Balmoral Hotel
Avenida Central Entre Calle 7 Y 9, San Jose 10104 Costa Rica
Lowest prices for your stay
$269
Fully refundable before 04/07/23
No prepayment needed
$269
Fully refundable before 04/07/23
No prepayment needed
$269
$80
Booking.com$116
Travelocity$269
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About
#26 of 99 hotels in San Jose
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
The Hotel Full of Life, Where Everything is Within Reach! The Balmoral is a lively, full service, landmark hotel located on the famous Central Avenue in the historical and vibrant heart of downtown San Jose, Costa Rica and only 10 miles away from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). The Balmoral is ideal for both leisure and business travelers. Within walking distance of the hotel, you will find San Jose's main art, cultural, financial, government and historical landmarks, as well as some of city's best entertainment, shopping, and healthcare facilities. From the hotel, you can also take a wide variety of one-day tours to discover Costa Rica's natural beauties.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Free breakfast
Walking tours
Children's television networks
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Airport transportation
Secured parking
Wifi
Bar / lounge
Coffee shop
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Kids' meals
Car hire
Taxi service
Business Center with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Meeting rooms
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Concierge
Non-smoking hotel
Shops
24-hour check-in
24-hour front desk
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Soundproof rooms
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Microwave
Flatscreen TV
Extra long beds
Bath / shower
Interconnected rooms available
Room service
Safe
Seating area
Telephone
Wardrobe / closet
Clothes rack
Iron
Private bathrooms
Refrigerator
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
City view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Centrally Located
Family
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
100Great for walkers
Grade: 100 out of 100
91Restaurantswithin 0.5 km
38Attractionswithin 0.5 km
Contact
Avenida Central Entre Calle 7 Y 9, San Jose 10104 Costa Rica
Getting there
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1927Reviews39Q+A100Room tips
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Great location, delicious restaurant, really helpful and friendly staff. It was nice to have a place so close to everything that still felt like I was treating myself. My only complaint is that the bar has no set hours and my husband and I kept missing it, so we never got to experience it.
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Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Make sure, if you are trying to enter the hotel from the central walking areas, that you get...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Very nice room and fresh breakfast! Location is perfect, right on the end of Avenue Central plaza. Quick walk to shops, parks and Gold Museum. Staff was super helpful with bags, directions and taxi to airport. Highly recommend and will stay here again if I'm ever in San Jose.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
I stayed at the Balmoral Hotel for 1 night in February 2023; I stayed with my husband and my mother in-law. We reserved the Belford Suite. We arrived to the hotel a couple of hours before check-in, and sat in the lobby until it was time to check in. The hotel lobby area and adjacent seating areas were pretty tired looking. The seating was comfortable, but definitely worn. When it was time to check in, we approached the desk and were told that our room had not been cleaned yet, and so we would need to wait another 30 minutes. So, we sat and waited (~45 mins, to be safe) before approaching the desk again. Again, we were told that our room had not yet been cleaned, and it would be "another 30 minutes." We were irritated, but waited another 30 minutes. We approached again, only to be told that the room was still not available, since the previous tenant had locked their belongings into the safe and they weren't sure when it would be available. So, they offered us the choice of another suite OR the original room with the understanding that we wouldn't be able to use the safe. We opted for a different suite and were told that most of them were "not yet clean." This was at nearly 4 pm. Eventually, we were able to get checked in to another suite. None of the three keys worked in the door. It took three separate trips to the front desk before housekeeping let us in the room with the master key. Then, we were not able to leave until maintenance had arrived to reset the door locks and re-key our room cards. It was not a good start to our stay. Our suite did what it needed to: provided us a place to sleep for the night. But it did not feel like good value for the money we paid. The rooms were pretty spartan and felt like a dormitory bedroom. The ceiling in our room had a weird black stain on it, the room smelled overwhelmingly musty, and the mattress definitely needed to be replaced (coming apart at the seams). The beds were incredibly hard, and both my husband and I woke up very sore in the morning. Somewhat ironically, one of the safes in our room did not work (would not close and lock). The restaurant, El Patio, was...not great (will be reviewed separately). The area the hotel is located in is convenient for some of the museums, but is kind of seedy. It's safe enough to walk in the daytime, but none of us felt comfortable going out after dark. There is a shopping area on the ground level that was, at one time, probably nice, but is now completely shuttered (probably a victim of Covid). Overall, we were pretty disappointed in our stay; it was definitely the only low point we had during our travels in this beautiful country. Everything in the hotel felt very dated, worn, and tired. It's clear that perhaps it was once a very nice facility, but in its current state, it's hard to recommend it as a place to stay.…
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Very close to several nice attractions (National Museum, Jade Museum, National Theater, etc).
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Great location in the pedestrian area of central San Jose, close to all the key historic and cultural attractions and an excellent base for exploring this historic capital city. The Balmoral staff was very friendly and helpful, and the room was quite large, clean and had a full fridge and microwave plus lots of storage space An enclosed balcony overlooking the pedestrian street was a nice surprise, The restaurant was a large airy facility with a brick oven pizza area, a nice cafe and wine cellar with an open air dining area. Food was great both in variety and quality, at a reasonable price, with friendly staff. We truly enjoyed our 6 nights at the Balmoral
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Javier Josue Rivera Aguilera, Otros at Balmoral Hotel
Responded 2 weeks ago
Thank you for your comment and rating. It is correct we are located in the historic center of the capital of Costa Rica, that is to say that you can explore the historical places of the city. As museums, theaters, editions among others. We also have a restaurant with a large area. We are glad to know that it was a unique experience. We hope you visit us again soon. Best regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hotelroom was quite big and clean. The hotel was quiet and the breakfast was very tasty. Unfortunately our pick up from the airport which we prebooked with the hotel didn't happen. After calling the hotel with the phone of a very kind stranger they just told us they can't provide the pickup. This was quite unfortunate as it was already 11pm and we didn't withdraw any colones and walked past the official taxi offers within the airport.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Javier Josue Rivera Aguilera, Otros at Balmoral Hotel
Responded 22 Feb 2023
Thank you for the comment and the rating. We are glad to hear that the experience was unique, and we apologize for your pickup at the hotel. Our shuttle service was full due to high occupancy, so perhaps we mistakenly confirmed the service. Likewise, we hope you will visit us soon. Best regards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I booked this hotel as my usual hotel had increased in price, but honestly wish I'd paid the extra I have never been made to feel as unwelcome as when I arrived here, I immediately regretted changing hotels - the hotel itself needs some TLC but that would not have been an issue had the staff been more friendly I felt like I was watched everytime I moved through the hotel, I actually arrived at my room in tears The bathroom smelt which I assume was due to a blockage in the pipes as the water drained extremely slowly, the shower was lukewarm at best, the power sockets by the bed only work if the lights are on, I could go on For the price paid, it was definitely not what I envisaged, I'm a regular visitor to Costa Rica and this is the first such experience I have had, I was far happier once I'd checked out …
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Javier Josue Rivera Aguilera, Otros at Balmoral Hotel
Responded 22 Feb 2023
Thank you for your comment. We apologize for the inconvenience, we have more room types that may fit your room type. Also if you are having problems with the room we invite you to communicate directly with the reception so we can make the change immediately. Best regards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Central hotel in the city - about 20 mins in an Uber from the international airport. No main entrance to the hotel - more a side gate secured all day with a doorbell to call for access. The breakfast included is served a la carte with four simple options. Not the biggest breakfast- we were hungry again by late morning. The breakfast is served in a restaurant open to the public. The room was spacious with a fridge and microwave which we didn’t use but some might find helpful? No view on the enclosed balcony. We weren’t impressed with San Jose - little to do and litter everywhere. Not somewhere we would come back to - so 2 nights in this hotel and we were done.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Javier Josue Rivera Aguilera, Otros at Balmoral Hotel
Responded 22 Feb 2023
Yes, we are a City Hotel, and we offer multiple room options made to fit every need. Our main entrance to the hotel was designed to offer a safe arrival to our guests, as they can park there while our valet parking attendant helps them with their luggage and right next to the parking we have the reception to make check-in easier. We also have rooms with balcony and also with refrigerator and microwave. We are located in the Historic Center, so museums, theaters, stores, restaurants and other options. We hope you will visit us again soon. Regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The reception was friendly and check in was easy. The rugs etc in the public area look a little old or dirty but the rooms were clean. I had a full breakfast that was included which was very good. There were choices of a typical Costa Rica breakfast,a fruit plate, or American breakfast of eggs.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Javier Josue Rivera Aguilera, Otros at Balmoral Hotel
Responded 22 Feb 2023
Thank you for the comment and the rating, our infrastructure was thought to combine both sides, the old with the new, our furniture was made with pure wood, so through the years we try to maintain it in the best way, this to take care of the environment. And yes, our rooms were remodeled to offer the best comfort. We hope you will visit us soon. Best regards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Central location was brilliant. Room was large and comfortable. Comfortable bed and great pillows. The service in the hotel was brilliant, really friendly and accommodating. I really enjoyed my stay and would go back. The breakfast was good too, but restaurant service was a little slow and patchy.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled solo
Room Tip: Getting in and out of the hotel is a bit tricky… either through the restaurant or through a car...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Javier Josue Rivera Aguilera, Otros at Balmoral Hotel
Responded 8 Feb 2023
Thank you for the review and comment, We glad to hear that the service, food and everything was good. We hope you'll visit us soon. Regards and Pura Vida.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
steven m wrote a review Jan 2023
Parking was great. My room key didn’t work three times. AC in my room was broken and had to switch rooms. No windows except into a shaft way. Room dark and depressing. Also there is no where to get hot water to make coffee or tea in (or even near) the rooms. I do t understand how there is no where in the entire hotel to make coffee anytime.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Javier Josue Rivera Aguilera, Otros at Balmoral Hotel
Responded 8 Feb 2023
Thank you for your comment, we have rooms that include coffee maker, frigde and microwave, you could take a look at that type of room are Superior Plus, Deluxe and all our Suites. In the same way we apologize for the problems in your room, we have already fixed all the problems mentioned. Best regards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
US$94 - US$139 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
balmoral hotel san jose
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of San JoseSan Jose MetroSan Jose
NUMBER OF ROOMS
116
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Frequently Asked Questions about Balmoral Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to Balmoral Hotel?
Nearby attractions include Teatro Nacional Costa Rica (0.2 km), Jade Museum (0.2 km), and Pre-Columbian Gold Museum (0.2 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Balmoral Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Balmoral Hotel?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Balmoral Hotel?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Balmoral Hotel?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Balmoral Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Cafe Rojo, Tenedor Argentino, and La Esquina de Buenos Aires.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Balmoral Hotel?
Yes, guests have access to a fitness centre during their stay.
Does Balmoral Hotel have airport transportation?
Yes, Balmoral Hotel offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Is Balmoral Hotel located near the city center?
Yes, it is 0.6 km away from the centre of San Jose.
Are pets allowed at Balmoral Hotel?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Does Balmoral Hotel offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business centre, meeting rooms, and conference facilities.