Grand Hotel Costa Rica, San Jose

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Grand Hotel Costa Rica, San Jose

Grand Hotel Costa Rica, San Jose

The Grand Hotel of Costa Rica is a true gem among the hotels of San Jose, Costa Rica, and it also happens to be the very first such hotel in the country. It was formed in 1928, and up till that time, there was no major first class hotel in the capital city. An act of the Constitutional Congress of the Republic of that year made it possible to get the hotel in town. The hotel got funding from the government, and in turn the hotel agreed to always sell Costa Rican coffee, as well as the hotel agreed to always keep two rooms available for the government to use for dignitaries and the like.

In 2004, President Abel Pacheco declared the hotel to be a national landmark of the country. The architecture of the place is also quite wonderful, expressing the best in Victorian style architecture. In recent times, the Choice International Hotel chain has acquired the hotel, and added it to its growing list of historic hotels that are being turned into Resorts. It remains a popular destination in the capital city not only because of its historicity, but because it also sits very close to the ocean and some of the best mountain side landscaping in the country.

On December 7th, 2004, the Gran Hotel Costa Rica was declared by the President of the country Abel Pacheco a historical-architectural landmark of Costa Rica, not only for being the first major hotel of the country, but also for its long trajectory, its architecture, which represents the San José of those years, and the historical complex it forms with other landmarks in the area.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in San Jose. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51±¬ÁÏÍø: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Grand Hotel Costa Rica on Map

Sight Name: Grand Hotel Costa Rica
Sight Location: San Jose, Costa Rica (See walking tours in San Jose)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in San Jose, Costa Rica

Create Your Own Walk in San Jose

Create Your Own Walk in San Jose

Creating your own self-guided walk in San Jose is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Shopping and Food Walking Tour

Shopping and Food Walking Tour

Walking the pedestrian-friendly promenades of Costa Rica's capital – San Jose – is a great way to experience the local culture. Despite an occasional rainstorm, the country's tropical weather makes outdoor shopping an undeniably fun experience. The downtown part of San Jose has no shortage of department stores, traditional marketplaces and souvenir shops selling handcrafts.

The...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
San Jose Introduction Walking Tour

San Jose Introduction Walking Tour

The history of San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica, is that of growth and transformation. Founded in 1736 by the Spanish colonial administration (Cabildo de León) to concentrate the scattered inhabitants of the area, San Jose lacked formal city status until 1812. Surprisingly, but only two years later, the status was revoked. However, in 1820, it was reinstated, and San Jose became Costa...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Historical Buildings Tour

Historical Buildings Tour

What's known today as San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, came into being as a small settlement during the Spanish invasion, circa the mid-16th century. From a town of little importance, San Jose eventually evolved into a densely-populated cosmopolitan city, built mostly with proceeds from coffee trade.

The historic architecture of San Jose is a mix of European and Latin American styles...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


17 Uniquely Costa Rican Things to Buy in San Jose

17 Uniquely Costa Rican Things to Buy in San Jose

Not to be confused with San Jose, the sunny California, San Jose, Costa Rica is the capital city of a wet (250 centimeters of rainfall per year) and colorful Latin American country renowned for its diverse craftsmanship (courtesy of the numerous indigenous tribes), splendid coffee and rich cultural...