We chose this hotel sight unseen and were very pleased. The welcome received from Miguel-a charming, efficient young man- who checked us in was replicated by other cheerful employees and by the Owner. Our first room was in the historic section of the hotel, after which we chose to move to a balcony room in the new part, overlooking the swimming pool and terrace. The location of the hotel is close to museums, restaurants, and the downtown shopping area. We have previously stayed in several hotels in San Jose, all to our liking, but have booked to return to this one because of its friendliness and its location.
Dr. Joan and Dr. Graeme Mount, Canada

I booked one night in the Hotel Santo Tomas upon my arrival in San Jose. There seems to be a choice of either very expensive or very cheap hotels in San Jose with not a lot of good mid-range hotels.
Pros: It's an older hotel with character - nice old furnishings tastefully arranged. Those used to typical North American hotels will be disappointed. It has a restaurant, gym, pool and jacuzzi. There's also lots of little nooks with sofas or patio space for those looking for a bit of privacy. There's patios on the ground floor, an enclosed patio on the second floor, and balconies on some rooms on the third floor, so one can enjoy the great weather. My single room was small, but had a renovated bathroom, flatscreen TV and lockable cupboard for valuables. Location is good - about 4 blocks to the heart of downtown. While some have said the area is a bit sketchy at night, I would say that that would hold true for most areas of San Jose. There's a gleaming 4-star Holiday Inn a block away, so it can't be that bad an area. Free wifi and friendly staff are also pluses.
Cons: it's located on a fairly noisy street, and walls are pretty thin, so earplugs would be helpful to have. No aircon in my room, just a ceiling fan (I didn't need one, but could imagine a steamy summer's night may benefit from aircon). Breakfast is included but it's pretty sparse. The restaurant menu is unexciting and it's cheaper to eat across the street where there is a local restaurant and a bar that is cheaper. Bring your own toiletries - they only supply little bars of soap.

Overall, I was pretty happy with my choice, and would certainly stay here again if I return to San Jose. It is good value for San Jose.

Stayed at the hotel for 6 days and found every aspect of the service superb from the staff at the front desk to the housekeeping staff to the restaurant staff to the on-site owners. Exceptionally clean. Knowledgeable friendly staff. Short walk to the heart of San Jose. Very safe neighborhood. Very good restaurant on site but large variety close by also. Our favorite ..the Colombian restaurant right across the street.

The owner is an American expat that built it 25 years ago. He has a great knoiwledge of the area for the first timers as I was. It is not a 5 star hotel but the care and kindness of the staff is. The hotel is clean and severs a great free breakfast. I will go back !