HOTEL SANTO TOMAS

Our arrival at night was a little sketchy. It’s not a great part of town with barb wire and a locked gate. Upon entering the lobby it’s dark, dingy and dated. The room was the same with yellowed comforters, pillow cases and sheets. The bathroom had some kind of mystery black spots on the sink and floor. Not sure if it was mold or dust or what. Breakfast is pretty limited but if you aren’t a picky eater, it’s probably fine.
On the positive side, the pool area is pretty cute. Also it’s a great location to walk to many sites. The staff seems nice enough. The mattress was comfortable too.

Positives: It is budget hotel in the downtown area. If you plan to use buses for travel across CR, it is a good location as bus stations are a walking distance. It has a swimming pool and gym. Staff is very helpful and friendly.

Negatives: It’s location is also a negative. The staff advised us not to go out in the dark as it is unsafe (possibility of mugging). They even advised us against waiting outside the hotel for the Uber. The area around and the road on which it is located looks rough. We stayed for one night and our room had dirty bedsheets and pillow covers - an "economy" room does not mean cutting corners for cleanliness. The decor of the room and bathroom are very dated, which wouldn’t be a problem if maintained and cleaned properly. The pictures do not reflect the true condition of the/our room. Breakfast felt very minimal.

Conclusion: If you can afford a little bit more stay along the national museum area.