Gran Hotel Nacional

The room was a little small, though we knew that going in. Everything was very clean and neat, and breakfast was really good. The staff were so kind and magnificent, and quickly arranged a large taxi to Almirante at a good price with a nice driver. We only came for one night before leaving david with our three little girls, expecting just a place to sleep, but were pleasantly surprised by the lovely pool, kids' playground, comfortable beds, and handy location for food and shopping. Recommended for families too! ☺️

The pool shuts at 5 pm, so after checking in there's barely time to use it. Breakfast was another letdown: my eggs were cold and watery, and there's not much on offer for what this place costs. When I told them I don't drink alcohol, they said too bad about the complimentary card. That felt very unprofessional. The hotel is badly outdated and expensive for nothing special. Where do I start? This should be zero stars. Please don't waste your money here!

The service was perfect and everyone was really nice. The hotel was very clean and pleasant. We didn't use the pool, though it looked clean.

The staff at the desk were extremely helpful and friendly, except for two people. Rooms were more comfortable and cleaner than at other places, with free items, and the building had no bugs or bed bugs, which is unusual among hotels in Costa Rica and Panama. The bathroom didn't seem as sanitized as a paper notice claimed. For a grand hotel, the price is very cheap compared with others, so my three stars are for value. If that's what you're after, I'd pick it over other places, but there were plenty of problems. It's worn down, can be dirty, and has a smell, though they do their best with an old building. Noise could get ridiculous, but I didn't mind much. The hot water made my tap bang like a jackhammer. The pool and gym were decent but should stay open longer. The only unusual feature was the movie theater, which they shut down. Now they drive you to another one for $3, but all the movies are Spanish dubs with no English or subtitles. I can understand Spanish movies, but prefer the original language, and dubs are garbage. Most of the food was pretty bad and seemed frozen, especially appetizers. My mozzarella sticks were stuck together. The Italian dishes and pizza were great, though, so I'd stick with those and avoid the meat and fish. The free drinks had almost no alcohol the first time and were very strong the second, and only come as rum drinks, which is odd. Breakfast was free with lots of choices, so you may find something, but it was freezing cold and looked so stale I wouldn't expect a stray dog to eat my leftovers. I'd rather pay for breakfast elsewhere. They said some dishes had no meat when they did, and I got sick for a couple hours before checkout. While I was holding my chest and then threw up in a corner as I walked around trying to feel better, nobody offered me anything. I don't know whether they own the dirty, run-down casino. My friends have had the plug pulled on them there when they were about to win $1,000-$10,000, so it feels like a scam and tourist trap.