Holiday Inn Express San Jose Forum
Santa Ana
A great place to stay when flying in or out of Costa Rica is located just east of San Jose in the beautiful suburb of Santa Ana. Here, you’ll find the modern Holiday Inn Express San Jose Forum hotel in a lovely area surrounded by an assortment of interesting shops and international restaurants. Reasonable rates, clean spacious well-appointed rooms, and a business center make it a good choice to those traveling for business or pleasure. Complete with pool, modern fitness center, complimentary breakfast, self-service laundry, and free parking out front, the hotel offers a relaxed, comfortable place to stay.
Santa Ana offers an enjoyable alternative to the hustle and bustle of midtown San Jose. Many first-time visitors to Costa Rica don’t know that Juan Santamaria International Airport is actually located northeast of San Jose in the city of Alajuela. Navigating the congested traffic, especially during rush hour, can be daunting trying to get back and forth to the airport. Whereas Santa Ana would not be your first choice for spending time touring downtown San Jose, it’s location only a half hour south of Alajuela makes it a better choice for getting to the airport. And it has a unique charm all its own with a mix of tropical gardens, modern urbanization, and traditional vendors selling fresh fruits and artisanal goods.
Near the hotel within walking distance, there’s a variety of ethnic eateries including Indian, Peruvian, and Japanese. Across the street, a restaurant called Picnic creates a fusion of flavors using locally sourced natural and organic ingredients. There’s even a grocery store just minutes away. Santa Ana’s proximity to the autopista turnpike makes it easy to reach Costa Rica’s largest mall in Escazu only ten minutes away by car. Upscale stores such as Carolina Herrera, Armani, Cartier, Nike, LaCoste, Calvin Klein, Furla, and Zara can be found here among others. If shopping isn’t your thing, you might enjoy a game of golf on the Valle del Sol Golf Course in Santa Ana.
At the Holiday Inn Express, the outdoor pool with lounge chairs in a small garden is surrounded by a privacy fence allowing you to relax and unwind. Occasionally a flock of small parrots called lorikeets will visit creating such a cacophony of chatter they can make you laugh. The hotel also has a very nice modern fitness center that is open 24 hours a day with a/c and TV screens. A complimentary breakfast buffet always includes an assortment of fresh fruits and hot dishes. No other meals are available on-site, but the friendly hotel staff can give you menus for restaurants who will deliver food. Often there is a delivery fee not mentioned on the menu. The spacious comfortable lobby features computer stations and fresh coffee throughout the day. Another amenity oriented towards business travelers features an event facility with 3 conference rooms that can serve a total capacity of 80 people. Modern audio-visual equipment is provided along with whiteboards, flip charts, and a podium. Banquet and catering services are also available. The hotel will supply transportation over to the nearby Forum 1 and Forum 2 business parks when needed.
Modern spacious air-conditioned rooms offer a sense of luxury with quality bedding, high speed internet, flat screen TV, oversized bath towels, plus a desk area and comfortable chair. There is even a pillow menu. Every room comes with a coffee and tea maker. Rollaway beds and cribs are available, and some rooms are wheelchair accessible. Pets are not allowed except service animals. It has been said that this hotel is definitely a cut above the average Holiday Inn Express hotels in the US. Overall the hotel is clean, well designed, and offers a good location both for visiting tourists and business travelers.
Latitude: N 9° 57' 8.47"
Longitude: W 84° 11' 41.45"
