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Hotel Don Carlos

3.0 star property
Hotel in San José with free breakfast and a 24-hour front desk

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Photo gallery for Hotel Don Carlos

Interior detail
Interior
Interior
Gift shop
Interior

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Housekeeping
  • Parking included

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 2 of 2 rooms

View all photos for Standard Room

Standard Room | In-room safe, free WiFi, bed sheets

Standard Room

Highlights

Flat-screen TV
Ceiling fan
Sofa bed
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Cable channels
Daily housekeeping
In-room safe
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Superior Room

Superior Room | In-room safe, free WiFi, bed sheets

Superior Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Flat-screen TV
Ceiling fan
Sofa bed
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Cable channels
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds OR 1 King Bed

About the neighborhood

Map
Ave.9, Street 9, San José, San Jose, 1000

What's nearby

  • Morazan Park - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
  • National Theater - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • National Museum of Costa Rica - 10 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Central Park - 12 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Sabana Park - 4 min drive - 3.5 km

Getting around

  • San Jose Atlantic Station - 9 min walk
  • Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) - 28 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Restaurante El Mirador - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Café Mundo - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Sportsmens Lodge Bar - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Café Miel Garage - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Restaurante Silvestre - ‬4 min walk

About this property

Hotel Don Carlos

Hotel near Sabana Park
A free breakfast buffet, a terrace, and a coffee shop/cafe are just a few of the amenities provided at Hotel Don Carlos. Be sure to enjoy a meal at Café Amón, the on-site family restaurant. In addition to a garden and laundry facilities, guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
Other perks at this hotel include:
  • Free self parking
  • Luggage storage, tour/ticket assistance, and 1 meeting room
  • A 24-hour front desk, smoke-free premises, and a gift shop
Room features
All guestrooms at Hotel Don Carlos offer comforts such as free WiFi and safes.
Extra amenities include:
  • Showers, free toiletries, and hair dryers
  • 32-inch flat-screen TVs with cable channels
  • Ceiling fans, daily housekeeping, and phones

Languages

English, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free self parking on site
  • Onsite parking includes off-street options

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast available daily 7:00 AM–9:00 AM
  • 1 restaurant and 1 coffee shop/cafe
  • 1 bar
  • Room service available

Restaurants on site

  • Café Amón

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Snack bar/deli
  • Sofa bed

Conveniences

  • Gift shop/newsstand

Guest services

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Tour/ticket assistance

Business services

  • Meeting room

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)

More

  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bed sheets
  • Ceiling fan
  • Sofa bed

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels

Entertainment

  • 32-inch flat-screen TV
  • Cable channels

More

  • Phone
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 4:00 AM
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Late check-out subject to availability
A late check-out fee will be charged

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit

Property is also known as

Don Carlos Hotel
Don Carlos San Jose
Hotel Don
Hotel Don Carlos
Hotel Don Carlos San Jose
Hotel Don Carlos Costa Rica/San Jose
Hotel Don Carlos Hotel
Hotel Don Carlos San José
Hotel Don Carlos Hotel San José

Frequently asked questions

Is Hotel Don Carlos pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Hotel Don Carlos?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Hotel Don Carlos?

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 4:00 AM.

What time is check-out at Hotel Don Carlos?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM. Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability).

Where is Hotel Don Carlos located?

Located in Carmen, this hotel is steps from Parque Espana and 2 mi (3.2 km) from Sabana Park. Casa Amarilla and Morazan Park are also within 5 minutes. San Jose Atlantic Station is 9 minutes by foot and San Jose Fercori Station is 12 minutes.

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Hotel Don Carlos Reviews

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 35 out of 75 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 34 out of 75 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 75 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 75 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 75 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Carolyn, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
First impression of Costa Rica
Arrived by myself to meet friends the next day. Front desk manage allowed me into the room early and upgraded so I would not have to change rooms the next day. Hotel is quirky with great art work and decorated tiles. Room was large and comfortable. Front desk staff gave clear directions to centre of town.gift shop had interesting souvenirs and reasonable prices- 10% discount if staying at the hotel. Meals at the restaurant were reasonably priced. Breakfast was basic but adequate. Fully recommend it if you want something different from the large chain hotels.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

david, london,ontario, canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Historic Hotel
The hotel was originally the home of the first President of Costa Rica and a charming building located in a quiet neighborhood, but within easy walking distance of the main central area. The staff were friendly and helpful. The building was quite unique, but showing signs of its age. There is a shop and restaurant and the food was very good and quite reasonable. The room was comfortable, only wished we could open the window to take pictures of the mountains in the distance. We only stayed the one night so did not have much opportunity to explore. Would recommend just to have a chance to see the house. One downside: we were on the third (top) floor and there is no elevators.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Cheryl, Toronto, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Central to shopping and all museums.
Right around the corner from favorite gallery - Namu Gallery. Just a couple of blocks from the zoo and a favorite restaurant called Cafe Mundo. Hotel has oodles of charm and decor is quite unique - lots of antiques and hand-painted tiles. Good gift shop and excellent little restaurant open for lunch and supper. I will definitely stay here again!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
hotel boutique acogedor
en el centro de la ciudad, cerca de todo, lindo, comida deliciosa, me tome mas fotos dentro del hotel que recorriendo la ciudad
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Cparis, Seattle, WA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
True Costa Rica
If you want a truly authentic Costa Rican experience, this is the place to stay. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. We had to leave very early in the morning, and they had fresh coffee ready at 3:30 am! If you are expecting shiny-new, Marriott-style accommodations, stay elsewhere. This is an older, unique building, but the rooms are very clean and comfortable.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

Osvaldo, Brasília

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
O hotel bem localizado
O café da manhã é bom, a equipe do hotel é excelente, mas as condições do apartamento são muito precárias: televisão antiga, não tem frigobar, chuveiro muito difícil de ajuste temperatura da água, ar condicionado não funciona, toalhas e roupas de cama inferiores. Enfim, as condições não são compatíveis com as quatro estrelas colocadas na placa do hotel.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Julia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

John, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
A quaint, very Costa Rican hotel. Service was excellent, every effort was made to accommodate. Neighborhood is central and as good as can be expected in downtown San Jose.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Bill, Dallas, TX

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful boutique hotel
This hotel is Costa Rican to the core! Friendly doorman, receptionist, and staff made the stqy very pleasant. There was air conditioning (if needed, which is seldom in San José), good TV reception, a good safe in the room, walk-in shower, and comfortable beds. I liked the location which is on the edge of the old part of the city. Nearby Plaza Espagna is a good introduction to the various trees you will encounter in the countryside. The restaurant in the hotel is very good. In fact, I preferred to dine there and they make their own desserts (the coconut flan was outstanding). It is only two stories, but a series of adjoined former homes with a series of patios filled with Pre-Columbian copies and Peruvian (Costa Rican?) Spanish Colonial Oil paintings. There is an excellent souvenir store. Within walking distance of the beautiful art houveau Teatro Nacional and Gold Museum (in the same Plaza), and also to the brand new spectacular Jade Museum and its neighboring National Museum located in a former fortress (you enter through a butterfly conservatory with the neon royal blue butterflies. This museum also has a great Pre-Columbian collection. For anyone interested in archeology, these museums are definitely a must. Between the two museums is an arts and crafts market where you can bargain for some fine artwork. Only recently has the city put in some street signage, still not sufficient. I continually got lost, but in the process discovered some interesting plazas.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Thomas, Langenfeld

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
preiswertes hochklassiges Hotel in Stadtnähe
ausgezeichnetes Preis- Leistungsverhältnis, freundliches Personal, Willkommensdrink, ausreichend kostenlose Parkmöglichkeit
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Super friendly helpful courteous staff. Easy walk to downtown main square
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel!
Great experience! Would recommend this to others. Clean and great staff.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Mariya, Denver, CO

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A pearl in the middle of San Jose <3
What a beautiful little place!!! Very cute and unique. Their pool is A LOT smaller that it appears in the pictures, but the hotel's ambiance makes up for it. The breakfast is great, the staff is very helpful and friendly, and the whole atmosphere is amazing. We will definitely consider it in the future!!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
very accomadating close to everything in the city.
A great little place if u need to stay in the city. They have access to a computer a restaurant that has a delicious breakfast, dinner not so much. I will warn at night you will see some prostituttion going on out side of the hotel on the same street. I wasn't prepared for that so if you have small children keep them inside so they don't see it.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

D , california

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Nice hotel clean hotel
Located on a smaller road in San Jose so not crazy crowded with people and cars. Not too far from places to eat and shop. Room was basic but clean. They say they have a pool but it is tiny! It's more like a cold jacuzzi. Breakfast was included in our room rate and it was delicious! Overall great bang for your buck! I would go back.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

JORGE, Guápiles - Limón.

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hotel Don Carlos vs Reservaciones por Internet.
Muy bien, hotel muy cómodo y reunió las condiciones que esperaba. lo único es que por medio de la agencia pague $126,56 y a la hora de pedir la factura porque la empresa me la solicita, el hotel me gira una con un monto de $94.92, lo cual hay una diferencia de $31.64, que estoy perdiendo, porque la empresa donde laboro me reconoce el monto que vaya en la factura, lo cual lo correcto es que la factura saliera por $126.56, que fue lo real que pague por el servicio. si esto se pudiera solucionar Mejor para no tener perdida.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Andy, Georgia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice feel for Costa Rican Culture
The hotel is close to almost everything. So we took an afternoon stroll and enjoyed some sites. The place was clean and the breakfast very good. Helpful kind people.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Coletrain5, Florida

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
What a wonderful surprise!
Five weary travelers arrived at Hotel Don Carlos on the last night of their Costa Rica vacation. The friendly and helpful staff got us settled into our rooms and another adventure began. The interior hallways, as well as guest rooms are decorated with beautiful art. Even the exterior walls hold art treasures. We were surrounded by beauty and history on every side. The guest rooms are clean and comfortable, not plush by most standards. It is hard to explain, but you don't visit Hotel Don Carlos, you experience it's old world charm. If you're in San Jose, don't miss it.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Larry, South florida

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great staff
Nice quaint hotel
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Janine, St Louis, MO

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Charming hotel in downtown
My family stayed here the night before we left Costa Rica. We chose the hotel because it was unique and was a walkable distance to various good restaurants and tourist attractions in San Jose. We loved the charm of the place. We would stay there again if ever in San Jose. It had a neat history and many interesting decorations. The rooms were clean and comfortable. No AC, though, and it's too loud to open the windows. This was not a problem during out stay as weather was comfortable. My only complaint was the shower. Mine did not work. When I decided to just make do with the faucet in the shower, the bathroom got flooded as the water was not draining. Of the three rooms we had, however, mine was the only one with a problem. The others did have low water pressure but it's an older place and we did not mind. Breakfast was adequate. Two of our party had dinner at the restaurant and enjoyed it.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Jean, Columbus, Ohio

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous experience at Don Carlos
We stayed at Hotel Don Carlos our first and last nights in Costa Rica. I would highly recommend it anyone looking for an authentic Costa Rican experience in San Jose. The facilities were charming with local art, conversation nooks and areas of interest scattered throughout the hotel. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. The breakfast of fresh fruit, rice and beans, and eggs was free and delicious. Highly Recommend Hotel Don Carlos!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Shirly, Tel Aviv, Israel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved our stay at Don Carlos
The place has lots of character, clean, great staff, restaurant serves good food reasonable price. Room was spacious with armoire and sofa. Great place to stay with kids.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Norm, Wisconsin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice little hotel
This hotel has a very friendly and helpful staff. Nice on site restaurant for a meal. Morning breakfast was included and well prepared. A great location for walking to the museums, parks and pedestrian malls during the day. The neighborhood and parks are a little rough after dark. Walking after dark should be avoided. Take an official taxi (red taxi/yellow triangle). Walking during the day from the hotel is fine and fun. Watch out crossing the streets. I recommend this hotel and would definitely stay here again.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

adrien, paris

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
bon sejour
Hôtel bien placé , déco veillote . joli hotel
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Eclectic Artistic Comfortable
We loved the ambience a d location of the hotel. The food and service were excellent.