The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in San Jose

Where to Stay if You've Never Been to San Jose

National Theatre of Costa Rica, San Jose National Theatre of Costa Rica, San Jose

Visiting San Jose, Costa Rica for the first time can be an exciting, yet overwhelming experience. With so many incredible hotels to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to stay. If you're deciding where to stay for your first visit to San Jose, we've compiled a list of the best hotels for first time visitors. We analyzed all of the hotels in San Jose based on price, location, amenities, guest ratings, and more to determine which would be the ideal places to stay for first timers. Whether you're here for just a few days or longer, these hotels offer the perfect combination of amenities, location, and price. For those visiting San Jose for the first time, it's important to choose a hotel in a safe and convenient area to make the most of your first visit. You'll want to be close to the activities, shopping, and dining options, of course. When looking for hotels, consider the amenities they offer. Some hotels may have a fitness center, a bar or restaurant, a pool, or even a spa. All of these features can add to your overall enjoyment if you've never been to San Jose before. Also, guest ratings and reviews are also important to consider when choosing a hotel. Whether you're visiting San Jose for the first time, or you're a seasoned traveler, the best hotels in San Jose for first-timers offer the perfect combination of comfort, convenience, and affordability. So, here's our list of suggestions for your next trip.

(Prices are listed in U.S. Dollars.)

Gran Hotel Costa Rica Curio Collection By Hilton

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $132 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

Located at Central and second Ave. Between 1 & 3, Gran Hotel Costa Rica Curio Collection By Hilton has great rooms from $132 (before taxes). It offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. It has a terrific 9.00 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 0.6 km from the city center, first time visitors will especially love laundry services, city views, a pool table, kids meals, and evening entertainment at this relaxing hotel. We love the convenience of room service, and it's really nice here.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator


Autentico Hotel

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $76 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to San Jose
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

A great place to stay is Autentico Hotel which has nice rooms starting at $76. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and city views, it also has a great guest rating of 8.80 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at Calle 40, Avenida 5 & 7. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers free parking, kids meals, laundry facilities, family rooms, and a tour desk which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.6 km from the city center. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Breakfast in the room


Hotel Columbus San Jose

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $44 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

We found Hotel Columbus San Jose to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $44. We loved that is has room service, a restaurant, a bar, breakfast, and mountain views, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.80 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at North of Sabana, 100 meters west of Company I.C.E, 2nd Floor of Hibachi Restaurant street 56. You'll also find a free breakfast, city views, free parking, family rooms, and a tour desk which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 2.4 km from the center of town. The service at the restaurant is terrific, and so is the food. It's a great value, too, because it's less than the average price for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Park Inn San Jose by Radisson

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $104 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in San Jose
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

With terrific rooms from $104, Park Inn San Jose by Radisson, at Ave 6, Calle 28 provides an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. Its terrific guest rating is 8.71 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers breakfast, mountain views, child care, laundry services, and a free breakfast. It's located just 1 km from the city center, too. You'll enjoy unwinding in the hot tub, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Child pool
  • Horse riding
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Crowne Plaza Corobici

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $111 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Crowne Plaza Corobici has a great guest rating of 8.60 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, room service, a casino, a restaurant, and a fitness center. The great rooms here start at $111 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at Sabana Norte Contiguo Agencia Datsun. Furthermore, it also offers a bar, a kid-friendly buffet, child care, laundry services, and free parking, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 1.9 km from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Breakfast in the room


Barcelo San Jose

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $63 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to San Jose
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • Heated pool

The great guest rating of Barcelo San Jose is 8.50 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $63, and it's located at Residencial El Robledal, La Uruca. We also love the child care, laundry services, golf, a hot tub, and a spa and wellness center which are great for visitors. And since it's just 2.8 km from the center of the town, the location is great, too. The heated pool is comfortable, relaxing, and fun for everyone. The price of this hotel is less than average for first time trip hotels, which makes it a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Spa
  • Child pool
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Tennis
  • Coffee shop


Best Western Plus San Jose

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $84 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit

A cool place is Best Western Plus San Jose because it has great rooms that start at $84. It has an outdoor pool, room service, a casino, a restaurant, and a fitness center, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at Km 3 Autopista General Canas, Edificio Sur. Only 3.5 km from the city center, travelers will especially love a bar, breakfast, child care, laundry services, and city views at this convenient hotel.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Hotel Palma Real Hotel and Casino

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $69 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

Hotel Palma Real Hotel and Casino offers room service, a casino, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $69 (before taxes). It's located at 200 Mts. Norte del ICE, Sabana Norte and has earned a guest rating of 8.40/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers breakfast, mountain views, rooms with kitchenettes, child care, and laundry services which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 2.2 km from the city center. We find the kitchenette here to be a great way to get a good breakfast and save time and money. It's a great value, too, because it's less than the average price for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Hotel Santo Tomas

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $63 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to San Jose
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

Located at Avenue 7, Street 3rd and 5th, Hotel Santo Tomas has great rooms from $63 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and breakfast. It has a terrific 8.40 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find mountain views, laundry services, a free breakfast, city views, and a hot tub which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 0.9 km from the center of town. It's a great value, as the price is less than the average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms


Irazu Hotel & Studios

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $77 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is Irazu Hotel & Studios which has nice rooms starting at $77. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a casino, a restaurant, and a fitness center, it also has a great guest rating of 8.30 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at Km 3 Autopista General Canas. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers a bar, breakfast, rooms with kitchenettes, child care, and laundry services. It's located just 3.3 km from the city center, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: La Fortuna, Monteverde, Jacó, and Alajuela.

For more terrific hotel ideas in San Jose, make sure you also see Best Family-Friendly Hotels in San Jose, Best Cheap Hotels in San Jose, Best Luxury Hotels in San Jose, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in San Jose, Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in San Jose, Best Hotels for One Week in San Jose, Best Hotels for One Night in San Jose, Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in San Jose, or Best Business Hotels in San Jose.


How much do hotels for first-time visitors cost in San Jose?

San Jose Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$70

Visitors will find a large range of terrific first time trip hotel choices when planning a visit to San Jose, Costa Rica. The price of these first time trip hotels can vary according to location, type, and amenities. The average first time trip hotel price in San Jose, Costa Rica based on data from 41 hotels is an affordable $70. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in San Jose.

The average prices of our suggested first time trip hotels by star rating:

  • 5-star hotels: $63
  • 4-star hotels: $103
  • 3-star hotels: $72
  • 2-star hotels: $31


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