Costa Rica Backpackers Hostel

San José

5 of 27

Address	Avenida 6, calle 21/23, San José San José Province, Costa Rica Map
Price	$10 Check Current Prices by Date Here

Location/Contact

Details

Description

Features

Kitchen
Lockers
Bar
Nightclub
Gameroom
Lounge / Common space
Swimming Pool
BBQ
Food/Restaurant
TV
Book Collection/Exchange
Washing Machine (laundry)
Clothes Dryer
Travel information provided
24 Hour Free Hot Showers
Phones (public or in room)
Currency Exchange

Ratings & Comments

4.2 Average from 19 Ratings

This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites we don't censor out the negative comments.
We can't validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site—so take what you read here with a grain of salt.

Comment by kt traveler, us

December 2008

Poor
the theft at this place is constant. Even though there is a locked security gate, the staff "buzz in" anyone who rings the bell. I stayed here three weeks because I was injured and couldnt travel, and saw countless thefts take place by local costa ricans coming in at night, going into an unlocked dorms, and quietly going through everyone's pack. Twice this happened in my dorm, and when I reported it to the staff, and she confronted the guy as he left my room, she simply let him go without calling the police or any follow up.

Comment by Joel Moser

December 2006

it's a lively, a fun place that attracts fun, lively travelers -- a great place to stay. this place is awesome for those looking to meet other backpackers and chill. the people are great, the place is clean, and the services rock. i had no problem at all!

Comment by Very disapointed backpacker

November 2006

We were very disappointed with the place and service. It started already at the airport. Airport pick up never showed up. I spent a fortune calling the hostel to find out what was happening. When we finally got there, the receptionist was on the phone and didn't get off it for a good five minutes. Overall he wasn't pleasant, more arrogant. Our private room was very small and smelly -- it didn't have an outside window. The bed sheets had some greasy stains, I'm not even mentioning that we had to check out (with deposit) towels that left a lot to desire. The hotel was promising hot water, but most of the showers had the water heaters not working. There was only one working shower in the girls dorm bathroom. My husband had to shower is cold water for three days. The first night at the hostel's restaurant was rather tasty, but the next day they didn't have half items of the limited menu. The two ladies -- cashier/cook/waiters were rude and didn't attend to us for over ten minutes of standing at the counter and trying to order some food, what forced us to leave the restaurant. Hotel isn't in the best area. There aren't any close places to eat that are open after 6 p.m. I have to say I liked two things there -- the coffee and the kitten that was sitting on the sofa in the internet room. Oh, I forgot about the internet. There are several computers. Some of them don't work, and those that do work are very slow. I would never stay in this place again!

Comment by Ryan

April 2006

I thought is was wonderful. It is clean, cheap, and verry friendly. I came back each pass through San Jose, and would recomend this hostle to anybody in the area.

Comment by Flora

January 2006

Great bar, clean accommodation, safe storage and nice living/kitchen areas. You couldn't ask for much more for the price which is also great value for money!

Comment by Jesse Santos

May 2005

The place needs more clean bathrooms and their staff don't even know were the bus station is. Big place, big mess.

Comment by Dan

May 2005

Unique atmosphere in the evening in the tropical garden when it's all lit up and they're playing some cool music. I met lots of people there, and loved the place and the staff!

Comment by Anonymous

March 2005

We made reservations through them ahead of time to hold a couple of beds when we got into town late. They chose to not honor the reservation, so at 10:30 p.m. we were forced to look for other lodgings. We were not impressed.

Comment by Tatiana

January 2005

I've stayed in few places in San Jose, and Costa Rica Backpackers is definitely the best option. It has a great location, helpful and cool staff, parties, and still it's very clean. Just perfect!!!

Comment by Brittany Loubier

December 2004

Great hostel! The bulletin boards and tourist information is a huge plus, the bathrooms are plentiful and the common kitchen is huge. If you're planning on staying for awhile, this hostel offers private rooms with closets as well as dorms, and lock boxes (not safes, but wooden boxes w/lock mechanisms on them). The bathrooms are large and semi-private, but tend to show their age. The garden/courtyard/pool area is awesome — complete with hammocks, plenty of grass, and a cookout area. On the downside, noise does travel throughout the hostel, and it is pricier than the other hostels in San Jose.

Comment by Dan, B.C.

November 2004

I met lots of travelers there; it's a great place to stay. I wasn't expecting to find this kind of quality in Costa Rica.

Comment by BW

September 2004

Fantastic hostel. I stayed here in September 2004. It's a large hostel, with many rooms, a swimming pool, and a large staff always cleaning the place. The staff have TONS of useful traveling information about other countries and other places in Costa Rica. The hostel has two TV rooms, a kitchen, an on-site small restaurant, and free 24-hour coffee service. The place is very safe, with private lockers and a locked front gate. It's in a quiet neighborhood, about a ten-minute walk from the Hotel del Rey in downtown San Jose.

Comment by Kevin Stout

August 2004

I found this to be the best deal in San Jose, but it fills up quick in the busy season, so book early if you know when you will be around. Everything is well organized, and the staff are cool and helpful. This should be the first choice in San Jose for anybody passing through.

Comment by Toni Lynn

August 2004

It was such a nice hostel. I would recommend it to anyone who is in San Jose. I am going to go back there next year.

Comment by Jason

June 2004

I had only planned to stay one night in San Jose but loved this place so much that I stayed much longer! It was a really nice atmosphere and the staff were cool.

More Comments...

Have you visited this hostel? Post your comments here.

« Prev

5 of 27

Hostels in San José

Next »

Hostelz.com is the only hostel guide with complete information and reviews on all youth hostels and backpackers worldwide.