The Courtyard San Jose is located in Escazu, an upscale part of the greater San Jose area. The hotel itself is very nice, up to American standards, and if you are there on business or a quick pleasure trip I would recommend the hotel highly. The rooms are in good condition, always kept very clean, air conditioned, the shower is hot, they have a nice restaurant, a small pool, and a small (if pricey) gift shop. The staff is all bilingual. They have good security and at night you have to insert your card in the front door for it to open. There are taxis waiting at all times. They have a business center with free internet so you can easily stay connected. They also have a tour desk so we arranged 2 tours upon our arrival (prices are the same as everywhere). There is also an airport shuttle that leaves on the hour.
One of the best things about the hotel is the location. It is located in a plaza with perhaps the best concentration of dining choices in all of Costa Rica, the Plaza Itskatzu (plazaitskatzu.com/). They have American chains like Outback Steakhouse and Hooters and also about 6 other excellent restaurants and numerous shops literally at the base of the hotel. So there is never any worry about where to eat, there is no hassle of getting into a taxi and driving somewhere. The Peruvian restaurant Chancay is terrific, as is the tapas restaurant (the name of which escapes me). However, the Brazilian rodizio, La Fogueira, is terrible. Prices are high for Costa Rican standards but a bit less than what you'd pay in the USA for similar quality. And these are upscale type places. Also, the Multiplaza Mall is about half a mile away (the taxi fare is one dollar) but you cannot walk (it would be too dangerous and there is no sidewalk). There is a good grocery store in the Multiplaza, the Automercado, so if you wanted to get some snacks, drinks, waters, etc that is the place to go.
So if you are looking for a hotel at an American standard, at a fair price (we paid $112), in a good location, I recommend the hotel highly.
