San José Travel Forum

We will be arriving into San Jose Aiport around 11:40 PM and wanted to know if it was safe taking airport taxi to the Marriott Courtyard, and or the Marriott Resort late at night or early in the morning? Thank you.

Can these be done as a day trip from San Jose? I mean one day per location not both in the same day? We'll most likely have to take a bus.

We're going to spend a couple of days in San Jose and need an affordable place to stay. I would prefer a small hotel/B&B. Hostel would do as long as there are individual rooms as opposed to dorm style. Our max budget is $40-50 per night for two people.
Since we're not renting a car I would prefer closer to the downtown area where most of the sights are.
My travel guide recommends a place called Pension de la Cuesta. Anyone tried it?

What is the best way to transfer from Continental flight from US to a Sansa flight leaving from the local airport?

I am visting San Jose CR for a convention, I would like to book a hotel close it (walking distance if possible) "The Barceló San Jose Palacio" - location of the convention. Its close to La Sabana park. Also please advice me on the best mode of travel in the city, I am not looking for luxury.... so any decent hotel would do.

Also let me know how much taxi fare from the airport would be.

Any help and suggestions greatly appriciated.

Cheers,

Does anyone know a decent hotel near the tobias blacno airport in San Jose? I arrive late at night at the international airport and need to catch a domestic flight early in the morning at Tobias Blanco

Thanks

has anyone driven between costa rica and panama? i will be in san jose for a couple of weeks on business and would like to drive down to the panama canal and back over the weekend. is this possible to do without encountering problems with immigration in either country? does anyone know the airlines that fly this route? i checked kayak and they came up with 600usd, which is way too much. thanks, omax

has anyone stayed in these apartments? is it in a safe area? i am going for dental work and would rather have an apartment than a hotel. can anyone help? thanks, omax

Hello, myself and two buddies would like to rent a Jeep Wrangler from March 8th through the 16th. We are planning on doing some light traveling through Costa Rica, with SanJose as the base, and want the open air effect. Would anyone know where we could rent one? The car companies I have emailed have not been able to confirm that we could get a Jeep Wrangler as our car for certain.

Thank you!

I am going to costa rica on the 6th of feb spending 2 weeks my fiancee is traveling there from the philippines I want to get there on the 5th so i can be setteled in before she arrives on the 6th close to the sjo airport her flight will arrive 11.00pm i want a nice hotel maybe for 2 days then we can travel out to other areas i know she will be very tired from traveling 30 houres, my sister stayed at paradises in the north west 2 times in the last 6 months and loved it I had a travel agent get me some pricing but it is so expensive 8 thousand for 2 weeks i really dont want to spend that much I want nice hotels ,I like beach and boating and fishing not really into forest and things like that.any help would be a appretiated thanks

We are looking for an airport shuttle from the international airport (CR SJO) provided by the Aurola Holiday Inn in San Jose. We have reservations at the Aurola and arrive at the airport 9:40 PM.

Thank you.

Hey there VT friends,
Im in the mood for Costa Rica for the end of this year and looking for a travelling companion.
Im planning to drive to Costa Rica for a week or so, Anyone interested ????
Dates and itinerary is still in the planning.

what's the best time of year to travel to costa rica? looks like right now is the rainy season.

I am going to visit Costa Rica at september, and I will stay at San Jose for couple weeks for a dental surgery, I have found this hotel www.pensiondelacuesta.com , it says it is located at Avenida 1 , 50meters west from regitro civil. The website and hotel looks nice and cheap but is it a nice neighborwood and safe? Any comment or suggestion will be very helpful!

Thanks in advance to any and all who can help. In a few months, a friend and I will be going to Arenal via San Jose. We are flying into Santamaria (SJO), and are going to take a flight on Nature Air to Arenal. Nature Air flies out of Tobias Bolanos Airport. This is my question (I have tried Google but keep getting different answers): Does anyone in this forum have real time experience with how long it takes to get from SJO to Tobias Bolanos? Google says the airports are about 10 miles apart, and gives answers ranging from a travel time of 20 minutes to an hour. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as well as some advice on the quickest way to get from SJO to Tobias; i.e.; taxi, etc. Thanks again.

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know a good Hotel close to the San Jose Airport.
On my way home from Costa Rica I have an early flight in the morning. And after a month of backpacking I want a goodnight rest before my flight. So no budgethotel for the last night...
But also no Hilton :) just a place close to the airport where I can have a good night of sleep...

Thanks for you help,

Ron

hello everyone,

we are thinking about moving to Costa Rica (san jose) since we got a job offer there. The problem is that we know nothing about the living costs and other expenses (flats fairs in good regions, transportation, food, movies ets...)

We'll be greatfull for any tip of information.

I am wondering if anyone of you can help me?

I have got a scholarship for Upeace University in Costa Rica for this school
year.

The University is in town named Ciudad Colón (near San Jose).

Can you help me to find place to stay in this town for 10 months (begining at
the end of august, till june 2008).

I need something decent but not expensive :-)))

Thanks in advance,

my e mail address is spacefog2001@yahoo.com

Hello, my fiance and I are planning to go to Costa Rica for our honeymoon and narrowed it down to spend time in Manuel Antonio and Arenal. The question is, should we stay all 5 nights in Manuel Antonio and take a day trip to Arenal? Or should we split up our trip b/w those two sites.

Also - how do you get from the airport to these 2 destinations? Thanks!!

Hey all-

I'm planning a last minute vacation to Costa Rica from March 24 to April 15th. (got some unexpected vacation time) I was warned that this is a very busy time. I've already booked accommadations in the Sarapaqui region durning Semana Santa (April 2 through the 9th). I was hoping to leave a little wiggle room on either side in case the weather should turn. Hate to pre book everyting, but will if it looks like everything will fill up. Hiking is the main purpose of the trip, so I intend to visit a few national parks and expore them as thouroughly as I can. I would be interested in Corcavado, Monteverde, Arenal, and Rincon Viejo. Any information about accomadations and practicalities surrounding these parks would be greatly appreciated. I did rent a car, so I have some mobility.

I am planning a trip for late april and was wondering where would be a good place to go from San Jose. I am interested in a place that has some good energy but not super touristy/crowded. Also, with nearby trails and nature. Could somebody offer a few suggestions? I also heard that April might be a very busy time due to Holy week, is this a bad time to visit Costa Rica? Thanks for any advice. Potentially could go Guatemala or Mexico.

Thanks
Jordan

Can someone tell me what kind of electrical plug used in Costa Rica? Two flat prongs or round prongs, or three prongs? Thank you.

What is the cost of public bus going from San Jose to La Fortuna?
Can we carry the luggage on to the bus (backpacker back pack)?
Is it safe?

We saw there are shuttle service for around $30per person (USD, I think).
Is these services much better than public transport? Any recommendation
which shuttle company?

We are a party of 3, arriving San Jose airport around 3pm on Saturday.
Initially, we are thinking of staying in San Jose for the first night
and then take the public bus to La Fortuna the next day. We just found
out there are private shuttle bus service which can take you directly
from airport to La Fortuna for ~$100 (one mini bus). This way, we can
arrive La Fortuna the same day we land. Does it worth it?

Anyone tried the shuttle service? Any comments?

Thanks,
Raymond

in a week or so, i am planning to drive to costa rica, via mexico, guatemala, nicauragua. was wondering if anyone has done this recently, and if so what route was taken? I plan to move as swiftly as possible to costa rica, to maximize my time there... is it realistic to depart nyc on the Jan 2nd and arrive in Costa Rica on Jan. 7th??

recommendations on gas, bribes, maps and routes would be greatly appreciated..

also, I am headed down there solo, so if anyone needs a ride or wants an adventure, shoot me an e-mail... a little about me.. i am 26, documentary filmmaker, plan on listening to a wide array of music on the way south

Hi all,

Are mosquitoes much of a problem in San Jose or the beach during the rainy season?

What is the telephone number of the Palacio Hotel/Casino in San Jose, Costa Rica?

hi, i will be visiting san jose first week of november,
i want to know cheap air ticket from san jose to panama city (one way) for travel on 5th or 6th november, can anyone local based there check message me.
thanks in advance.

Hello:

My partner and I are looking to visit Costa Rica and have heard that it is gay positive.

Not sure how to arrange a good flight at a decent price or how to sort out a good hotel in the Costa Rica? I have heard of Colors? Is it good value. I like a nice hotel bu t do not want to waste all the money on a hotel either.

My partner is older so prefer not to have 8000 steps unless there is an elevator as well.

Not sure if how to find a good place in the core, or how difficult, it would be to then spend a couple of days at the ocean?

Are there gay positive places in Costa Rica?

We are also looking at Mexico or Ft Lauderdale.

Really would like your help please, as have never boooked a trip before on our own like this.

A little lost here :)

I have never been to Costa Rica; I will be in San Jose for about six days and was told The Hotel Del Rey had a nice casino, several nice restaurants but is a "haven" for prostitutes. Is the area around this hotel safe? I will be by myself for a few days and I love walking - even at night; but I am concerned about staying away from any problems - in other words, I just want to gamble a little bit, do some sightseeing and have a good time. Is this hotel going to be all right for a 6 day stay AND is there a travel department where I can make arrangements to see the rainforests, volcano and pyramids? I will await a reply. e-mail at giozano@aol.com

My husband and I are taking our young children for a 2 week holiday in costa rica. We have rented a 4WD truck and are travling from San Jose to Manuel Antonio, then to Monteverde and then to Guanacaste before returning to San Jose. We were on the fence about renteing a car and have finally decided to to for a rental instead of private transfers. I would welcome any any all advise, thoughts, suggestions on driving in costa rica. Also, can anyone recommend a really good highway map?