Holiday Inn Express San Jose Costa Rica Airport by IHG

Hotels
•
Holiday Inn Express
8.6 (3010 reviews)
1 Kilometer East Of Juan Santamaria Airport , Alajuela City , CR

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
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Review Highlights

Pros:
Close to airport / regular and 24hr shuttle
Friendly, helpful staff and quick check-in
Excellent and extensive breakfast
Comfortable beds and good showers
Pool and convenient on-site amenities (mini shop, Wi‑Fi)
Cons:
Recurring mold / poor ventilation in some bathrooms
Noisy AC and mismatched remote in some rooms
Occasional shuttle reliability/timing issues
Use of disposable plastic cutlery in some areas

Categories

Cleanliness
6.5
Several guests reported mold and mildew in bathrooms and poor ventilation; a few reviews mention cleanliness positively, but recurring mold issues lower this score.
Service
9.5
Consistently praised: friendly, helpful staff, quick check-in, attentive employees and caring owners; shuttle drivers and staff frequently mentioned positively.
Location
9.2
Recurrent positive mentions: excellent for airport access, close to beach, near snorkeling park and main strip, easy highway access.
Room Quality
8.7
Beds described as very comfortable and showers good; some comments about noisy AC and incompatible remote and isolated reports of mold affecting certain rooms.
Amenities
9
Good amenities noted: pool, 24hr/regular shuttle, mini shop, reliable Wi‑Fi and cold drinks available; one or two shuttle timing issues reported.
Value for Money
9
Multiple reviewers state very good value/quality-price ratio and recommend the hotel for transit stays or short visits.
Food and Beverage
9
Breakfast repeatedly described as excellent, extensive and delicious; a few comments suggest slightly more variety could be desirable.
Overall Experience
7.9
Generally positive overall with strong service, location and breakfast, but recurring mold/ventilation issues and a few operational hiccups (shuttle timing, AC noise) reduce the overall experience.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-10-28 22:39

Property Description

Convenient Location
Situated just 1.5 km from San Jose Airport, the Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport offers easy access for travelers with its free 24-hour airport shuttle.

Modern Amenities
Enjoy a comfortable stay with an outdoor pool, gym, and bright rooms equipped with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, and convenient amenities like a coffee maker and free phone calls.

Delicious Dining Options
Start your day with a tasty breakfast buffet featuring eggs, bacon, and cinnamon rolls. For other dining options, explore the international restaurant and lively bar just steps away.

Book now for a relaxing and convenient stay at Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport.

Important information:

Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: SJO

Location

Guest Reviews

8.6
Based on 3010 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.5
Service: 9.5
Location: 9.2
Room Quality: 8.7
Amenities: 9
Value for Money: 9
Food and Beverage: 9
Overall Experience: 7.9
L
laurie • family_with_children • fr
7
Pros:

Très proche et rapide pour se rendre à l'aéroport pour un départ en pleine nuit.
Literie, serviette, chambre propre et confortable.

Cons:

La piscine n'était vraiment pas très propre.
Odeur désagréable dans la chambre (la clim je pense ...)

2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
J
Julia • family_with_children • de
9
Gute Unterkunft mit tollem Frühstück
Pros:

Nah am Flughafen mit Shuttle. Sehr gut für eine Zwischenübernachtung. Wunderbares Frühstück!

2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
M
McAskill • solo_traveller • us
6
Ok but not great
Pros:

Location and airport shuttle

Cons:

They gave me a room by the front desk and it was super loud all night long

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
R
Raquel • family_with_children • au
10
2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
K
Kata • solo_traveller • no
10
2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
R
Ronald • couple • nl
9
2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
M
matias • couple • ar
8
2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
C
Callista • couple • nl
8
Net voordat je op het vliegtuig stapt zo dichtbij een comfortable hotel.
Pros:

De ligging, vlak bij de airport en de gratis shuttle naar de airport.

Cons:

Nvt

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
M
Marie-France • family_with_children • ca
10
Pros:

Wow! Très bon petit déjeuner.

Cons:

N/A

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
S
Susan • solo_traveller • cr
10
Very convenient and comfortable room.
Pros:

It was an easy check-in, I was tired. The room was ready, and I went to sleep. The bed was really comfortable.

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
J
JUNJIE • family_with_children • cr
10
2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
J
Jorge Eli Gutierrez • family_with_children • cr
10
Pros:

Todo Bien

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
P
patricia • extended_group • ca
10
2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
P
Philippe • solo_traveller • cr
10
2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
M
Maxine Fernanda • family_with_children • cr
9
2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
R
Roy • solo_traveller • ca
6
2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
H
HBrann • family_with_children • de
8
Gutes Hotel direkt am Flughafen
Pros:

Der Shuttleservice war wie angegeben gut, so dass wir nach dem langen Flug schnell im Hotel waren. Der Checkin verlief schnell und freundlich, dabei gab es noch einige Tipps. Unsere Enkel konnten sich noch im Pool austoben.
Das Frühstücksbuffett war sehr gut, die Kinder wurden dabei von dem Mitarbeiter mit einigen Zauberkunststücken unterhalten.
Vom Flug- und Verkehrslärm bekamen wir fast nichts mit und würden das Hotel für Ankunft und Abflug wieder buchen.

Cons:

Leider ist das Besteck noch immer aus Kunststoff, auch wenn er angeblich recyclebar ist.
Die Klimaanlage war zu laut und ließ sich nur am Gerät selbst einstellen. Die Fernsteuerung passte gar nicht dazu.

2026-10-22 • via Nuitee
L
Lily • solo_traveller • ch
9
It was good
Pros:

Nice comfy big beds, good showers, mini shop inside and great breakfast

Cons:

The shuttle transport pickup point from the airport to the hotel is a bit hard to fin

2026-10-22 • via Nuitee
M
Meagan • extended_group • us
10
2026-10-21 • via Nuitee
C
catherine • family_with_children • us
9
Great option for night before flight.
Pros:

We stayed the night before our flight home and having the 24hr shuttle option to airport was awesome and made it so easy. Breakfast was great. Beds comfy. Staff friendly and helpful.

Cons:

There was nothing we didn't like.

2026-10-21 • via Nuitee