As San Jose International Airport (Juan Santamaria International Airport) is the main international airport in Costa Rica, many visitors have to stay in an airport hotel the night they arrive or before they fly out for their flight.
If you’re looking for a place to sleep after a long flight or to rest up before an early flight, here are our top picks for the best hotels near San Jose International Airport, Costa Rica with free airport shuttle and without airport shuttle.
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Budget Hotels Near San Jose International Airport with Free Airport Shuttle (under $80 a night)
Remember, San Jose International Airport is not actually in San Jose – it is in Alajuela.
San Jose International Airport to San Jose downtown takes around 30 minutes or more depending on traffic.
Hotel Santa Maria Inn
This is a cozy family owned hotel just 5 minutes (4 kilometers or 2.5 miles) from San Jose International Airport. It’s a small, clean and basic with 8 rooms.
All rooms have air conditioning, free wi-fi and hot water and they also have a communal kitchen. Excellent option for a budget hotel near San Jose International Airport with free airport shuttle.
They only offer a free airport shuttle from the hotel to the airport – they do not offer it from the airport to the hotel. The service from the hotel to the airport is available from 7 AM to 12 PM.
A double is $70 in high season, $60 for a single and a family room is $105. The price includes free transportation to the airport and continental breakfast.
Check rates and availability for Santa Maria Inn.
Hotel La Guaria Inn
A simple but clean hotel in a local area close to restaurants and small grocery stores. Only a couple kilometers (~ 1 mile) from San Jose International Airport. Continental breakfast included.
They offer free airport transfers in and out to the hotel at any time. If you are getting a transfer from the airport to the hotel, they will have a person holding a sign with the hotel and client name outside the airport terminal exit.
Rates start at $50 a night with breakfast. Check rates and availability for Hotel La Guaria Inn.
Alajuela Backpackers Airport Hostel
This hostel is only 3 minutes from San Jose International Airport and includes a free airport shuttle. It’s a classic hostel set up with shared rooms, private rooms and communal spaces. This hostel is ideal for solo travelers, backpackers and those on a strict budget.
Alajuela Backpackers offers a free airport shuttle to and from. They pick up from the San Jose International airport from 2-10 PM.
For transfers from the hostel to the airport, the schedule is at 410 AM, 530 AM, 7 AM, 840 AM, 1015 AM and 1130 AM.
Guests must coordinate their free airport transfer directly with the hostel. For those getting a transfer from the airport to the hostel, look for a person holding a sign with the hostel and client’s name on it, outside the airport terminal exit.
Prices start at $14-16 for 10 bed dorm, $40-55 for private double room. Check rates and availability for Alajuela Backpackers Airport Hostel.
You can also read our post on the best hostels in Costa Rica if you’re traveling on a budget.
Budget Hotels Near San Jose Airport (no shuttle included)
Airport Costa Rica B&B
Lovely small hotel just 5 minutes from the SJO Airport with a very nice garden and spacious comfortable rooms. Breakfast for $7 USD. Property has a security gate.
They can coordinate a shuttle to the airport for $10-15 depending on your departure time. Must coordinate with their front desk when you check in.
Check rates and availability for Airport Costa Rica B&B.
Terida Airport B&B
Very clean, cozy and comfortable little B&B about 1 mile (2 km) from the airport. Hot breakfast not included but can be added for $10.
They have a nice garden and terrace with seating areas. Taxi costs around 5,000 colones (~$10). You can ask the front desk to help you call one or you can schedule an Uber.
Check rates for Terida Airport B&B.
Berlor Airport Inn
Hotel with a pool and rooms for single travelers and families. Modest hotel with basic amenities, 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) from the airport.
They offer airport transfers in and out. If you are transferring from the airport to the hotel, there will be someone holding a sign with the hotel and client name outside the airport terminal exit.
Rate is ~$15, paid in cash to the driver. It is $8 from the hotel to the airport, pay in cash to the driver.
Room rates start at $70-75.
Check rates and availability for Berlor Airport Inn.
Mid to High Range Hotels near San Jose Airport with Free Airport Shuttle (~ $100 and up)
Adventure Inn
This beautifully decorated boutique hotel is a great option not only for their close proximity to the airport and free shuttle, but also to take in the last bit of Costa Rica, as they decorate all their rooms with a special Costa Rican characteristics.
They have an on-site restaurant, gym and business room so it’s great for families and business travelers.
We’ve stayed here several times and it has always been an excellent experience. Additionally, their breakfast and restaurant is really good. For us, this is one of the best hotels near San Jose Airport with free airport shuttle.
Their free airport shuttle from the hotel to the airport runs from 3 AM to 12 PM. You must make reservations in advance.
When you book, they will ask you for your transfer information. They have limited space as it’s first come, first serve so make sure to reserve your spots asap.
For transfers from the airport to the hotel, they are 24/7 and will either have someone waiting outside the airport with a sign of the hotel and client name.
Or the client can take a taxi with “Taxis Unidos” which is right outside the airport terminal exit. Clients just need to let the taxi know they have a reservation with Adventure Inn.
Save 10% off your stay at Adventure Inn using the promo code “mytanfeet” on their booking site!
Hotel Aeropuerto (Airport Hotel)
For hotels near San Jose Airport, this is a popular option as it’s only a 5 minute drive from San Jose airport. Hotel Aeropuerto also offer a free shuttle to and from SJO airport.
Must be coordinated 24 hours in advance, Whatsapp them at 87067070 to arrange your ride. The driver will be waiting outside the airport terminal exit for clients.
Rooms are spacious and comfortable and is a great option for business travelers as they have a conference room, on-site restaurant, large parking lot, pool, free wi-fi throughout the property and an Internet room.
Rates start at $85 for a single room with no breakfast, up to $100 for a double room with breakfast.
Check rates and availability for Hotel Aeropuerto.
Hampton Inn & Suites Airport Boulevard San Jose Airport
The Hampton is a great chain choice for a San Jose Airport hotel since it’s super close, less than 2 kilometers. They have a 24 hour airport shuttle service included in the rate.
The hotel property has a business center, pool, gym, handicap friendly rooms and free wi-fi. Their suites are great for families as they are very spacious.
For a safe and modern hotel by San Jose International Airport with free airport shuttle, this is an excellent choice. From the airport to the hotel, clients need to look for the sign with the hotel name on it.
Room rates start at $140 with breakfast included.
Check rates and availability at Hampton Inn & Suites Airport Boulevard San Jose Airport.
Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Airport Alajuela
With 7 business rooms, rooms and suites, an on-site restaurant and you can earn Marriott Reward points. More for business travelers, those who have Marriott Rewards or want an upscale option.
Very nice for a Marriott and I feel like it meets the standard of other Marriott airport hotels I’ve stayed in other cities.
Their free airport shuttle runs from 4 AM to 12 AM every day, departing every 30 minutes. If going from the airport to the hotel, look for a sign with the hotel name on it.
Check rates and availability for Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Alajuela.
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Cariari San Jose – Costa Rica
Very nice Hilton close to the airport. Has a pool, great restaurant, gym and comfortable rooms. All guests get a free cookie upon check in.
Excellent options for Hilton members. Rooms comfortable and up to par with Hilton airport hotel standards (in our experience).
Their free airport shuttle goes to and from the airport. From the hotel to the airport, they have a shuttle every hour starting at 4 AM to 1 AM.
From the airport to the hotel, they have a shuttle every hour from 430 AM to 130 AM.
Look for a sign with the hotel name on it to meet your driver at the airport.
Check rates for Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Cariari San Jose Costa Rica.
Country Inn and Suites By Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto
This Radisson branch is only 10 minutes from San Jose Airport, very convenient location. It has an onsite restaurant and pool, friendly staff. Breakfast is included.
Their airport shuttle from the airport to the hotel runs every hour from 1045 AM to 1145 PM. Their hotel to airport shuttle runs every hour from 515 AM to 115 PM.
Room rates start ~ $100.
Check rates for Country Inn and Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto
Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport Costa Rica
If you’re looking for comfort and convenience in a hotel near San Jose Airport, this Holiday Inn is another excellent option as it’s less than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the airport.
Holiday Inns in Costa Rica are considered more upscale and this one is very clean and convenient with amenities such as a pool and a gym.
Their airport shuttle runs 24/7, every 15-20 minutes. From the airport to the hotel, look for a sign with the hotel name.
Check rates and availability for Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport Costa Rica.
Other Hotels Near San Jose Internatinoal Airport Without Shuttle
These are hotels located further away from the airport, without free airport transfers.
However, they are nice options if you do not want to stay in a chain hotel or have a couple nights to enjoy before your flight out.
Hotel La Rosa de America
This hotel is 15 minutes from San Jose Airport in Alajuela. They have a very nice garden area, pool and on-site restaurant.
This is a nice option if you are also looking to stay more than one night, to explore more of the Central Valley and Alajuela.
It is important to note that tour companies that run day trips from San Jose do NOT generally pick up from this hotel as it is outside the free transportation zone.
They do not have a free airport shuttle but they can arrange one for you for ~$25 for 1-4 people and $35 for 5+ people. You will pay in cash to the driver.
If you want a transfer from the airport to the hotel, you must coordinate it beforehand with the hotel so that the driver will wait outside the airport terminal exit for you.
Room rates start at around $80.
Check rates for Hotel La Rosa de America.
Trapp Family Country Inn
Cozy family hotel 1 mile (1.6 km) from the airport in Alajuela. Rooms are spacious with a balcony overlooking gardens.
They can coordinate taxis from the hotel to the San Jose International Airport only. They do not offer for the airport to the hotel.
The airport taxi costs around $12-15 per way, paid in cash directly to the driver (less than 3 people).
Room rates start around $120.
Check rates and availability for Trapp Family Country Inn.
Villa San Ignacio
Posh hotel with a pool, restaurant and 16 rooms and suites. Also pet friendly! It is around 8 kilometers (5.5 miles) to the airport.
They can help arrange a ride for you from the hotel to the airport for $25-30 at any time. Must coordinate it with the hotel when you check in.
Room rates start at $100.
Check rates and availability from Villa San Ignacio.
How to Get to Your Hotel from San Jose Airport
If your hotel doesn’t offer complimentary airport transportation, here are our tips for getting to and from San Jose Airport.
If you are arriving at the airport and need to get to your hotel, you can:
- Take a taxi. There are a bunch of taxis right outside the airport but make sure to get one from the official airport taxi stand. Airport taxis are orange, regular taxis are red and they should all have a code/emblem on their doors.
- Call an Uber. Uber is everywhere in San Jose and you can call one from the airport. Read our tips on using Uber in Costa Rica. You can also check Didi. Lyft does not exist in Cosat Rica.
- Book a private shuttle. This is a good option for big groups or young families or if you’re landing at an odd hour, as the driver will wait for you directly at the airport. They will also wait for you in case of flight delays.
- Car rental: You can pick up your rental car after you land, or if you don’t want the car just yet, you can get your car the next day.
Renting a car in Costa Rica? Click here to save money with our Costa Rica car rental discount and extra benefits. Our partner can deliver your car/send a shuttle to any of the previously mentioned hotels in this post for free!
How to Get to San Jose International Airport from Your Hotel
If you need to get to San Jose International Airport from your hotel, here are your options.
Uber: We have called Ubers at 4 AM to the airport before and were always able to find one. Now whenever I need an Uber to go to the airport, I schedule one the day before.
Private shuttle: Very convenient as you set your pick up time and they will be there waiting for you. Private shuttles normally include bottled water, wifi in the vehicle and sometimes a bilingual driver.
Car rental: If you rented a car, the normal procedure is you will return the rental car to the office and then they will shuttle you to the airport free of charge (during business hours).
If you’re flying in and out of Guanacaste Airport in the Guanacaste province, here is our list of the best hotels near Guanacaste Airport.
Don’t forget to read our post on tips for going through immigration and customs in San Jose and Guanacaste airport.
Read more Costa Rica travel tips below
Tips for finding accommodation
15 things to know before you go
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica.
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Eric Tremblay says
Hola!
Due to a flight schedule change, our departing flight will be at 6h15 instead of 10h10 AM. Our hotel ( Courtyard SJO) has a shuttle to the airport but it starts only at 4h00 AM. We fear it could be full of people because it’s the first of the day.
Is Uber a good option to book a ride to the airport, even around 3h30-3h45 AM? ( luckily, we were are to book in a flight in business with points, so maybe 2 h-2h 1/2 ahead could be enough). Will it be a safer option to book an hotel with a 24H shuttle ?
Thanks for your input !
Sammi says
We have used Uber at all weird hours of the day/night and been able to find them. I would also see if you can schedule an Uber too, I’ve scheduled Uber for airport pick ups and I’ve never had any problems with it and it saved me a lot of time because sometimes Uber in the early mornings can take awhile.
Todd says
I stayed at The Holiday Inn near SJO in June 2024. It was a good hotel. I would stay again. I would ask for a room towards the back though. I have stayed at hotel airports that are well insulated from outside sounds, however, this was not one of them. I had emailed months prior to my arrival asking for connecting rooms. I received verification that I would have connecting rooms, but upon arrival I was informed that I did not have connecting rooms. I had to haggle and compromise a bit to get connecting rooms, so I didnt want to make any waves and ask to change rooms, but our window looked onto Route 1, Route 3 and the airport runway. Room 114 and 116. Very busy. Lots of honking, engine breaking from trucks and jet engines roaring. If you stay in the back of the hotel there is a commuter line and those engineers love to blow that horn, but thankfully the train only passes a few times per day. If you want a cab, call a cab yourself. I asked the front desk to call a cab and a white van showed up and charged me $8 to get to the mall. On the way back, I took a red cab, with a meter, which only charged me four dollars and was much faster.
They had a good breakfast and the hotel shuttle did take us to the airport. All our luggage fit into the large shuttle van. The rooms were clean. Housekeeping came everyday and did a good job. It’s self parking. There always seemed to be a doorman kind of keeping an eye on the lot. I speak Spanish, but all the front desk employees seems to speak English well. Close to City Mall. When we had a problem with the room safes, they fixed the problem and fixed one of our A/C units too. Although it’s expensive, you can walk to Denny’s. Kids eat free on Tuesdays. Rooms were small, but nice. I would stay again. They have a self service washer and dryer. Two dollars each. Dryer didnt work very well, so I always had to run it twice.
Eddie A says
We stayed at your recommended Villa San Ignacio and I really liked it. I would recommend it too. Nice pool area and the hotel design is modern and cool.
Sammi says
Glad to hear!
chris eby says
Hi Sammi,
thanks for the lead on the hotel la Rosa de america in san jose. what a nice surprise. i stayed there the day before flying home. quiet, lovely gardens, room was simple but clean and all i needed. staff folks were happy and helpful. and nice pool. breakfast was adequate and price a bargain. next time
i’ll spend a couple nights.
Sammi says
Glad you had a good time at the hotel! It’s super cute
Cindy says
Do you know if any of these hotels allow you to leave a car when you are away? Or where else we could safely leave our car for 3-5 nights near the airport?
Sammi says
It depends on the hotel, some may, some may not or some may but with a fee. You’ll have to ask them.
Sue Shaw says
We have lived in Bejuco, Parrita, Costa Rica for seven years and stay at the Hotel Aeropuerto whenever we leave or return to the airport in San Jose. As of May 24, 2022, we took an red/orange cab, as the hotel requests for them to reimburse the fare. They are no longer reimbursing for fares to and from the airport, and sadly the driver said he wanted 20 USD for the fare, which is way, way overpriced for the short distance to the hotel. We were told it was because of the recent surge in fuel prices. The Hotel is still a great place to stay, but ask for taxi fares before getting in and shop for fares.
Sammi says
Thank you for your feedback!
jim phelps says
We are planning a trip to Central Valley to look for housing as we are thinking of relocating to that area. What is the best way to travel from the airport to CV? Jim & Bev (sun city, az)
Debbie Howard says
Hi, I’m coming to Costa Rica with 2 other friends for 10 days Staying, the bulk of the trip, in Shiroles. I’m an avid bird photographer and have a couple of questions. Are there any locations near Shiroles for birding? Is it safe to bring pro-level camera gear? What effect does the heat and humidity have on gear that will be in non-air conditioned accomadations? Any tours available in that area? I’m considering a couple of days in Puento Viego, do you know of any tours there? I appreciate any help you might offer. Are there buses from Shiroles to Puento Viego? Uber? Buses?
Sammi says
Hi Debbie, to be honest I have never been to Shiroles before but the Talamanca region does have very good birding from what I’ve heard. Maybe try to find a birding tour operator in Costa Rica who would know more and ask them, sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
Janis Bond says
we are vacationing in Quepos in Feb 2019. We are thinking of taking a bus from San Jose to Quepos. I found the Tracopa bus terminal. we would take an uber from the airport to the bus terminal. Is this a good choice or is there others?
Sammi says
Hi Janis! YOu can definitely take Uber, it is in San Jose. You can read our post on Uber for more tips: Uber Costa Rica
Sammi says
Hi Larry! For the multi day rafting trips, the companies should be able to bring your luggage with you. They generally will have you bring just what you need so like a carry on or backpack since most people don’t need to bring their entire luggage and they’ll securely store what you don’t bring in their operation center. Then they’ll raft your luggage to the lodge. We actually have a discount for multi day Rio Pacuare trips with Rios Tropicales, if you want to check it out it is here, We did a 2 day trip with them and it was amazing!
Larry Groso says
Hello Sammi,
First of all, we love your blog – mytanfeet. We are finding it to have so much useful information. Great work.
Second, we are planning a trip and starting in San Jose. We wanted to do a three day rafting trip with Rio Pacuare shortly after arriving and before heading to the Guanacaste coast. Would you recommend leaving our belongings with one of the hotels you mentioned above while we are on the rafting trip? We would then return after rafting, stay again and leave the next day to the west coast. Thank you in advance.
Larry
Barbara says
We will be driving from SJO to arenal and then to tamarindo, what is the best route?
Sammi says
Hi Barbara, SJO to Arenal is best through San Ramon, then Arenal to Tamarindo, you will have to go through Tilaran, Canas, InterAmericana highway 1, Liberia, then through Santa Cruz and Huacas. All paved roads.