Hotel El Maragato

Hotels
•
Independent
7.2 (100 reviews)
Ave Central, between street 1 and 3, San José, San Jose , San José , CR
506-000-22227737

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Pets allowed

Facilities

Free WiFi
24-hour front desk
Terrace
Luggage storage
Express check-in/check-out
Concierge service
Elevator
Supervised childcare/activities
ATM/banking
Gift shops or newsstand
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent location near markets and theatre
Very friendly and helpful staff
High-quality, fresh breakfast
Good value for the price
Cons:
Poor cleanliness (stains, musty smell, old towels)
Old/deteriorating rooms (broken balcony, missing panels, shower issues)
Inconsistent or limited Wi‑Fi
Elevator nonfunctional or unreliable

Categories

Cleanliness
3.8
Multiple reviews report stains on bedding and floor, musty/humidity smell, missing ceiling tile, and generally 'very old and dirty' rooms; towels noted as needing replacement.
Service
9
Staff repeatedly described as very friendly, helpful, and exceptional; several guests highlight excellent front desk assistance and English-speaking personnel.
Location
9.5
Consistently praised as an excellent, central location next to a public square and close to Mercado Central and Teatro Nacional; many walking-distance dining and market options.
Room Quality
5
Rooms described as old with broken balcony, missing window/glass panel, odd showerhead behavior, and limited water in at least one room — overall dated and in need of repair.
Amenities
5.5
Wifi reported as inconsistent or limited (only in stair area, different floor passwords), elevator often nonfunctional, and other facility issues noted (missing tile, balcony damage).
Value for Money
8
Guests felt the hotel offered good value for the price; several comments call it 'best for the price' or 'great price' despite shortcomings.
Food and Beverage
8.5
Breakfast widely praised (typical Costa Rican breakfast noted as high quality and freshly cooked); several reviewers called breakfast 'AMAZING'.
Overall Experience
8.3
Despite cleanliness and facility issues, strong staff service and outstanding location led to generally positive overall stays and recommendations to return.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-06-30 11:42

Property Description

Enjoy Exquisite Dining and Entertainment
Indulge in international cuisine at Restaurante Maragato or grab a drink at the bar/lounge. Take advantage of room service or head to the coffee shop for a cozy ambiance. For some excitement, catch the casino shuttle for gaming fun.

Relax in Comfort and Style
Make yourself at home in our individually furnished guestrooms featuring minibars and pillowtop beds with down comforters. Enjoy private balconies, rainfall showerheads, and complimentary toiletries.

Convenient Location and Amenities
Benefit from complimentary wired and wireless internet access, a 24-hour business center, and express check-in. Explore nearby attractions like Plaza de la Cultura and Pre-Colombian Gold Museum. With a surcharge, avail a roundtrip airport shuttle to Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport.

Book your stay at Hotel El Maragato for a memorable and convenient San José experience.

Important information:

  • Up to 3 children 4 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding.
  • The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
  • Contactless check-in is available.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:30 PM
Airport code: SJO

Property Policies

  • Sustainability Certifications

    Property confirms they are implementing guest safety measures

  • General

    Guests are provided with free hand sanitizer

  • General

    Bed sheets and towels are washed at a temperature of at least 60°C/140°F

  • General

    Staff wears personal protective equipment

  • Pets

    Pets allowed

See all policies

Location

Guest Reviews

7.2
Based on 100 reviews
Cleanliness: 3.8
Service: 9
Location: 9.5
Room Quality: 5
Amenities: 5.5
Value for Money: 8
Food and Beverage: 8.5
Overall Experience: 8.3
S
Sandra • solo_traveller • cr
4
2026-06-27 • via Nuitee
G
Gaizka • couple • es
3
Pros:

La ubicación y el desayuno. Los empleados fueron muy amables

Cons:

Estaba muy viejo y sucio, había manchas en la colcha y en el suelo. Olia a humedad y faltaba una baldosa del techo que tuvimos que poner nosotros. El balcón estaba destrozado. Las toallas deberían renovarlas

2026-06-26 • via Nuitee
J
Jaime • solo_traveller • es
8
Pros:

The staff was amazing. Very, very friendly and helpful. The wifi was toptier for working, as i had to.

2026-06-23 • via Nuitee
D
Daniel • family_with_children • us
6
Great location, but the facilities need some work
Pros:

The location was AMAZING. It was a little hard to find at first, but that's because it's directly adjacent to a public square. You can't park near the hotel, we parked at a lot on Calle 3 to the tune of about $40 for an overnight. There were a lot of great things within walking distance of the hotel. The farmer's market Mercado Bonbon was about a 5 minute walk and had TONS of great local produce for a very reasonable price. The Mercado Central also had some nice stores. There are a ton of great restaurants nearby, the Teatro Nacional is basically right next door. The staff at the front desk was also very helpful and nice and spoke very good English. The breakfast in the morning was AMAZING. I highly recommend the typical Costa Rican breakfast. Everything is cooked fresh and the quality is very high, especially when compared to the hotel breakfasts I'm used to getting in the US.

Cons:

We had several issues with the hotel from a facilities standpoint.
1) The elevator was basically nonfunctional. This was really challenging with 2 kids and 4 suitcases to deal with.
2) The window in our room had glass panels that could be opened and closed, but one of the panels was missing. My kids were really anxious about bugs or animals getting into the room.
3) The shower was spacious, but the shower head was very weird. The water seemed to spray in every direction EXCEPT towards my body.

2026-06-16 • via Nuitee
M
Maureen • solo_traveller • cr
8
2026-06-05 • via Nuitee
D
Daniel • solo_traveller • cr
10
2026-06-03 • via Nuitee
A
Andrea • solo_traveller • cr
9
2026-06-01 • via Nuitee
W
wen • solo_traveller • cr
8
Pros:

El desayuno

Cons:

La habitación no le llegaba agua

2026-05-30 • via Nuitee
W
William • solo_traveller • us
8
Pros:

Everything was great. The location provided lots of options. It's not the best but it was the best for the price. I was very satisfied and may return.

Cons:

The WIFI was not very consistent.

2026-05-27 • via Nuitee
G
GIORGIO • solo_traveller • es
1
Pros:

El centro istorico muy bien

Cons:

Indernet en la vitacione noavia
Solo en la escalera y cada piso una clave diferente

2026-05-24 • via Nuitee
A
AlexFall00087 • solo_traveller • cr
10
2026-05-13 • via Nuitee
L
Lesueur • solo_traveller • us
6
2026-05-10 • via Nuitee
A
Anita • couple • us
10
Epic
Pros:

It’s a great location for a great price. The staff is wonderful.

2026-05-09 • via Nuitee
J
Jose ignacio • solo_traveller • es
2
Hotel viejo en muy buena unicacion
Pros:

Hotel muy viejo

2026-05-07 • via Nuitee
G
Garrison • solo_traveller • us
9
Pros:

Although the hotel was old, the staff and location was exceptional and made the entire stay an extremely nice experience...I will definitely return and recommend...

2026-05-06 • via Nuitee
D
Dieter • solo_traveller • fr
7
Grossartige Lage! Man braucht aber viel Toleranz, um sich wohlzufühlen.
Pros:

Die Lage in der Fussgängerstrasse direkt am "Plaza de la Cultura" ist ausgezeichnet, besser geht es nicht. Mein Zimmer 704 in der siebten Etage ist sehr gross. Vom Balkon aus schaut man hinunter auf die Fussgängerstrasse, zum Platz und auf viele wichtige Gebäude mit den Bergen im Hintergrund. Die Betten sind super bequem. Das Heisswasser im Badezimmer hat um die 40°, ausgezeichnet. Schrank und viele Schubladen zum Verstauen des Gepäcks sind vorhanden.

Cons:

Die Einrichtung (ausser Matratzen) ist abgewohnt.
Beleuchtung des Zimmers war unzureichend.
Eine Stehlampe war defekt. Für meinen 17-tägigen Aufenthalt erhielt ich 2 batteriebetriebene Handlampen; ncht sehr praktisch beim Lesen im Bett.
In einem schönen Speisesaal durfte das Frühstück nicht eingenommen werden, es wurde auf's Zimmer gebracht.
Das Personal für Frühstück und Reinigung war freundlich, das Personal am Empfang nicht immer und bei kleineren Pannen wenig hilfsbereit.
Fernseher, Klimanalage und Telefon habe ich nicht benutzt, weil keinerlei Infos und/oder Bedienungsanleitungen vorhanden waren.
Für den Safe im Zimmer fehlten auch die Infos und die Eingabe von Codes funktionierte nicht; mit Hilfe eines Schlüssels (der dazu dient, beim Vergessen eines Codes den Safe zu öffnen) konnte ich den Safe benutzen.
Wenn etwas nicht funktioniert, kann man nicht unbedingt mit Abhilfe rechnen.

2026-04-27 • via Nuitee
A
Anthony Vargas • solo_traveller • cr
10
2026-04-26 • via Nuitee
F
Francisco Molinari • solo_traveller • gt
8
2026-04-23 • via Nuitee
Y
Yahya • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-04-22 • via Nuitee
E
Eduardo • couple • pe
7
2026-04-19 • via Nuitee