GRAN HOTEL COSTA RICA, CURIO COLLECTION BY HILTON, San Jose (San Jose)

Gran Hotel Costa Rica occupies a declared historical and architectural monument from the 1930s, located directly across from the National Theatre and adjacent to Plaza de la Cultura. The lobby sits on the fifth floor, offering views of the city through large windows while the ground floor houses a concierge and travel coordinator. The hotel is within a 5-minute walk of San José Cathedral and steps away from the Gold Museum and Jade Museum.

The hotel includes a piano bar with city views on the top floor, serving a variety of bar snacks and large sandwiches, with live music performances during select evenings. Curio5 restaurant offers a breakfast buffet with eggs made to order and local dishes like rice, beans, yucca, and plantains, though dinner portions are large but not particularly creative. Happy hour is available at the bar, and guests can request takeaway breakfast for early departures.

Superior and Junior Suite rooms feature king or two double beds, marble-topped tables, soundproof double-paned windows, and a fridge with pod-style coffee maker, but the bathroom design uses frosted glass partitions that are transparent enough to see through from the bedroom. The hotel has a 24-hour business center, fitness center, valet parking, a minimarket on site, and a vending machine for snacks.

Guests have access to a 24-hour front desk, concierge service, currency exchange, express check-in/check-out, and a tour desk that can arrange city tours and airport transfers (shuttle to SJO costs $45, Uber around $15). The hotel provides wheelchair-accessible rooms with grab rails, a lift with keycard security for guest floors, and a shared lounge/TV area on the fifth floor. Pets are allowed, and the hotel offers laundry, dry cleaning, ironing service, and trouser press.

The building hosted President John F. Kennedy during his 1963 visit to Costa Rica, and memorabilia from that stay is displayed throughout the property. For business travelers, the hotel has a 24-hour business center, meeting/banquet facilities, and expert staff available for social and corporate event planning. The hotel also offers a parking garage, valet parking, car hire, and a coffee house on site.