Hotel Hojarascas — Hotel in Heredia

This hotel is in the best of locations and the worst of locations. Our group booked it based on the positive reviews. We should have more carefully considered the negative ones.||||The location was excellent for shopping, restaurants, the language schools and getting around town (more later on supermarket), the benefits of the location were outweighed by the negative aspects.||||The hotel is VERY LOUD. We purchased ear plugs, but that did not help much. We used sound machine apps on our phones, but that too could not dampen the sounds sufficiently. It is located between very busy streets that generate significant noise starting early in the morning. You can't escape the noise. Trucks with loud horns were abundant. And, every morning people walked down the hall adjacent to the rooms, speaking in a normal voice early in the morning (talking 5am). Although the building is aesthetically pleasing, the walls are thin.||||The rooms have glass walls against the hallway (a serious design flaw) that were covered with curtains. In my room and some others, the curtains did NOT block out the light and the hall lights were on all the time. ||||The rooms were small, but sufficient. They were clean, but some days I would come back to find only two pillows, down from an initial three (and one day only one pillow). The towels were fine - clean and sparse. The shower was fine too (once you understand how to use).||||The hotel has a small kitchen that is easily accessible. We purchased food at the supermarket across the way (it had everything you need) and microwaved some meals and kept food for breakfast in the refrigerator. ||||The breakfast is no longer free! Some people purchased it, but it was very expensive and we weren't interested in a large breakfast. Tea and hot water were also free. Coffee too if it was made. We enjoyed having a refrigerator available. The seating was perfectly adequate. While Omar's family were very pleasant, we found Omar to be a bit snarky.||||Our group was mixed on whether to return. Personally, I would not. It is hard to enjoy a vacation when you can't get proper sleep. We did all agree that if we were to return, we would bring ear plugs, a device with a sound machine, eye covers, and likely sleeping pills to make it through the noise! If you decide to stay here,...

Owner Omar served great breakfasts. He always offered great Costa Rican food choices - papaya, pineapple, bananas and mangoes. He served intriguing variations on Costa Rican breakfasts. The staff are Omar's relatives so guests need have no concern about the safety of items left in rooms.||||His motto is 'mi casa es su casa' - my home is your home. Guests may use the kitchen but they are expected to clean up after them selves. Omar is also very concerned about guest safety. He cautioned me about wearing my camera on a strap. He also recommended that I put my cell phone in a side pocket rather than a front shirt pocket. He cautioned my wife about carrying her purse. Despite Omar's warnings we neither saw nor heard of any thefts during our stay.||||The hotel has intriguing design and architecture. The lobby and stairs have beautiful plants. We also enjoyed sitting in comfortable chairs and sofa there. And the downtown location is convenient.||||Omar is knowledgeable of the area. Our last day we asked him about eating in the "Mercado Nueva", a one block square including a multitude of shops, restaurants and meat markets. He recommended "La Rustica" and we found it to be a great place to eat.||||If you have a rental car, this would not be an appropriate lodging. But the entire downtown area is within...

My husband and I picked Hotel Hojarascas based on its location and reviews. We enjoyed our stay. It is really more like a B&B than a hotel. |||| The pros: 1. The owner. Very friendly and welcoming. We felt he would be a friend in need, which fortunately was not necessary. 2. The cleanliness-- a spotless place. 3.The home-cooked breakfast., we enjoyed conversing in our beginner's Spanish as we ate typical and delicious Costa Rican food. 4. The location was a 10-minute walk to school, near a grocery store, taxi stand, the Central Market and many stores. 5. Heredia is a real town, not a tourist haven. Having ice-cream among Heredia families on Sunday in the Central Park is a great memory.||||The cons. This will depend on your taste. We didn't mind, but I felt I should mention these things.1. Our room had no outdoor window, only a window into the hallway. 2. The location after 6 pm. Everything is shuttered and we were advised to take taxis after dark. (Taxis are plentiful and not expensive). 3. The room is small and there isn't much of a common area. We did a lot of our studying in the pleasant breakfast room.||||Overall, I would stay there again...