In Costa Rica, the term “Grano de Oro” is used to refer to the coffee bean, their “Grain of Gold”. The founders of this boutique hotel fell in love with the idea that such a small fruit could be so valuable.
Hotel Grano de Oro was started by a Canadian couple who frequented Costa Rica for vacation. They loved the natural beauty of the country and the people, and in particular the metropolitan city of San Jose. They found that San José was lacking an upscale boutique-style hotel, offering a unique, personalized service – in other words a “Grain of Gold”. With this in mind, the search for the perfect house to be renovated began.
The original tropical Victorian home, which is now known as the Grano de Oro, was a private family residence belonging to the Pozuelo family, built at the turn of the 20th century.
The Hotel Grano de Oro opened its doors in December of 1991, with 21 guest rooms, a gift shop and a modest café. Quickly gaining recognition from local and international agencies for its unique personality and great service, the hotel became a landmark within the city.
Experience a cozy guest bedroom in a turn of the century mansion, with the luxuries of a fine hotel. Our standard rooms offer one queen bed with fine luxury linens and all the amenities needed to make your stay comfortable.
Our Superior rooms are slightly larger than the standard rooms, with the same cozy turn of the century feel. Offering one queen bed with fine luxury linens and all the amenities needed to make your stay comfortable.
.A charming turn of the century guest room with a lush tropical, private patio – perfect for enjoying a cocktail or glass of wine at the end of the day. These rooms offer one queen bed with fine luxury linens as well as all the amenities needed to make your stay comfortable.
These larger rooms offer two queen beds with fine luxury linens and comfortably accommodate a family of 4 or two couples.
Our largest and most popular room category, this spacious room offers our luxurious king size mattresses, fine luxury linens and all the amenities needed to make your stay comfortable.
A perfect choice for a family or two couples traveling together. This two room suite with an adjoining shared bath comfortably accommodates up to 5 people. The main room contains one Queen and one Twin bed. The adjoining room has one Queen bed. Each room has its own flat screen TV.
As you enter through the arched doorway of this luxurious suite you are immediately taken back in time. Once the original living room of this converted mansion, it offers a beautiful tropical private garden, spacious seating area, two flat screen TVs and a king sized bed.
Our signature suite, reached by a private staircase, the Vista de Oro lives up to its name commanding a breathtaking view of the Central Valley skyline. The suite reflects the turn of the century style of the original home with handmade tiles, complemented by rich wood paneling. The suite is stylishly furnished with exquisite antiques and a luxurious king sized bed.
24-hour Security, Activity Desk, Bar, Battery Charging Facilities, Conference Centre, Disability Services, Eco Friendly, Gym, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Available), Restaurant, Secure Parking, Spa
Air Conditioning, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Disabled Rooms, Electrical Outlets, En-Suite, Fan, Hair Dryer, Internet Access (Complimentary), Iron / Ironing Board, Laundry Service (Available), Mini Bar, Mini Bar (Complimentary), Pure Cotton Linen, Safe, Satellite / Cable Television, Shower, Tea / Coffee, Television, Wheelchair Friendly
Airport Shuttle (Available), Credit Card, Foreign Exchange, Room Service
Enjoy a relaxing or invigorating massage after a long day of touring San Jose. Our Massage Therapist offers a variety of relaxing and rejuvenating treatments for our guests. For more information on these or to make a reservation, please contact us prior to arrival by phone or email or at any time during your stay.
Visit our Fitness Center overlooking our rooftop sundeck. Open daily from 7am - 8pm.
Come by and see our selection of hand-made Costa Rican handicrafts in our Gift Shop, as well as coffee, artesian jams, chocolates and a few typical treats! Open daily from 2:30p.m. to 9:30p.m.
A rooftop garden terrace with lawn beds and 2 Jacuzzis provides secluded lounging. Great for relaxing after a day in the city or out on a tour. Open daily from 9am to 10pm.
From San José you can take one of a number of daytrips to the rainforest, volcanoes or experience the thrill of white water rafting, to mention just a few. Here are our Top Recommended Tours. For more information on these or other tours or to make a reservation please contact us!
In Costa Rica there a variety of options for traveling between destinations: domestic flights, private transfers, shuttles and car rentals. We are happy to help you with any arrangements you may need.
Flights
In San José there is one main airport offering international and domestic flights, Juan Santamaría (SJO) is located about 20 minutes from our hotel. There is also a smaller domestic airport, Tobías Bolaños offering daily domestic flights around the country. Most domestic flights are under 1 hour.
Airports transfers
Our hotel offers private transfer in and transfer out services from and to both airports for a fee. In order to arrange for a pick up or drop off service all we need is your flight information. Our vans are air conditioned, well-maintained, fully insured and driven by experienced, punctual, polite and very responsible bilingual drivers. For information on prices please contact us prior to your trip or ask at our reception during your stay.
Private transfers
We also can arrange private transfers to most destinations within the country making for a very flexible, convenient and safe way to travel. You choose the departure time and during the trip you can stop when you need (without being subject to a schedule). Our vans are air conditioned, well-maintained, fully insured and driven by experienced, punctual, polite and very responsible bilingual drivers. For information on costs please contact us prior to your trip or ask at our reception during your stay.
Shuttles
Another option to travel in the country is by shuttle (Interbus). This is a slightly more economical way to travel. The shuttle is a shared transportation option in a coaster or minibus. The shuttles only offer their service hotel to hotel between more popular destinations. Their routes operate daily and usually they offer one departure time in the morning and one departure time in the afternoon and are subject to availability so reservations should be made in advance. If you need assistance reserving please contact us
Rent a cars
Rent a car is a great option for exploring Costa Rica if you prefer more independence and flexibility. It and allows you to discover and see more places by yourself (you could have better access to hidden beaches for example). There are many options of car rental companies with the highest standards of quality and service. It is important to know that in Costa Rica driving can be a bit of a challenge because of the difficult road conditions in some locations or lack of road signs and street numbers, however with a good road map, and adventurous and positive attitude and a GPS, you can successfully get wherever you want.
Bring your walking shoes! Urban AdventuresGreat ways to explore urban San José, immerse yourself into the life of the capital and to see city’s secret spots. Contact our Reservations department to reserve your tour.
At Restaurante Grano de Oro we use only the freshest ingredients to prepare our French Mediterranean cuisine with a tropical influence. It is our priority to select fresh and sustainable local ingredients whenever possible. Under the expertise of our French chef Francis Canal, this haute cuisine restaurant is a very popular place for locals and tourists alike. Open daily from 7am to 10pm, the restaurant has the charming atmosphere of a magnificent period house with an elegant interior patio.
The flavors and presentation of our dishes show incredible attention to detail and reflect the passion with which they are created. Responsibly caught fresh fish features prominently on our menu, enhanced by a variety of delicious sauces, ranging from the simple perfection of a cardamom cream to the Mediterranean influence of fresh tomato. Or if you prefer, you can try our Costa Rican tenderloin accompanied by a delicious glass of red wine chosen from our cellar.
Whether you choose to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, or enjoy all three meals at the hotel, you'll be amazed at the varied selection of dishes to please all palates.
And of course, the pinnacle of a dinner at Grano de Oro is dessert. Our standout dessert, the Pie Grano de Oro, is a decadent mix of coffee and chocolate, while the more traditional Tarte Tatin ensures there's always room for dessert.