The Costa Rican Hostel Network is a comapany which has hostels in San Jose, Santa Elena, Arenal, Alajuela, and Tamarindo in Costa Rica. They are all clean, affordable, well-staffed, and have restaurants and tour information. However, they lack the character and personality of smaller, locally owned hostels and guest houses.
Benefits of Booking with the Costa Rican Hostel Network
- Convenience of Transportation, Checking-In, and Checking-Out
The Costa Rican Hostel Network has the infrastructure to get tourists from place to place conveniently and reliably and are well-staffed to facilitate check-in and check-out 24 hours a day. For visitors landing at the international airport in San Jose, either of the network's hostels in San Jose, Hostel Pangea or Hostel Toruma, will send a shuttle to pick them up.
For those staying at other hostels within the network (Arenal Backpackers, Monteverde Backpackers, Tamarindo Backpackers, and Alajuela Backpackers), the receptionists at the network's San Jose hostels can reserve the rooms in advance upon request and will even take payment for the nights spent at the other hostels. The Costa Rican Hostel Network does not take credit cards, however. Cash, preferrably US dollars, is required.
- Professionalism of a Well-Trained Staff
The Costa Rican Hostel Network has a large and well-trained staff. They are fluent in English and very knowledgable about their local areas and the tourist routes of Costa Rica.
- Cleanliness and Functional Facilities
The Costa Rican Hostel Network's hostels are clean and artfully designed. Hostel Pangea in San Jose is covered in beautiful murals and mosaics and has bathrooms that are sleek and luxurious by most hostel standards. Most of the networks hostels have pools that, like the bathrooms and rooms, are cleaned and serviced regularly.
What Travelers Miss by Staying at Costa Rican Hostel Network Hostels
- The Warmth of the Costa Rican People
Because the staff of the Costa Rican Hostel Network sees so much traffic, they tend to be more terse and hurried in demeanor than the average Costa Rican customer service provider. At smaller private hostels and bungalows, people tend to have a friendlier attitude, both the native Costa Ricans and the foreigners that such establishments employ.
- Living on a Shoestring in Costa Rica
The Costa Rican Hostel Network is not cheap by hostel standards and gives a poor exchange rate if one pays in colones. It is recommended to save US dollars to pay for rooms and meals at the hostels and spend colones at local establishments.
- The Unbeaten Path in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has been at the ecotourism and beach vacation game for over three decades. With an extensive national park and refuge system, the most diverse climate in Central America, and a population of educated, multi-lingual, and friendly people, it is an easy and popular country in which to travel. The best way to see the Costa Rica that wasn't created for tourism is to spend time away from the hostels, beaches, and attractions that get the top ratings in the travel guides.
Laura Susan Henry - I am currently teaching yoga in Charlotte, North Carolina. I have been many places and lived many lives, but the threads of my life ...
