Hotel Presidente

We were on a tour and stayed 2 extra nights to explore San Jose. The Hotel Presidente had a great location on a pedestrian walkway and was in walking distance to all the museums. Rooms were large with great AC and shower! The staff was exceptional!! Entry staff and porter was very nice. Maria and Charlie at the front desk were friendly and assisted us with directions to the museums and a pharmacy. Great staff and a wonderful place to stay in San Jose.

We had an AMAZING stay at Hotel Presidente! We had a harrowing drive from La Fortuna and from the second we pulled into the driveway Pedro took care of us. He took the keys, told us to leave our bags, and sent us on our way. They gave us a free upgrade for our honeymoon to one of their "concept" rooms. It was chic and comfortable, and amazingly quiet considering the noise of San Jose. Every single person we interacted with was incredible (shout out also to Steven and Andrea!). Breakfast was yummy (book direct with them for free breakfast). This was one of our more affordable stays, but also one of the nicest.

It was a lovely stay. Super good service, all friendly people. The room was clean. Delicious breakfast. And the restaurant was fantastic. And whenever we needed help, it was a matter of course for them to assist us. Especially Nicole at the reception. Thank you all!

The hotel interior is very cool, the staff are friendly and the rooms are great. Really modern and clean with a huge shower.
Our room was pretty hard to find so more signage would be great - we literally found it by mistake as there were no signs.
The only let down for this hotel was the breakfast. By far the worst we experienced in Costa Rica. The coffee was comparable to that found in a hospital and there was virtually no service at all. I don’t mind a buffet, but there was no one around clearing tables or refreshing anything. Really disappointing after a positive first impression.

Very nice hotel with wonderful & friendly staff. I enjoyed all the live greenery draping the interior lobby of the hotel.
Breakfast was delicious with a lot of variety.

I liked that the bedroom windows can open, however if facing the street - it can get quite noisy.

The location in downtown San José was ideal — convenient for exploring the city and an easy place to settle in before heading out or after returning from a long day of travel. The staff was consistently friendly, welcoming, and genuinely helpful.

The rooms were well appointed, the beds were extremely comfortable, and the common areas had a warm, inviting atmosphere that made the hotel feel more like a destination than just a place to sleep.

The included breakfast was excellent and a great way to start the day. One unexpected highlight was Azotea restaurant — we enjoyed it so much that we ended up eating there twice during our stay.

We stayed at Hotel Presidente both the first and last nights of our trip, and it was the perfect bookend to an incredible Costa Rican experience.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for comfort, convenience, and a great home base in San José.

Beautiful hotel full of character in downtown San Jose. We stayed in room 801, which had a delightful balcony full of plants and overlooking the bustling city. Very comfortable bed, delicious breakfast, and very friendly staff. Shout out to Luis M on reception for such a friendly welcome.

Great room after being upgraded due to a faulty TV. Service was great and so was the breakfast.

The Hotel Presidente was the best part of our stay in San José. Immaculate, gracious, and a little mysterious, it has a personality that sets it apart from the city’s more generic options. We stayed in a Superior Room, which I absolutely recommend. The styling is best described as industrial chic with a soul. The building once housed a garment factory in the old fashion district, and the hotel embraces that past with repurposed materials, vintage touches, and a design sensibility that feels both modern and rooted in history.

The rooftop restaurant overlooking the city quickly became our evening ritual. Their guacamole is next level, and the view makes even a simple drink feel special. The staff went beyond typical Costa Rican affability. They were genuinely warm, attentive, and proud of the hotel’s character. Our room was not only spotless and beautiful, it was genuinely cool. Every morning, parakeets nested outside our window and happily chatted with us, which added a touch of magic to the stay.
Throughout the hotel, you’ll find subtle nods to other eras: old machinery, reclaimed textiles, and stylistic choices that reflect the owner’s eye for design. These details give the place a sense of identity that makes other upscale hotels feel bland by comparison. I even asked the front desk if they had a book of old photos from the factory days. They didn’t, but the building’s history is still very much alive in the atmosphere. One of the most unexpected touches was on the rooftop, where I noticed two Caminos de Sefarad tiles. It’s remarkable to see a hotel built in 1963 quietly tracing cultural threads back to 1492 Spain.

The hotel feels incredibly safe, and the breakfast was excellent. Hotel Presidente is stylish without trying too hard, historic without being dusty, and welcoming in a way that makes you want to return. If you have to spend the night in San José, you’ll be hard pressed to find better. And if you have a night and a day, make chocolate a couple of blocks away at La Casa del Cacao… but that’s a different review.

We stayed here for 2 nights at the start of our 2 week trip and very much enjoyed it. The hotel is very stylish and the although the bedrooms were simple/ understated, they were spotlessly clean and had the most comfortable beds with high quality mattresses, pillows and linens..the best we experienced in Costa Rica! The reception staff were friendly and helped us with chase a lost bag (from the airline). Breakfast was a buffet with all tastes catered for and again great service and presentation. Would recommend if you want a clean and comfortable base in the city.

We had a great stay at Hotel Presidente. The beds/linens were very comfortable. The breakfast buffet was delicious, and the staff was friendly and helpful. There was an issue with our booking and Daniel went above and beyond to make things right and to make our stay wonderful. A big thanks to Daniel, Kiny, Jorge and William.

The hotel lobby is so beautiful and unique. Antique and modern. The staff are very helpful. The restaurant is exquisite.

From the moment we stepped out of the car we felt welcomed. All the staff was friendly, helpful and professional. Thank you to Maria at the front desk for all her help and recommendations. Also the on site restaurant was great. Food and desserts were delicious. If you are looking for a true downtown experience this is the hotel for you.

We had a wonderful family experience at the hotel. Everything was perfect from the easy parking, to the friendly check-in to the clean fresh, beautiful room and outstanding breakfast. You walk in and you feel like you’re in the rainforest with all the beautiful greenery. I highly suggest dinner at the rooftop restaurant.

Hotel Presidente was clean, the staff was friendly and helpful, the breakfast was delicious and the location was perfect to explore downtown San Jose. I throughly enjoyed my visit. We appreciated the hospitality of the staff and front desk attendants after our late arrival. I would definitely stay here again and recommend it to future travelers.

Thank you for all and to Luis to the reception.

Fantastic place. It would be easy to miss from the street except for the rolling gate, but once you come inside it's wonderful. Staff is super helpful everywhere, the lobby is cute, the rooftop restaurant is nice and really reasonably priced (about the same as area restaurants, not the usual hotel markup), and the area is fine to walk around in (with tons of restaurant options). Easy walks to the museums (Jade and Gold), markets, etc. Oh, and breakfast is nice too with lots of options. It's a buffet but at restaurant quality other than fetching your own food.

A great modern hotel in a central location. Main attractions are all within walking distance of the hotel with a selection of local restaurants and cafes around. The room was large, spacious and airy, the bed was so comfortable with high quality bedding. Dining in the restaurant on the roof terrace was also a pleasant experience with fantastic food and attentive staff. Breakfast was substantial without being over the top. I would have no hesitation in recommending this hotel.

Ariana and Stephanie were amazing young ladies! They both made sure that the check in and check out process ran smoothly. Not only did they give the information about activities in the area, they took the time to give some great suggestions. The hotel itself was stunning! They had great food, employees were helpful, the rooms etc... was clean and was located in a great location. I could go on and on about this hotel, but I would definitely stay again!

We arrived there with no booking.And the team . They could find a room very quickly. Special thanks to Luis M. Room comfortable , quiet and very clean