3 Stars Hotels in Alajuela, Costa Rica

My tour operator booked me at Magic Mountain for the weekend on the last part of my trip after I came from Monteverde by ferry in Lake Arenal. The receptionists for all the days were great to me and helpful. My room was taken care of each day. A fridge was available to keep my drinks cold. The room had air conditioning when you need to turn it on. The bathroom had what I needed in fresh towels and a hair dryer, but my one criticism which I already let the receptionist know on my last day is that there needs to be a soap/shampoo/conditioner rack or holder in the shower as the only place to put these items is either on the floor or in a window ledge above you which is not ideal. The balcony view of the back of the hotel was really something when you can see Arenal Volcano in the background on clear days. The swimming pool area (with a bar right beside it) and hot tubs were nice to relax if you were not going out and wanted to hang around the hotel. Their restaurant is a nice place to eat if you did not want to go out, but at least the breakfast choices and service such as asking for a chef to make custom omelettes were very good. I think that sums up what I remember since a week ago. I can say overall I enjoyed my stay at this hotel.

Great hospitality, cool property, with lots of fun areas and a coworking space for the digital nomads. Monica at the tours desk was really helpful- if you have no clue what you want to do when you arrive, she will help you find and book all the tours for you. All the tours that I booked with the hostel and were very well guided.

Thank you to the hotel front desk for patiently helping us book bus tickets.

Hotel located close to La Fortuna Waterfall and the trail to Cerro Chatota (lake where once was the crater of a volcano). Excellent option for those who want to go on the trail, as non-guests need to pay a fee of 15 dollars to enter the property (the trail starts within the hotel grounds). The trail is not for everyone, the difficulty level is high. Old but functional rooms. Friendly and helpful staff.

A cost-effective hotel. The resort is very big. It’s best to have a car. If you don’t have a car, you can call a shuttle. The breakfast is very good. There are 8 hot spring pools inside. The volcano viewing spot is even more beautiful than the national park. I really recommend it.

With friendly and helpful staff, this hotel is sweet, easy to get to, and shuttle every half hour for domestic and international terminals. The food was pretty good - though breakfast is expensive. It would be nice if you could order ala carte.

I stayed in this hotel for 3 nights as part of a trip with GAdventures booked through trail finders in the UK. We were checked in to what I think must have been the worst room in the hotel. It was at the back and over looked a side alley. We quickly showered and went to meet our group for dinner. When we got back, we noticed this god- damn awful smell which was coming from the drains and the water hadn't drained from our shower a few hrs earlier. Drains are notoriously bad across CR. We went to reception and the guy couldn't have cared less. We insisted he come and smell for himself. Well, he just couldn't have been more patronising or belittling. He said he couldn't smell it, he accused us of 'just showering' when we showed him the water and refused to do anything ie is clear the smell or move us. He said quite clearly numerous times, the hotel was full. We were left with no choice than to contact our Rep. Strangley enough we were given a different and much better room immediately. When we left, a lady came to our bus, thanked us for our custom and said they are a family run hotel. Clearly explained why the chap on reception couldn't give a hoot - he was hardly going to be sacked! Young ish guy, curly hair tied back in a pony tail. Poor Ester who came to say goodbye has no idea. He best things about this hotel are the friendly staff in the bar below, the view of the volcano from the terrace, and its only a shirt walk from the best place to eat in town- the rainforest cafe opposite (and Andreas is the best server!) but apart from that, I'd avoid it at all costs

My tour operator booked me at Magic Mountain for the weekend on the last part of my trip after I came from Monteverde by ferry in Lake Arenal. The receptionists for all the days were great to me and helpful. My room was taken care of each day. A fridge was available to keep my drinks cold. The room had air conditioning when you need to turn it on. The bathroom had what I needed in fresh towels and a hair dryer, but my one criticism which I already let the receptionist know on my last day is that there needs to be a soap/shampoo/conditioner rack or holder in the shower as the only place to put these items is either on the floor or in a window ledge above you which is not ideal. The balcony view of the back of the hotel was really something when you can see Arenal Volcano in the background on clear days. The swimming pool area (with a bar right beside it) and hot tubs were nice to relax if you were not going out and wanted to hang around the hotel. Their restaurant is a nice place to eat if you did not want to go out, but at least the breakfast choices and service such as asking for a chef to make custom omelettes were very good. I think that sums up what I remember since a week ago. I can say overall I enjoyed my stay at this hotel.

Great hospitality, cool property, with lots of fun areas and a coworking space for the digital nomads. Monica at the tours desk was really helpful- if you have no clue what you want to do when you arrive, she will help you find and book all the tours for you. All the tours that I booked with the hostel and were very well guided.

Thank you to the hotel front desk for patiently helping us book bus tickets.

Hotel located close to La Fortuna Waterfall and the trail to Cerro Chatota (lake where once was the crater of a volcano). Excellent option for those who want to go on the trail, as non-guests need to pay a fee of 15 dollars to enter the property (the trail starts within the hotel grounds). The trail is not for everyone, the difficulty level is high. Old but functional rooms. Friendly and helpful staff.

A cost-effective hotel. The resort is very big. It’s best to have a car. If you don’t have a car, you can call a shuttle. The breakfast is very good. There are 8 hot spring pools inside. The volcano viewing spot is even more beautiful than the national park. I really recommend it.

This was our favorite hotel of our entire trip. Room 33 has to be the best room in the entire resort. We loved the animals and birds outside our room along with the great view of the volcano, not to mention the massive hot tub that is very private. The beds and two showers were fantastic. Every employee we interacted with was so kind, friendly, and helpful. The food on site was excellent. The late night dips in the hot springs was a great ending to each of our days. I haven't stopped thinking about this place since I've been home.

great place with wonderful views of the arenal, rainforest, and close to the trails. We stayed for 4 days. rooms were a decent size. Breakfast is great, and the food options are plenty. So is the food option for lunch and dinner; however, the town is only 4 km away. plenty of option there for food. This is also about 10-15 kms from the Fortuna waterfall. the hot springs on the location are great. the hottest at the top and getting slightly less warmer at the bottom. Our favorite activities are the canopy trails and the horse back riding. Both are available onsite. Michael is so good. He and another person (forgot the name :(; very good as well) made the canopy zipline a great experience. Horseback ride to the waterfall was great afternoon activity. we are going back for sure. the only complaint is the shower pressure. it is seriously low.

Positives: Great views of the volcano from the full window room. Good size rooms. Isolated, green and well maintained gardens. Walking distance to the national park and free hot water springs. Air conditioning in the room. Rooms and linen were clean. Very friendly staff - only the female reception staff though. I had an incident of a lost passport in a restaurant and Juliana at the reception was exceptionally helpful in getting it back. Negatives: A few amenities were missing in the room. A bottle of water, glasses and safe was missing. The shower could be turned off only with specialist knowledge, which we were given only on our third day. So had to bear a dripping shower for 2 nights. The WC was defective too and was fixed on the third day only. They have large premises and there is no telephone in the room and the only way to contact reception is WhatsApp, which they are no so good at responding to. Staff not very pro-active or even reactive. Location is far off from La Fortuna town - 9 kms. Access to good restaurants and bars in the evening will be dependent on taxi/Uber if you don’t have a car. They have food but a limited menu. Even short distances can’t be walked at night due to lack of sidewalks and it being a motorway/highway. They are not very flexible with an early breakfast (only as early as 7 am). Conclusion: A good place to stay amongst nature with great views but be ready for a hit and miss customer service. This is a general observation in CR - the hospitality and hotel prices have increased not in proportion to the customer service/care they offer.

I loved this hotel in which we stayed as a family for seven days. The views are breathtakingly beautiful (website photos don't do it justice at all) and everything is just so easy because of the exceptional help of the hotel staff who will take care of anything you could possibly need. The tours organized in partnership with this hotel are extraordinary and we did almost all of them. The beauty of the place and the accommodations (living and service) were exemplary. To testify further, when I left, it seems I had forgotten my laptop, and before I had even realized this and fallen into complete panic, the hotel staff contacted me through what's app to make arrangements to currier it to me in the hotel in San Jose we would be staying in the night before we catch our flight back to Canada. Thank you Jocy for saving me! I would have been lost without my laptop and you and the entire staff were truly exceptional. This place is spectacular. Don't miss it.

I stayed in this hotel for 3 nights as part of a trip with GAdventures booked through trail finders in the UK. We were checked in to what I think must have been the worst room in the hotel. It was at the back and over looked a side alley. We quickly showered and went to meet our group for dinner. When we got back, we noticed this god- damn awful smell which was coming from the drains and the water hadn't drained from our shower a few hrs earlier. Drains are notoriously bad across CR. We went to reception and the guy couldn't have cared less. We insisted he come and smell for himself. Well, he just couldn't have been more patronising or belittling. He said he couldn't smell it, he accused us of 'just showering' when we showed him the water and refused to do anything ie is clear the smell or move us. He said quite clearly numerous times, the hotel was full. We were left with no choice than to contact our Rep. Strangley enough we were given a different and much better room immediately. When we left, a lady came to our bus, thanked us for our custom and said they are a family run hotel. Clearly explained why the chap on reception couldn't give a hoot - he was hardly going to be sacked! Young ish guy, curly hair tied back in a pony tail. Poor Ester who came to say goodbye has no idea. He best things about this hotel are the friendly staff in the bar below, the view of the volcano from the terrace, and its only a shirt walk from the best place to eat in town- the rainforest cafe opposite (and Andreas is the best server!) but apart from that, I'd avoid it at all costs

My tour operator booked me at Magic Mountain for the weekend on the last part of my trip after I came from Monteverde by ferry in Lake Arenal. The receptionists for all the days were great to me and helpful. My room was taken care of each day. A fridge was available to keep my drinks cold. The room had air conditioning when you need to turn it on. The bathroom had what I needed in fresh towels and a hair dryer, but my one criticism which I already let the receptionist know on my last day is that there needs to be a soap/shampoo/conditioner rack or holder in the shower as the only place to put these items is either on the floor or in a window ledge above you which is not ideal. The balcony view of the back of the hotel was really something when you can see Arenal Volcano in the background on clear days. The swimming pool area (with a bar right beside it) and hot tubs were nice to relax if you were not going out and wanted to hang around the hotel. Their restaurant is a nice place to eat if you did not want to go out, but at least the breakfast choices and service such as asking for a chef to make custom omelettes were very good. I think that sums up what I remember since a week ago. I can say overall I enjoyed my stay at this hotel.

Great hospitality, cool property, with lots of fun areas and a coworking space for the digital nomads. Monica at the tours desk was really helpful- if you have no clue what you want to do when you arrive, she will help you find and book all the tours for you. All the tours that I booked with the hostel and were very well guided.

Thank you to the hotel front desk for patiently helping us book bus tickets.

Hotel located close to La Fortuna Waterfall and the trail to Cerro Chatota (lake where once was the crater of a volcano). Excellent option for those who want to go on the trail, as non-guests need to pay a fee of 15 dollars to enter the property (the trail starts within the hotel grounds). The trail is not for everyone, the difficulty level is high. Old but functional rooms. Friendly and helpful staff.

A cost-effective hotel. The resort is very big. It’s best to have a car. If you don’t have a car, you can call a shuttle. The breakfast is very good. There are 8 hot spring pools inside. The volcano viewing spot is even more beautiful than the national park. I really recommend it.

Positives: Great views of the volcano from the full window room. Good size rooms. Isolated, green and well maintained gardens. Walking distance to the national park and free hot water springs. Air conditioning in the room. Rooms and linen were clean. Very friendly staff - only the female reception staff though. I had an incident of a lost passport in a restaurant and Juliana at the reception was exceptionally helpful in getting it back. Negatives: A few amenities were missing in the room. A bottle of water, glasses and safe was missing. The shower could be turned off only with specialist knowledge, which we were given only on our third day. So had to bear a dripping shower for 2 nights. The WC was defective too and was fixed on the third day only. They have large premises and there is no telephone in the room and the only way to contact reception is WhatsApp, which they are no so good at responding to. Staff not very pro-active or even reactive. Location is far off from La Fortuna town - 9 kms. Access to good restaurants and bars in the evening will be dependent on taxi/Uber if you don’t have a car. They have food but a limited menu. Even short distances can’t be walked at night due to lack of sidewalks and it being a motorway/highway. They are not very flexible with an early breakfast (only as early as 7 am). Conclusion: A good place to stay amongst nature with great views but be ready for a hit and miss customer service. This is a general observation in CR - the hospitality and hotel prices have increased not in proportion to the customer service/care they offer.

I loved this hotel in which we stayed as a family for seven days. The views are breathtakingly beautiful (website photos don't do it justice at all) and everything is just so easy because of the exceptional help of the hotel staff who will take care of anything you could possibly need. The tours organized in partnership with this hotel are extraordinary and we did almost all of them. The beauty of the place and the accommodations (living and service) were exemplary. To testify further, when I left, it seems I had forgotten my laptop, and before I had even realized this and fallen into complete panic, the hotel staff contacted me through what's app to make arrangements to currier it to me in the hotel in San Jose we would be staying in the night before we catch our flight back to Canada. Thank you Jocy for saving me! I would have been lost without my laptop and you and the entire staff were truly exceptional. This place is spectacular. Don't miss it.

This was our favorite hotel of our entire trip. Room 33 has to be the best room in the entire resort. We loved the animals and birds outside our room along with the great view of the volcano, not to mention the massive hot tub that is very private. The beds and two showers were fantastic. Every employee we interacted with was so kind, friendly, and helpful. The food on site was excellent. The late night dips in the hot springs was a great ending to each of our days. I haven't stopped thinking about this place since I've been home.

great place with wonderful views of the arenal, rainforest, and close to the trails. We stayed for 4 days. rooms were a decent size. Breakfast is great, and the food options are plenty. So is the food option for lunch and dinner; however, the town is only 4 km away. plenty of option there for food. This is also about 10-15 kms from the Fortuna waterfall. the hot springs on the location are great. the hottest at the top and getting slightly less warmer at the bottom. Our favorite activities are the canopy trails and the horse back riding. Both are available onsite. Michael is so good. He and another person (forgot the name :(; very good as well) made the canopy zipline a great experience. Horseback ride to the waterfall was great afternoon activity. we are going back for sure. the only complaint is the shower pressure. it is seriously low.

I stayed in this hotel for 3 nights as part of a trip with GAdventures booked through trail finders in the UK. We were checked in to what I think must have been the worst room in the hotel. It was at the back and over looked a side alley. We quickly showered and went to meet our group for dinner. When we got back, we noticed this god- damn awful smell which was coming from the drains and the water hadn't drained from our shower a few hrs earlier. Drains are notoriously bad across CR. We went to reception and the guy couldn't have cared less. We insisted he come and smell for himself. Well, he just couldn't have been more patronising or belittling. He said he couldn't smell it, he accused us of 'just showering' when we showed him the water and refused to do anything ie is clear the smell or move us. He said quite clearly numerous times, the hotel was full. We were left with no choice than to contact our Rep. Strangley enough we were given a different and much better room immediately. When we left, a lady came to our bus, thanked us for our custom and said they are a family run hotel. Clearly explained why the chap on reception couldn't give a hoot - he was hardly going to be sacked! Young ish guy, curly hair tied back in a pony tail. Poor Ester who came to say goodbye has no idea. He best things about this hotel are the friendly staff in the bar below, the view of the volcano from the terrace, and its only a shirt walk from the best place to eat in town- the rainforest cafe opposite (and Andreas is the best server!) but apart from that, I'd avoid it at all costs

Great stop before catching an early flight. It is a secured tropical paradise in the somewhat rough airport area. Management helped us arrange transport to the airport. We ate a good peaceful dinner and breakfast here. Very glad we didn’t need to search for food. The room was pretty but not air conditioned but we opened the balcony doors and slept well.

With friendly and helpful staff, this hotel is sweet, easy to get to, and shuttle every half hour for domestic and international terminals. The food was pretty good - though breakfast is expensive. It would be nice if you could order ala carte.

Am greatly enjoying my stay in Costa Rica and here in lovely La Garita at the Martino Hotel. The hotel itself is quite special -- guests stay in separate tile-roofed buildings spread across the lush, green grounds. I imagine that the views from each room must be quite unique and special. It was so enjoyable sitting and reading on the deck outside my room watching the nearby bamboo forest sway in the gentle wind while listening to the fascinating calls of many species of birds perched in the many species of trees. Extra 5 stars and muchas gracias to the very helpful and friendly staff whose efficiency really impressed me (the hotel was hosting a conference when I stayed there in event space not far from my room, so I could witness first hand how hard the hotel team was working).

I appreciated that the room was spotlessly clean, with all sorts of amenities. The staff was very proactive and helpful, and the location right across from the airport was the main reason I chose it. The problem, though, is that our room (#135) had no window curtains to block out light. All it had was a flimsy screen that you could easily see through. I imagine anyone passing by the first floor room would have been able to see inside the room, because it was easy to see outside through the screen. At night-which comes very early in the tropics-the light from eight powerfully bright lights in the parking lot lit up our room. There was no way to darken the room, the light was so bright you could have read by it. None. Hence I got NO sleep because the room was lit up. Please, put up black out curtains.

I read summer great reviews of this place and it did not disappoint. There are small trails on the property. Stunt get excited, they are small but you are not next to another building! The pool is nice but not heated. If you are from the NE US, you are used to it. Or was refreshing especially after being in the sun for a bit. The hotel is nicely kept but more of a local style which I prefer more than the standard hotel room. The room is beautiful and the bed is comfy. You can't go wrong here. Many people I met do the same thing, spend the last night in Costa Rica before flying out. Very secure, not much near, but the best ends to your pura vida vacation.