Real InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall

Rooms and decor

Picture a modern 11-storey tower standing over the Prospero Fernandez highway (Ruta 27) in the heart of Escazu, on the west side of San Jose. This is the Real InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall, a hotel much of the country's business world has called the best in Costa Rica since it opened in 1996, with its most recent big renovation in 2019. The 372 rooms and suites take a classic-contemporary line, warm earth tones of brown, cream and gold softened with heavy curtains, solid wood and local ceramic art on the walls. Most run around 36 square metres or larger, with a comfortable work desk, an armchair by the window and a marble bathroom with a separate tub and shower. The point reviewers agree on is the bed: soft, deep and especially easy to sleep on, with a choice of pillows. High north-facing rooms are the highlight, since on clear days you'll catch the Poas and Barva volcanoes stretched out in the distance, and the double-glazed windows keep the highway quieter than you'd expect. Anyone who likes a formal, classic business-luxury room that still covers every base will feel at home from the first step inside.

Food and amenities

If this hotel has a heart, it's Spa Royal Palm, billed as the largest urban spa in Central America. It spreads over several hundred square metres, with multiple treatment rooms including couples rooms, a sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and a quiet relaxation zone designed to feel like a resort tucked inside a city tower. The treatment everyone wants to try is the coffee body scrub, made with real roasted, ground Costa Rican Arabica beans that leaves skin smooth. From there it's a short move to the 3 outdoor pools, ringed by lush tropical garden with palms, heliconia and a small waterfall; Escazu's 1,150-metre altitude keeps the air mild and the water warm year-round, and there's a separate pool where children can play safely. On the food side there are 4 restaurants in the building, led by Azulejos, the buffet reviewers rate as the best value, with live cooking stations and local dishes like gallo pinto, casado, platanos and fresh salmon ceviche. Add Factory Steakhouse for dinner, Sunset Terrace for evening cocktails by the pool and El Patio for all-day eating. Don't forget the Club InterContinental Lounge on its own floor, with snacks, drinks and separate check-in and check-out; guests who get the upgrade agree it's worth it over several nights. Round it off with a roomy, well-equipped fitness centre open 24 hours and an outdoor tennis court for the active.

Location and getting there

Location is the other ace that has kept this hotel on top of Costa Rica's business-luxury market for so long. Escazu is the diplomatic and business district on the west side of San Jose, nicknamed locally the "Beverly Hills of Costa Rica" because it's the safest district and gathers most of the country's fine dining, wellness studios, art galleries and luxury condos. The standout is the covered walkway straight into Multiplaza Escazu, the country's number-one high-end mall, with global names from Louis Vuitton to Carolina Herrera, over 200 restaurants, a cinema and the upmarket Auto Mercado supermarket; it's a few steps across the walkway from the lobby, so rain or strong sun is no problem. From Juan Santamaria airport (SJO) it's about a 20-30 minute drive, and the hotel runs airport pickups if booked ahead. Old downtown San Jose (Barrio Amon, Mercado Central, Teatro Nacional, Museo del Oro) is about 8-10 km off, a 15-25 minute Uber depending on traffic. For nature trips out of town — the La Paz waterfall, Poas volcano, the Monteverde cloud forest — the hotel can arrange day tours. In short, it suits people who want a safe, upscale base with everything in one building, then use a car to head out for full-day activities.

Things to know before booking

To help you decide, here's the straight talk. The complaint that comes up most in reviews is the room design: a fairly plain, classic corporate business-hotel style with none of the local character of the small boutiques in Barrio Amon or Santa Teresa. Many guests say walking in feels more like a standard international 5-star chain than like "this is Costa Rica." The 2019 renovation updated some furniture and bathrooms, but the room layout is unchanged. The next common point is the distance from old downtown San Jose: if you're the type who wants to walk out and reach a museum or the Mercado Central on foot, this isn't the place, and you'll be calling an Uber or the hotel car every time. Food and drink in the hotel also run high next to local prices outside — an Imperial beer is under $2 at a local spot but can be $7-9 at the hotel bar — and some packages add parking and Wi-Fi charges, so check clearly when you book. Finally, the mall gets busy and a little loud on weekends, and low rooms on the mall side may catch the odd sound, though nothing disruptive.

Our take

After working through hundreds of real guest reviews, our read is that Real InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall makes the proudest case in the country for business luxury with everything under one roof — a safe, upscale base in the Escazu diplomatic district, that one-of-a-kind walkway into Multiplaza, the largest urban spa in Central America in Spa Royal Palm, and the Azulejos breakfast buffet reviewers call good value. If the trip in your head is flying in for meetings or a pause before a nature tour, wanting a safe base with everything ready, then coming back to soak in the spa, shop a smart mall and sleep on a soft bed, this is the most complete pick going. But if you want to soak up Costa Rican culture, walk the old town and eat at a local soda every meal in a room with real regional character, a boutique in Barrio Amon may suit you better. Overall we give it 8.9/10, best for business travellers, luxury couples who love shopping and spas, and families who want top comfort and safety in San Jose.