated on top of a mountain, and it overlooks part of the valley. The hotel faces the way the sun sets, so sitting on the rooms’ front porches allows for gorgeous views at dusk . It was quite a hike from the lobby up to the rooms, which were on top of the mountain.
Monte Carlo Luxury Condos Jaco
TripAdvisor: 3 Stars (8 reviews)
Duration of Stay: March 16 – March 17
Wi-Fi: Above Average
Breakfast: No
Notes: These are very comfortable condos. They are on this really nice plot that felt very secluded. All of the condos are oriented around a pool. The internet here is fast and reliable. Because these are condos and not hotels, there is no breakfast, but there are full-sized refrigerators and kitchens, so guests can bring their own food to prepare. The refrigerators also have water dispensers, so guests have access to fresh, filtered, cold water. The condo complex is gated, and a gatekeeper kept watch all night
* ‘Above average’ Wi-Fi in Costa Rica is about ‘average’ Wi-Fi in the United States
