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Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José • Avenida Central • OPTIMIZE

avg. $151 / night

Includes $8 / night in cash back

Cash back is redeemable via Virtual Visa, Venmo, or bank transfer starting 24-48 hours after check-out

Hilton Honors™ property

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Cash back

5% cash back on all completed stays (redeemable via Virtual Visa, Venmo, or bank transfer starting 24-48 hours after check-out)

Credit card points

Credit and debit card charges are processed directly by the hotel (i.e. not PressBeyond), meaning that any travel-specific credit card points or incentives that you normally get as a cardholder for direct hotel bookings are preserved

Hotel loyalty points

Points accrual and status eligibility with major hotel loyalty programs: Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt, and others

Free breakfast

Breakfast-included rate options available

Room upgrades

Complimentary room upgrades (subject to property availability)

Extend your stay

Early check-in and late check-out (subject to property availability)

Part of Curio Collection

Location

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At a glance

A 1930 neoclassical landmark on Parque Central with a contemporary glazed penthouse and mid-century modern interiors.

Best for: Architecture enthusiasts and heritage travelers

Highlights:

  • 1930 neoclassical facade with modern glazed penthouse addition
  • Mid-century modern rooms overlooking Parque Central
  • Rooftop restaurant with encaustic tiles and valley views
Heritage-moderncivic

PB hotel design editorial

Facing Parque Central on Avenida Central, the neoclassical white stucco building that houses Gran Hotel Costa Rica has anchored downtown San José's social life since 1930, its arcaded ground floor and wrought-iron balustrades long serving as the architectural backdrop to the city's public square. The conversion into a Curio Collection by Hilton property brought a bold structural addition: a glazed penthouse volume set atop the original four-storey facade, its curtain-wall geometry making no attempt to mimic the heritage masonry below — a candid dialogue between eras that, from street level at dusk, glows like a lantern above the white plinth. Inside, the design strategy shifts between registers with considerable confidence. Guest rooms work a palette of blonde wood cladding, cream leather headboards, and softly patterned carpets in sage and grey — white Saarinen-style tulip tables and bentwood chairs lending a mid-century domesticity to spaces whose original gridded sash windows still filter the canopy green of the park outside. The rooftop restaurant carries encaustic cement tiles in amber and terracotta across its floor, grounding a room otherwise defined by floor-to-ceiling glass and panoramic views toward the central valley mountains. The adjacent bar anchors its drama in black marble flooring, gold-fluted column screens, and a Yamaha grand piano positioned where every guest arriving from the elevator encounters it first — a choice that declares the hotel's ambitions more clearly than any lobby statement wall ever could.

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About

Welcome to Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton, an iconic gem in the heart of San Jose. Located on the pedestrian boulevard Avenida Central, our hotel overlooks the National Theatre and is steps from cafés, shops, museums and other top attractions. It's a quick walk to downtown government buildings and Fortune 500 companies, and Juan Santamaria International Airport is just 30 minutes away. Colonial beauty meets modern technology in our stylish guest rooms, featuring complimentary WiFi, a 50-inch HDTV, mini-refrigerator, work desk and walk-in shower. Choose an executive room for more amenities and beautiful city views, or treat yourself to a suite with living area, second HDTV and 24-hour butler service.

Amenities

Internet

Kids Activities

Suites

Room service

Free Internet

Wheelchair Access

Restaurant

Bar/Lounge

Pets Allowed

Wifi

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton Reviews

673 reviews

"Fantastic hotel. We only stayed two nights, as we only had one full day in San Jose. We stayed in their JFK two bedroom suite. It was the perfect size for our family. Very comfortable, and roomy. The staff was very friendly. We ate at the restaurant for dinner and breakfast. Dinner was pretty good, drinks were excellent and breakfast buffet was great. You can't beat the value."

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Jul 18, 2026

"I was subjected to vile, blatant racism at your establishment, and I am utterly furious! On Sunday, July 12, a power-tripping security officer I will not name here deliberately singled me out. He demanded to know if the person walking in with me was registered. I explicitly told him no—they weren't staying overnight, we literally just had some work to complete, we even had our documents in hotel common area at each floor. But apparently, common sense is a foreign concept to your staff. This guy insisted on dragging us up to the fifth floor, where the reception desk had the absolute audacity to demand $145.00 USD on the spot! I explained—repeatedly—that this person was not staying over. What was their pathetic excuse? "It's in case something gets broken in the room." Are you kidding me?! We weren't even going to the room! My room was already fully paid for! You already had a $250.00 USD hold sitting on my Amex! I finally gave up and left to end the harassment, but let’s call this exactly what it is: unadulterated discrimination. While I was being interrogated and extorted, I watched over 30 other people stroll straight to the elevators without a single staff member stopping them or asking a single damn question. The only difference between them and me? The color of my skin. I am disgusted. While a few of their staff members are great, you have some toxic, racist "bad apples" completely rotting your establishment from the inside out. I demand immediate accountability and a refund for this humiliating, unacceptable excess!"

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Jul 17, 2026

"Location is very central for SanJose downtown. Rooms are super clean and confortable, Oscar romero always left everything super tidy and clean. The food for breakfast was also great, a lot of options and as I had a long stay they provided me a Letter so I could order something different if I wanted to. The waiters for dinner and specially for breakfast were extremely polite and friendly. Even the doormans were really friendly and helpful. I definetly recommend the stay !"

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Jul 02, 2026

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