Hotel Balmoral, San José

Authenticity

Although renovated, Hotel Balmoral is a historic accommodation from the 1950s. Many rooms still preserve the hotel's heritage with vintage luggage racks; some feature mid-century furniture and decor. As you enter the hotel, you can't help but notice the main restaurant, with lush tropical greenery and skylight ceilings.

Location

Hotel Balmoral is right on Avenida Central, San José's most famous pedestrian street, filled with restaurants, cafés, and shops. Walking just a few blocks, you'll reach sites like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Jade Museum, National Museum of Costa Rica, and National Theater.

Rooms & Bathrooms

Standard rooms are spacious and have colorful accents and artwork, though they lack some standard amenities like coffee machines. Some deluxe rooms and suites have balconies, kitchenettes, and separate bedrooms. The bathrooms are clean but dated.

Sustainability

The Balmoral holds a "4 Leaf" Certification for Sustainable Tourism rating, assessing the property's environmental and social impact.

Wildlife

This hotel is in an urban location, so guests won't see wildlife.

Amenities

The hotel's 24-hour gym has two treadmills, an elliptical machine, and two stationary bikes. A shopping arcade and a wine store are both on-site. The hotel is pet-friendly, and accessibility features include a wheelchair-accessible hotel entrance, well-illuminated entrance pathways, and stairs with handrails. Some rooms have accessibility features. 

Family-Friendliness

Families often stay at the Hotel Balmoral. Children aged seven or younger stay for free, those between 8 and 17 are charged a reduced rate, and adult stay rates apply to children aged 18 and above. Cribs and extra beds are available for free. The hotel's family suite and junior suite are ideal for families with kids. Kids especially like the pizzeria on-site. 

Other Highlights

The hotel has a restaurant, a bar, a pizzeria, a café, and a wine store. The restaurant, El Patio del Balmoral Restaurant, offers international and Costa Rican cuisine in a bright space with live plants and sunlight pouring in through glass panels in the ceiling. Breakfast is served buffet-style, and the restaurant also serves lunch, brunch, and dinner. The attached El Bar del Patio offers wine, beer, and cocktails, while Café El Patio offers gourmet coffees, breads, fresh cakes, and pastries. Guests can enjoy the café between 6:30 am and 8 pm. Pizzería El Patio serves freshly baked pizza, and the on-site wine store, Bodeguita El Patio, stocks wines for all budgets.