Costa Rica Backpackers Hostel

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!

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!

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.

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!

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

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!

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.

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!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It was clean, with hot water most of the time. There's a large TV screen, and good opportunities to meet people of all ages. Great kitchen. We would walk downtown and buy fruit galore for pennies, and then make huge fruit salad and pass it around. A great way to meet people. Give your pineapple trimmings (peel and all) to the lady who cleans the kitchen; she will appreciate it and she will make agua de pina with it. It has a great bulletin board to exchange information. We were prevented from making a serious mistake by reading info on it. We stayed five nights. It was great to have the free Internet, too. Do watch your belongings if you are near a window. Crooks have been known to slip their arm through the slats of the window to steal. Also, a member of staff was stealing. But you can put your belongings in a locked box in your own bedroom.