The Hilton Garden Inn Sabana San Jose is one of the newer hotels in San Jose, Costa Rica. It also happens to be one of the tallest buildings in San Jose. We stayed there for one night in March. The rate can range from the high-90s to low-200.
Check In/Check Out:
Check in was pretty rapid. I did online check-in, and pre-selected my room on the top floor (20th). When we got there, we were just given the keys to our room, even though we were a little early (noon).
Check out wasn’t slow, but it was a little bit odd – I filled in the paperwork for express check-out, but was still held up to do a standard check out. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mind, but we were running late.
Location:
In the Sabana business park, it’s near a number of coffee shops (Starbucks, Juan Valdez, Costa), and there’s a McDonald’s across the street. There are also a number of little bistros nearby. I’d say it was a good 45 min walk from the HGI to downtown San Jose. The walk is pleasant enough, so it’s not too bad. We took Uber back, and that was ~5 USD (or less – I can’t remember)
Room:
Contemporary. Think retro sofas, over-sized, hanging lamps, and grey-tiled bathrooms. Space wise, it was a little bit tight, but no complaints. There was also a mini-fridge, and a coffee machine by the entryway table. The bathroom was stocked with Neutrogena products.
Amenities:
They have a pool, which while awesome in theory, wasn’t exactly pragmatic. The winds made it a bit too cold to swim. Also, it’s probably a one-lane lap pool. The gym is on the small side of things, but the equipment is new. It also offers a great view of the national stadium.
Breakfast:
As a Gold or Diamond member, you can choose the point amenity, or breakfast for two. We went with the breakfast, and it was excellent.
The buffet had quite a selection, and there were four hot items. The key to breakfast is – you had to read the menu on the table, where they have made-to-order breakfast items. I got an omelette, and the French toast. The French toast is amazing. Try it!
Overall:
We had an enjoyable stay, and would return to this property. The staff were friendly, and the property offered great views. The lobby also had complimentary coffee and cookies.
Wanderlust 