Hotel Cacts

The nicest spot here may be the rooftop terrace beside the shared dining area. The hotel’s indoor public spaces also feel like lush little oases. In the dining room, guests can use hot water, a purified water dispenser, microwaves, toasters and a toaster oven at any hour. Breakfast comes with the room: fresh fruit, juice, hearty whole grain bread, and scrambled eggs with rice and beans. My room was clean, with a good shower, a ceiling fan, and a fridge with freezer, plus a small water pitcher and two glasses. The WiFi was unreliable at times. Most rooms face the interior walkways, so I kept my curtains closed for privacy. There was no desk, just a long bureau where one might fit. Reaching the outlets by the beds took some figuring out, there were no USB ports, and the room had one uncomfortable wooden dining chair. It's in a quiet neighborhood, less than 250 steps around the corner from the Ticabus terminal. The staff were congenial. Would I stay again? Yes.

The rooftop is a lovely place to take in the mountain view and eat the included typical breakfast. The kind woman who cleans the rooms makes it, and the morning front desk woman is wonderful too. The hotel feels like a quiet, rustic oasis in the urban sprawl, with very clean rooms that have multiple beds. It's a hidden gem in a part of San José that otherwise isn't very appealing. If you can spend more than a hostel hopper but don't need luxury, this place is just right. I'll always love it. Pura Vida.

For a two star hotel, the building is nice, with a small pool that’s like a jacuzzi and a breakfast terrace. Some limitations are expected at that level: there’s no elevator, some rooms are on the third floor, mine was very dark, and it had no AC. The room itself was unpleasant, with a strong mix of cleaning product and damp smells, and a sticky floor. Staff didn't seem well trained. When I asked for a late checkout, they didn't know what I meant and said no. They did offer use of the pool area shower later, but when I went to use it they wouldn't give me a towel, even when I offered to pay. The WiFi rarely worked in my room and was very unreliable. Without the towel issue, I'd have rated it four stars.

mike made me feel very welcome. My room was spacious and clean, with a fridge, TV and ceiling fan. Breakfast was simple but good, and though the pool was really cold, it felt refreshing. For budget travel, the stay was better than I could've hoped for. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone staying in san jose.