I can't say this very often, but words fail me. From the time I walked through the door to the time 6 days later when I got in the taxi to go to the airport, I felt like I'd found a second home. I haven't felt this relaxed in years and I won't stay anywhere else in San Jose unless I move there and even then I'd probably go over to hang out.
If you're looking for a place to party, this isn't the place you're looking for. They don't have a bar, but they do have bottles of wine (and cans of Imperial or Pilsen, two Costa Rican brews) that they can sell you (and can usually be talked into sharing after you buy it). :)
Jordan, Pat, Ney, Jaime and the rest are incredibly cool and a great bunch of people to sit and chat with, whether food is involved or not. I didn't get to meet Storm, but he's involved in the independent surf film the hostel is sponsoring ("Gringo Invasion"). If you're looking for a tour of a volcano, waterfall, rain forest or one of Costa Rica's many beaches, Jaime's the guy to talk to. I got to tour the Poas volcano and the rain forest and had an incredible time.
If you're a computer geek like me, you can use your laptop to connect to their free Wi-Fi network. If you're not, they've got computers you can use.
While walking around the neighborhood, I never felt threatened as there is a constant police presence. The reason? The Belgian embassy is right around the corner and the Italians aren't too much further away.
I haven't even gotten home yet (I'm writing from the airport in Ft. Lauderdale) and I can't wait to go back to get more Bekuo.
