The hotel is clean and has a lot of history. Our room was small but ok by Costa Rican standards. Had an AC unit and was comfortable.

Location is good for access to the main museums etc, but feels really unsafe in general. 3 different tour reps told us to be wary of our belongings when out in the day, and definately not to leave the hotel at night!!!

The major complaint I have is the set of traffic lights right outside which made a really loud chirping noise every time the lights are in red! Our room was on the front of the hotel and the windows wouldn't shut properly so all you could hear all night were these traffic lights which made it a terrible nights sleep!

The hotel is great for a couple of nights, but any longer than that and you'll need to make sure you get a room at the back if the hotel.

5th floor breakfast restaurant has amazing views over SJ.

This hotel nex to the National theater is a nice hotel with a lots of history behind, the service at the cafe is excellent .
The location is excellent and the staff is friendly. The tour desk is helpfull.
Coming back !

- champagne (cava) served at restaurant was completely flat
- old, decaying rooms with bottom-end budget 1980s renovations.
- no a/c and no screens on windows
- stale smell in room
- 'courtyard view' was view into cavity filled with vents and other hotel infrastructure
- but the real problem was the service.. no instructions on use of archaic safe. was unable to reopen safe and was refused assistance by hotel staff who had a key to open it. I was told I had to wait until morning by the surly front desk staff. I pleaded with him twice explaining that my medication was locked inside and I had to take it before bed. He reluctantly explained the method for opening the safe but I had to ask a series of questions and all he would give me was mostly one word, robotic answers. In the end it didn't work and I was unable to sleep and was quite ill by morning. A new member of staff was behind the desk in the morning and he too was reluctant to help but after some time he agreed and it took two minutes of his time to make the trip to my room and unlock the safe. I cannot believe the callous disregard for the health and well being of guests.

We went to the Crowne Plaza Hotel Corobici (paid the same price) and it was a world of difference. Clean, comfortable and good service. The Gran Hotel runs on the fumes of it's past glory and location, a 1 star hotel with 0 star service. Never again!

JFK and others may have stayed here but this hotel has seen much better days. Once the grandest hotel in Costa Rica, its time has certainly passed. Room was very basic and stuffy. Bath taps struggled to produce water either hot or cold, showers were pretty much drips. Breakfast wasn't great, but the dining room on the top floor had terrific views of the surrounding area.