Interior

Reviews of Hostel Casa Colon

2 out of 5
Hostel Casa Colon
Paseo Colon, Calle 24 Norte, Opposite Torre Mercedes, San José, San Jose

Reviews

7.8

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 34 out of 132 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 61 out of 132 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 26 out of 132 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 9 out of 132 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 132 reviews" "

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.2/10

Staff & service

7.4/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

Tyler

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
It's close to downtown and the tica bus station.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Recepcion on 19 Feb 2024
Thank you very much for staying with us. Have a nice trip!

4/10 Poor

rob

Business traveller
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
t was the first week of Covid control
I showed up right at the beginning off the covid mess..... they checked me into a dirty room... the other room smelled of sewer gas ,
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020

6/10 Okay

Maksut

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020

8/10 Good

Avijeet(Avi), Toronto, Canada

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We (3 Canadians) took the bus from Panama City to San Jose, Costa Rica (Tica Bus)...arrived closer to mid-night; this location is 5 mts walk from Tica Bus Terminal; Check-in was a breeze; very friendly staff; breakfast was included in our package and we enjoyed it both days; there is a bar (to enjoy beer), though it gets a bit noisy (if you want to sleep before 11)...the Hotel has a lot of character and history; I will definitely like to come back to stay here!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020
Response from Receptionist on 15 Mar 2020
We are happy that you enjoy your stay in Casa Colon. Thank you for choosing us!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice people, clean , dinners are great, free breakfast, attention to detail, affordable, the casa is Antigua and a beautiful building. Great location, close to La Merced , shopping, restaurants etc. easy to walk. over all 100% satisfied. Been staying here the whole month, nice place.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020
Response from Recepcion on 5 Feb 2020
Muchas Gracias por hospedarse con nosotros! Trabajamos con mucho esfuerzo y cariño para que todos nuestros clientes se sientan como en casa! Saludos cordiales!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Response from Recepcion on 15 Jan 2020
Gracias por su calificación y por su visita!

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019

8/10 Good

Alan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our second stay at Casa Colon
We stayed in the best room they had, #103, which had a private bath, a double bed and bunk beds. We used the bunks for our luggage. Maid came every day and made the bed and swept the floor. Breakfast was free and good--try the "typical". Front desk had some communication problems but everything was worked out. There was a change in ownership on August 1, so it will be interesting to see if this place goes "up" or "down".
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Receptionist on 11 Sept 2019
Hello! Yes we have a new administration you should visit us! Definitely The place goes"up"

8/10 Good

Mark, Jersey City, NJ

Travelled with partner, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Very simple, but clean place to sleep for a low price.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Debora

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I like this hostal because is confortable and peacefull
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2019
Response from Receptionist on 7 Apr 2019
We really appreciate your comment! Thanks for choosing Casa Colon during your stay in San Jose!

8/10 Good

Ryan

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
good location the building is very cool. restaurant is very convienient and the amenities are great for CR.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019

8/10 Good

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly helpful staff
I arrived late in the evening with my family and the staff / service was very helpful. Room was clean and quiet - just what we needed before going to the bus station early the following morning.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018
Response from Recepcionista on 19 Dec 2018
Thanks for Choosing Hostel Casa Colon! Was a Pleasure!

10/10 Excellent

RobertG, Lawrenceville, GA

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was my first trip to Costa Rica, and all the people in the hotel were so helpful, and caring for me. I was able to go on two tours, and picked up directly at the hotel, the breakfast I had the typical food, the lunches were excellent and the room was clean, comfortable and private. I plan to return to Costa Rica in the near future and will stay again here.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very nice and clean. Pretty loud from traffic noise. Ask for an upstairs room away from road.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018
Response from Recepcionist on 19 Dec 2018
Thanks for choosing our Hostel!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018
Response from Recepcionist on 23 Aug 2018
Thank you for your review!

10/10 Excellent

Dakota, Turrialba, Cartago, CR

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Always a wonderful stay at Casa Colón. The entire staff is always very helpful - especially my friend Daniel!! Thanks for another great stay!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018
Response from Daniel on 8 Aug 2018
Hi Dakota!! Thank you very much! It is a real pleasure to have you here.

6/10 Okay

Paul, San Francisco, CA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Hotel is in a good location. Street and lobby noise was a very small issue for me. Bed was comfortable and room was very clean. Rooms could use a bit of an update (e.g., condition of floors, bathroom fixtures, etc.). Room safe was not working (was open and 'locked' so couldn't be reset). Breakfast was minimal but perfectly acceptable.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2018
Response from receptionist on 25 Mar 2018
Thank you for all your recommendations!

4/10 Poor

Meech

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Close to the city
Doesn’t look like a hostel at all it’s more like a hotel, it’s so loud at night due to the bar inside the hotel . The shared bathrooms are pretty creepy and felt unsafe . Couldn’t wait to get out of there.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2018
Response from Receptionist on 8 Mar 2018
Thanks for your comment!

8/10 Good

Jane

Liked: Staff & service
Good for short stays
The staff was terrific and very helpful. They also offer airport shuttle service, which was very handy, especially at 6 am! The main rooms are lovely and very comfortable. We had a good selection of various free breakfasts (not offered with dorm rooms) and the coffee was fantastic! Our room had a shared bathroom, which was essentially a line of sinks in the hall, with toilets and showers separate. I had no problem with the cleanliness of the bathrooms or our room. Our room (109) had no windows, which we were aware of when booking, but the a/c worked great as did the big screen TV. We had a queen sized bed and two bunk beds, which we used as luggage storage. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, but the private rooms could use a coat of paint and some patching on the walls. No quite shabby, but approaching it. And the lighting could be improved--warmer lighting and more wattage would make a big difference. However, the bedding was changed every day and the room was insect free. For the price, and for short stays, it's a good place to stay. I recommend Room 109 as it's away from the noise and close to the bathrooms. There are two creaky wooden steps leading up to the door, so if you walk in your sleep, this is probably not the room for you!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017

8/10 Good

Mark

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Better than usual hostel
Good place to sleep. Neighborhood is safe and plenty of dining options nearby.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
i know now why i have never stayed in a hostel
sleeping in a 15 x 15 space with 5 other people equals no sleep...never again...
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2017

8/10 Good

Johann

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent location to catch the TICA Bus
Casa Colon is what it says - a Hostel type of accomodation. It has a good restaurant attached for food and drink in house.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2017
Response from Casa Colon on 29 Jun 2017
We really aprecciate your comment, hope to see you the next time.

6/10 Okay

Doris, Virginia

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great hotel for temporary stay
You meet interesting people in this hotel. My friend and I stayed for a night to tour San Jose. Location is perfectly central to all attractions and on a major avenue, so it was safe to walk back at night. We had a shared bathroom so it was slightly inconvenient but great value for price paid. Facilities are all functioning. Bathroom stalls are just a bit too small. But in general, satisfactory. Rooms could be cleaner but overall, hostel was comfortable, old-fashion styled, and comes with continental breakfast. I do have say though that the layout of the hostel is weird. In order to get to our rooms, we had to zip zag past a restaurant and bar. WiFI was only working in the common areas. Bar guests could use the public bathrooms/sinks too, which was a surprise to us. Hostel staff was very friendly. Friend and I had to print boarding passes for our outgoing flight and we urgently looked of a printer. The reception was nice and let us use their desktop. Overall, we (2 girls) felt safe and welcomed at the hostel.

8/10 Good

teri, Tomah, WI

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Shuttle service
It was great to be met by a driver and taken to the hostel. We had heard the big bridge is under construction and it can be very expensive to get to MEPE from the airport. We were charged a flat rate of $30.00 for 2 people. The shower area could use a little cleaning. The staff were very helpful with directions and what to do and what not. teri

10/10 Excellent

Alex, Worthing

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice place with friendly, helpful staff
All we needed for our night in San Jose. The building had some character, and staff were very friendly and helpful. Our room was spacious and clean, and food was spot on. Would chose this place again if I was staying in San Jose.

4/10 Poor

Cristian

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Too expensive for the room!!!!

8/10 Good

Audrey, US

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Convienent spot, great staff
Awesome staff and cool building. Bathrooms were a bit small. I rented a private room for I was getting up early for a flight and wanted quiet, which ended up not working because my room was right above the shared bathroom sinks and was quite noisy all night. Also very low lighting in the room and no windows.

8/10 Good

Ellen, US

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cheap and Cheerful
This hostel/hotel is not for everyone, especially those who are shy or want privacy. While there are some rooms with private bath, most rooms and hostel use dormitory style bathrooms: one for women, one for men but also open to the public who are customers of the bar and restaurant on the 1st floor. On the second floor: Dormitory style Bathroom is shared by men and women but only for those staying at the hotel. There is also a nice outdoor deck from the 2nd floor for drinking morning coffee or working on the laptop on those sunny days. The winner here is the staff. The cleaning crew kept bathrooms very clean so it didn't bother me that the facilities were shared with staff and some times, the public, on the 1st floor where I stayed. The receptionists were very helpful, the breakfast substantial enough to start the day and offered some varied choices. The location and price made it possible for me to partake of other Costa Rican tours and entertainment.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed there for one night. Only have three spaces for parking . If you are on a budget this is the location to book- you get what you pay for (don't expect more)
Response from Frontdesk on 5 Oct 2016
Thanks for your comments. Best regards.

6/10 Okay

Eric, Houston

Disliked: Cleanliness
Don't use their "shuttle service"
This hostel has a great location and the staff is friendly! They have free wifi and a nice little restaurant with patio. The only negative thing we experienced was their advertised "shuttle service". Turns out they don't have a shuttle and they sent a taxi to pick us up from the airport which we had to pay ourselves (it was $30!).

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Cindy, Iowa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely Hostel, reached by bus from Alajuela/airpor
This is a gorgeous hostel, and the rooms were very clean and large. They are very concerned with efficient use of resources (water, electricity, etc), so this is a good option for people also concerned about that when traveling. The Station Wagon bus to San Jose from Alajuela and the airport goes right by this, so it is possible to reach this easily by bus by getting off across the street (Parada Torre Mercedes). The people at the front desk were not all totally fluent in English, but we had no problems checking in. There was some confusion about whether we had already paid, so it is advisable to have an extra copy of your confirmation to show you paid Expedia to give to them. Wifi does not work well in rooms, but the common TV area is comfy and people will talk to you if you appear interested in conversation but otherwise will leave you be.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It's in the middle of the city so you can walk to different things. Clean place and staff is friendly. Only thing is the bathrooms at not part of the rooms, it's more like dorm rooms.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Reasonably priced hotel in San Jose, CR
The hotel is located within walking distance to main highlights of San Jose (museums, Mercado Central, etc.). There are many police cars patrolling the area at night. The hotel is a gorgeous old house, but with that comes all of the dust in the room. I dropped something on the floor in the room and looked under the bed and there were dust bunnies everywhere. In fact, my friend and I became very congested in the room because of all of the dust. Otherwise, the hotel is pleasant, and the hotel staff adequate.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good stay!
very good, unique hotel in an older manse.

8/10 Good

Alexa, Missouri

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect Stay
This was the second time that I stayed at this hostel. I shared a 6-bed female dorm room the second time and found it nicer than the larger mixed-gender dorm room. Small and cozy. Comfortable beds, sheets, etc. A short walk to bathrooms and showers. A steal for $15. Have a coffee, snack, or drink at the bar in the hostel.

6/10 Okay

Ken, San Francisco

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Clean and safe in a busy neighborhood
Dorm-style accommodations. Great lobby and sitting areas. TV, bar, cafe inside. Wi-fi. Tatiana at the front desk was very friendly and helpful with bus schedules and directions. Layout a little haphazard. Main bathrooms on first floor spacious and clean with multiple shower and toilet stalls. On a main bus line from the airport. Overall felt clean and safe in a busy neighborhood.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Disliked: Staff & service, room comfort
Building smelled funny, room entirely too small
-Staff was not very friendly -There was a smell in the hotel which was kind of suffocating - smelled like paint drying -Room was a little too small...no space to comfortably store your bags

10/10 Excellent

john, new jersey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Close to everything needed
Very nice hostel, staff very accommodating, within walking distance of shops an museums

10/10 Excellent

Golden Girl, Miami, Florida USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing Casa Colon
This former private mansion was restored beautifully into the hotel/ hostel it is today & the common areas are beautiful. Best of all the staff are all so helpful, friendly, that you won't find better ever. The location is also excellent and easy walking distance to the city center, National Theater, museums, as well as bus terminals near by. I found the atmosphere to be relaxing and easy going .

10/10 Excellent

Crab, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Charming Hostel
This hostal is in a converted old colonial house with beautiful dark wood doors, windows and tiled floor. The hostal is conveniently located in the west part of San Jose and walking distance to Mercado Central, museums, theater in the heart of San Jose. I was surprised that the hostal was quiet despite being located on street with much inner city traffic. The service and reception desk was excellent and efficient. WiFi worked adequately. There were a few parking spaces in front of the hostal. The cars were safe as the receptionists were able to watch the cars from the large windows from the lobby.
Response from Casa Colon on 8 Nov 2014
Thank you for your comment, the hostel is a family legacy, the building was constructed from 1945 is why we have tried to maintain the colonial architecture, we are pleased that your service was excellent, greetings.

8/10 Good

Monica

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
near bus station
the front desk just wan't as helpful or outgoing as most hostels are...
Response from Casa Colon on 8 Nov 2014
Hello! We demand that our staff provide the best service possible, providing the necessary information to all our customers, Best Regards!

6/10 Okay

Elena, Las Vegas, NV

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
Nice hotel close to downtown.
First time staying in this type of hotel. It was an interesting situation sharing the room with a hotel staff member.
Response from Casa Colon on 7 Mar 2015
Hello! The hostel has a volunteer program, we have a foreign employee performing volunteering throughout the year 2014, we provide lodging and feeding, and he helps us in the reception area by implementing new systems and improving our service. Greetings from Hostel Casa Colon!

10/10 Excellent

Douglas, Marin County California

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great little place in the heart of San Jose
Place was clean..... Staff were very nice and friendly! Great at location and really getting your bang for the dollar.
Response from Casa Colon on 8 Nov 2014
Thanks for your comment, it motivates us to continue working with quality and excellence. Greetings!

6/10 Okay

caryn, ventura county

Disliked: Room comfort
friendly, helpful staff, parking available
the hostel is clean, staff friendly, and we parked our car in front. beds were very hard and one of the two showers in our room only had cold water. food was ok and plentiful.
Response from Casa Colon on 8 Nov 2014
Thank you very much for your recommendations, we try to improve our services.

10/10 Excellent

Nat, Albuquerque, NM

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Quick stay
I had to stay one night in San Jose before heading out to La Fortuna. This place was convenience, since it's closed to the highway. There is a grocery store about 2 blocks down, but other than that not much around the place. The hostel has a very good restaurant and its own bar. There was wifi in the common area. The share bathroom was always cleaned. The stuff were very nice and helpful. Overall, I would stay here again.
Response from Casa Colon on 8 Nov 2014
Thank you very much for your commen. We are pleased that you liked the hostel and that the services provided were excellent, we hope you visit us soon.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good for Tica Bus... maybe too clean!
Used in transit to Panama. Perfect location for tica bus. Staff friendly and helpful. Everything clean and new, feels just like a hotel. Great facilities. Only negative was that in the dorm there was quite a strong bleach like smell which was a bit overpowering.... I guess a smell of cleanliness rather than one of dirtyness is preferable, but you wouldn't let your house smell like that. Despite that, I would stay there again if I was passing through as service and condition was faultless. I didn't eat there so cannot comment on the food. The dorm also felt like an 8 bed dorm with 10 beds in - there were only 8 lockers which would support this - not a problem for me it wasn't even half full, but would have been a squash if full.
Response from Casa Colon on 8 Nov 2014
Thank you for your recommendation, we always try all the rooms to be spotless with regard to cleanliness and of course they smell good. Best Regads!

10/10 Excellent

Nikki, Austin, TX

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved it!
We had a group of 8 (late 20 and 30 somethings), and rented 4 private rooms. It was all of our first experience in a hostel and we were not disappointed. It just felt like a huge house (which it was... built in 194(??) and turned into a hostel 5 years ago), and was so authentic looking. I loved the architecture, both inside and out. The wood was amazing and the stairwell was picturesque. The service at the desk is so so, but we were only there one night, so no big deal. Breakfast was fine and the coffee was awesome! The rooms were comfortable and we were in need of nothing. Loved the parlour in the center of the building... so open and a great place to have a drink and meet for breakfast. I'd stay there again if I ever make it back to Costa Rica!
Response from Casa Colon on 8 Nov 2014
Hello! Thank you for your comment, will be a pleasure to having you the next time that you visit Costa Rica, the building was built in 1945. Greetings!

8/10 Good

Garry, Stratford

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location, just a little noisy on Paseo Colon
Response from Casa Colon on 8 Nov 2014
To be located in one of the main avenues noise is one of our disadvantages, we try to provide quality services to all our guests feel at home. Best Regards!