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Officially certified as a four star hotel by the International Hotel Association, the Grano de Oro fully lives up to its rating. The hotel has an old world charm and enough touches to make one feel you are enjoying a tropical paradise. Canopied four-poster beds and verdant terraces make each room an oasis in the city.
The hotel is located minutes away from the busy Paseo Colon (Avenida Central) the commercial center of San Jose, but a world away from the hustle and bustle of this vibrant city. A uniformed porter will be there to open your door and help with your luggage before you enter the decadent lobby. Located in what used to be the foyer of a large mansion, the reception area is teeming with fresh-cut tropical flowers.
The owners, Eldon and Lori Cooke, are Canadian and spend half the year down here in Costa Rica. They have decorated each of the 35 rooms inside this elegant mansion with Victorian era furniture, while many of the hallways have a Spanish colonial feel. The building is actually composed of two former mansions, as evidenced in some beautiful old photographs on display on the first floor that are certainly worth taking a look at.
The luxurious restaurant is open to the public and offers a combination of Costa Rican and continental cuisine - known for its exquisite desserts. The dining room, adjacent sunroom and tropical patio are all surrounded by lush gardens. Another unique feature is the rooftop Jacuzzi with a panoramic view of the busy city ringed with green mountains and volcanoes.
The beautifully tiled bathrooms have brass fixtures and large bathtubs, although suites feature a 'private spa' with Jacuzzi, and all have hair dryers. All rooms come with the following features; luxurious bedding, original art works, mini bar, safe, cable television and telephones. For those who will be arriving in the country for the first time, the hotel will send a car and driver to pick you up at the airport for twenty-five dollars.
Several suites have titles and these one of a kind rooms are priced differently.
The Grano de Oro Suite is the finest in the hotel with wood paneled walls, tiled floors and Persian rugs. The massive wooden hand carved bed makes one want to curl up and sleep for a week. This suite is ideal for honeymooners, although any room in the hotel would not disappoint.
Entering the Garden Suite through the heavy oak door, you pass through a stucco arch that is reminiscent of a Mexican hacienda; the first glimpse of the room takes your breath away. The two-meter high ceilings allow ample light to fill the room through the French doors that look out on the private garden patio with a cozy table to sit at and enjoy the environment. Inside the room is decorated with dark wooden furniture; a writing desk and 'make up desk' and of course the requisite four poster bed with silky curtains.
Family Suite - A beautiful two-room suite with a queen and twin bed in one room and a queen bed in the second room, that can comfortably house up to 5 people. The Family Suite has a balcony with lots of plants and a spacious bathroom with tub.
Deluxe - The most spacious of the three "room" categories, all deluxe rooms have a bathtub/shower combination and either one queen and one twin bed, two queen beds, or a king-size bed.
Superior - While a bit smaller than the deluxe rooms, most superior rooms have a bathtub/shower combination and a queen bed.
Standard - The smallest and least expensive of the rooms, standard rooms offer cozy quarters with a queen bed and private bathroom with shower. Don't be fooled by the 'standard' title, these rooms are still exquisite!!