We arrived in San Jose at 10pm and went directly to a "hotel" ringed in barbed wire that our cab driver warned us against. One look and we left for his recommended hotel a few blocks away - it was equally shady.
So after a quick Rough Guide check and phone call, I told him to take us to the Grano de Oro. The difference in price was $105 vs. $80 night. The difference in accomodation was enormous. The outside is spectacular, the restaurant is one of the most beautiful and romantic I have ever been to and the staff is friendly and helpful. The charming rooms are not airconditioned but the evenings were always a perfect temperature making a/c unnecessary (and I sweat ALOT in Costa Rica). We stayed here on three different occasions and used this as our base camp as we went to different parts of the country over 12 days.
Note: The outdoor hot tub deck is cute but not a reason stay here. If you are not going the hostel route, I would doubt there is a better hotel in or around San Jose (unless you prefer a more antiseptic travel experience - i.e. The Marriott). Even if you don't stay here, the restaurant is worth the taxi ride over.














