Aloft by Marriott San Jose Hotel, Costa Rica

For a few nights at the end of my Costa Rica trip, Aloft worked well. I wanted somewhere fairly close to the airport without being out in the boonies, and it met that need. It’s clean and modern, though not a five-star property. There’s a mall across the road, reached by an overpass, and several fast food places just a few yards away. The team were friendly and helpful wherever I dealt with them, from reception and engineering to the restaurant and housekeeping. A couple of the young women on staff were quite giggly, and seemed to enjoy their work. The style felt like its sister brand Moxy, young, casual and lively. My room was pleasantly decorated, clean and laid out practically, with plenty of desk space for work or a meal. The king bed was comfortable, and I slept well. The bathroom was clean, with reliable hot water and good pressure, and the AC kept the room comfortable. I used the fitness room and pool a few times. Neither was fancy, but the equipment covered the basics and the outdoor pool area was pleasant. Breakfast was simple but did the job, with local buffet options as well as fried eggs or omelets if scrambled eggs weren’t your thing. The place was clean, modern and well maintained, and I found it perfectly fine for a short stay.

We decided not to stay because we had an early flight and too much luggage for a regular taxi. The hotel wouldn’t refund the night, saying a taxi we’d have to pay for counted as the advertised shuttle. We’d booked because the hotel was described as near the airport and offered an airport shuttle, but it was a 40-minute drive and, after the long drive with our two young children, we learned there was no shuttle at all. The woman at the front seemed to know it was advertised, but offered no help or compensation.

The rooms are nice, but the walls are paper thin. We could hear the party next door until 3am and barely slept. Cars were noisy all night too. Really bad.

The outside view was lovely, and the hotel itself felt neat and cozy. But sound carries everywhere. You can hear people yelling in nearby rooms and kids running in the hall at 1, 2, 3 and 4am. The walls and doors are so thin that it’s hard to sleep. Breakfast was another letdown, with the same limited choices each morning.