Santa Maria Inn

Costa Rica , San José / Central Valley
ALAJUELA , Rio Segundo, 800m NE of Pacific Gas Stn
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100 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

11 Mar 2026

Timothy

The room was spacious and the corner windows with window seats were very inviting. We had a room on the 5th floor so we're high above traffic noise and had a very nice view of the distant Hills. Breakfast was exquisite and reasonably priced.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Mar 2026

Sonia

Nice clean rooms, staff was great

10/10

Exceptional

09 Mar 2026

Monica

It's conveniently located right in the middle of Santa Maria, it's a historic building upgrades would be great. For the price I'd definitely stay here again

10/10

Exceptional

09 Mar 2026

Emanuel

8/10

Excellent

09 Mar 2026

Gabriel

Yeit jas a restaurant with in.and pet friendly

Partner

8/10

Excellent

09 Mar 2026

Robert

Property is old and historic, and kept up extremely well. Walking the property made us feel as if we were sent back in time. Room was relatively updated and rather nice as well. Did not use amenities or restaurants. Heater had a bad smell, so we didn't use it. It was fairly noisy at times, from both outside and in the halls, as I would expect in a property of this age. Overall very nice and we would stay again.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2026

Erin

Good

8/10

Excellent

03 Mar 2026

Diana

Staff were very friendly and accommodating. I felt safe and secure as a single traveler on this trip. Room was clean and comfortable.

Leisure

2/10

Poor

01 Mar 2026

Miguel

Booked a 2 queen bed room at the tower section and when checking in was told they were sold out and gave me a regular room one bed

Family

2/10

Poor

01 Mar 2026

Ramiro

The worst hotel I ever stayed the heater was not working no hot running water all they kept saying we are working on it and when I called the customer service they told me that they couldn’t do anything about it

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Feb 2026

Karol-Ann and Mike

The rooms were very clean and spacious, and the staff were exceptionally friendly. We especially loved the hotel’s authentic historic charm — from the old-fashioned, sentimental phone booths to the beautiful pianos that added so much character.

8/10

Excellent

26 Feb 2026

Dawn

The inside of that building is truly a trip through a ghostyard of Hollywood's golden age. But not eerie! The building, the details...it's all beautifully preserved. The rooms are generously sized, the plumbing is acceptable, all fixtures and all clean. The pillows could've been bigger, but it was so comfortable there, it didnt matter.

Pet

6/10

Pleasant

25 Feb 2026

Andrea

Unfortunately, the rooms are not well soundproofed.... If you have noisy neighbors, you won't sleep well.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Feb 2026

Jesse

Good

10/10

Exceptional

24 Feb 2026

Harvey

Lots of character. But updated well.

2/10

Poor

23 Feb 2026

Leticia

In the morning there was no water to shower at all. Room had a bad odor

Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Feb 2026

Gary

Staf was great, didn't get the room that we were supposed to.They said they upgraded us, but the upgraded room did not have king bed.So not really an upgrade in my opinion

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Feb 2026

Ruben

Just a great place to stay

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2026

Fidel

Just wonderful, Staff courteous very helpful, rooms are very nice and big.pet friendly. I truly recommend Santa maria inn.100%

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Feb 2026

Dawn

Terrific staff! The desk clerks and those working in the Tap Room were very friendly. Large, comfortable rooms which were a surprise given the age of the hotel. Bathroom was fairly plain but sufficient. A great stay for the price. Location was also a plus.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Feb 2026

Kristine

Check in was handled great by Emma. We got there early and we were able to get into our room immediately. The mimosas with brunch were fantastic. Already looking forward to our next stay in a few months.

6/10

Pleasant

19 Feb 2026

Matt

The room was spacious and clean, however, the bathroom was dirty. The sink and shower had the previous occupants hair in the basins. The walls are thin and you can hear people speaking in the adjacent rooms. In addition, there were alot of sirens heard from the street throughout the day and evening. There is sufficient parking, however, the multi-level parking structure behind the hotel is very sketchy looking and lacks lighting and security. There are several close by restaurants which is a plus.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Feb 2026

Mary Jane

A little outdated.

6/10

Pleasant

17 Feb 2026

Jacob

We had a nice stay. The building is very old but if you like vintage you will like it. It does have an odd smell (like going to grandmas) but the beds were nice and we slept well. However, the water in the bathroom had a very low pressure. We weren't able to shower and it took 30 min to fill the tub halfway. But the staff was friendly and did their best with the old building.

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

17 Feb 2026

John

Mostly great but a couple of issues came up.

#1 - They do not have any USB ports in the entire room to hook a cell charger to, and when I called down to the office and asked about it, they simply stated they do not offer that amenity period. It seems to me that they would buy an adapter and place the $5.00 item in each room for the convenience of guests since most hotels offer this to guests now days.

Also, upon check-in, we asked for a late checkout and the initial counter manager, which was very professional and pleasant, gave us an additional 2-hours' time the next day due to my onsite meeting length.

We felt this would be great since my wife then could relax in the room and wait for my onsite meeting to conclude and although I offered to pay extra, the clerk told me it was not needed which was VERY nice.

The next day, my wife received a rude call and was told that she needed to leave the room immediately which was roughly 1-hour before we were instructed depart the night before. She told the front desk that we had been given permission to stay by the night clerk 2 extra hours, but the front desk did not care.

This was not actually a big deal since we woke up early and had breakfast off site (no breakfast is served at the Hotel), but I felt if an employee grants a request to a guest upon check-in, the next day's manager should not void and null that request period - especially at her own discretion.

For the record - we stayed on a Tuesday night...

Thank you.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

16 Feb 2026

Shadi

I recently stayed at Hotel Santa Maria, and unfortunately, it was a very disappointing experience.

The room felt extremely old and poorly maintained, with a strong unpleasant smell as soon as I walked in. The pillows were uncomfortable, making it difficult to rest properly. On top of that, the water pressure in the shower was very weak, which made even basic things inconvenient.

The worst part was the air conditioning unit — it was incredibly loud throughout the night. The constant noise made it almost impossible to sleep, which completely ruined my stay.

Overall, I was very dissatisfied and would not recommend this hotel based on my experience.

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

16 Feb 2026

Alma

Room was old and dirty, not as pictured. Small bathroom had no counters to put your stuff. Sink was falling off pedestal, bathtub fixtures were old and dirty, low water pressure. Walls and floors were dirty. Pillows were a joke, look like sofa pillow cushions. Outdated lamp, no usb ports. Hallways had a bad odor too. We were given room on first floor all the way in the back, away from main hotel. Stayed in nicer motel rooms than this one. Will not stay here again.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Feb 2026

Manuel

Better than expected!

Leisure Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

15 Feb 2026

Lisa

No hot water.

6/10

Pleasant

15 Feb 2026

Rits

The slamming of doors and the noise from the laundry carts

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

14 Feb 2026

Kathy

The staff was very friendly. Anytime we seen them while walking through the lobby or down a hallway, they always acknowledge you with a smile and asked if we needed anything, even the maintenance workers.

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

13 Feb 2026

Fred

We stayed here a month ago and looked forward to our return. However this time we had to get up at 3am to fly a 12 hour flight in a smaller aircraft. Our room was under a room being renovated and the work went on till 9pm. Then the motorcycle running under our window at 1 am. So it was a bad night.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

13 Feb 2026

Yes, clean room & love the old historic ambiance. So nice they added the wine cellar. I always love staying here.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

10 Feb 2026

Janett I

The hotel was cute. Very ol

8/10

Excellent

09 Feb 2026

Diane

The Tap room and Wine Cellar were so nice.. not so much for decor but because of the staff who were knowledgeable about the wines and served up great cocktails.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

08 Feb 2026

Henry

Too much noise in the area. My bed was leaning backwards, clientele were loud and inconsiderate. The staff was wonderful.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

08 Feb 2026

tabitha

Great historic property,

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2026

Matt

All of the above. Plus the 2 bars and restaurant.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2026

Bahjat

Outstanding

Business Self

2/10

Poor

08 Feb 2026

Anne-Marie

Property and room run down and dated (except lobby area)
Has onsite bar serving food and drinks which is conveninent. Place needs.some TLC!

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

07 Feb 2026

Eric

I had to switch rooms because room did not have hot water then the new rooms heater kept going on and off all night I could not sleep well due to the loud noise it made when it would restart

10/10

Exceptional

07 Feb 2026

Mike

Friendly staff. Clean room. Very beautiful and elegant hotel something out of the old historic past. Works of art and pianos everywhere beautiful sitting areas with fireplaces. Gorgeous.

Business Self

6/10

Pleasant

06 Feb 2026

Karen

Room was satisfactory. No usb ports, no freezer, room seemed very dated. The lobby smelled like sewer. Bed was comfortable.

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

06 Feb 2026

Anthony

Room was clean. Nice location. TV remote didn't work and the signal kept cutting out every hour.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

05 Feb 2026

Irma

Clean room, amenities and charm of the decor

6/10

Pleasant

03 Feb 2026

Renelyn

The room was old and very small. Housekeeping needs to do a better job in cleaning.

Partner

4/10

Poor

02 Feb 2026

Marycruz

Jimmy was great with accommodations and changing rooms when re

10/10

Exceptional

01 Feb 2026

sharon

Love the bar and the happy hour. Like the price as it is well worth it.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Feb 2026

Michael

Because of the history

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Feb 2026

John

Great size room and very clean

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jan 2026

Stephen

Excellent!!

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

28 Jan 2026

Jessica

It was nice

2/10

Poor

27 Jan 2026

David

The room we reserved was supposed to have a Queen bed. This room had a Full. There was a large lip (1/2\") from the laminate flooring in the main room into the tile bathroom that was a definite tripping hazard. The pool had no towels in the designated hotel-provided towel area and employees acted as if we were inconveniencing them to ask for towels while they stood around the pool area. Their courtyard music played loudly until I went down to the front desk at 11:45pm Sunday night to ask them to turn it off. Also, the whole building had no Internet which meant no TV, no working internal phones to the front desk/room service and no calls going through from our cell phones. Additionally, at least 3 external doors had dead batteries in the card readers and did not work for access to the hallways even with freshly programmed key cards. Disappointed to say the least. Won't be staying here again.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

27 Jan 2026

Laura

Historic charm doesn’t have to mean discomfort. The rooms miss the mark: mismatched, outdated furniture, uncomfortable mattresses, cheap towels, and very dated TVs and coffee makers. Bathrooms need serious renovation. Historic can still be luxurious—this wasn’t.

Business Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Jan 2026

Sheryl

This hotel has very nice rooms. My king bed was very comfortable. I especially liked the suite with the spacious rooms and full kitchen. I look forward to visiting again soon.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2026

John

Hotel is beautiful,food excellent

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2026

Philip

Clean room

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2026

David

Loved this old hotel. Clean, friendly. AAAAA+

2/10

Poor

23 Jan 2026

Jaime

It does not look like the pictures. The rooms are old, furniture is in bad condition, keys fail all the time, the gym is horrible, nothing in there works, simply a horrible experience. If you can, pay an extra 50 bucks and go to a better hotel. They definitely need to re-do a lot of this place. I've been to old hotels where they actually keep them up, maintaining their charm while still making them comfortable. Not the case unfortunately.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2026

Dena

Very comfortable

6/10

Pleasant

22 Jan 2026

Marguerite

I had stayed here in September 2025. My room was next to where the hotel was undergoing renovations, and at one point, the noise carried on past 6pm on a Sunday. I asked the front desk how long this would continue, and was told they were wrapping it up. It was still going on at 7pm, at which point I expressed the opinion that the workers needed a break. I also wrote the hotel after I checked out and told them that my next experience would dictate my Yelp review (as the grounds were lovely and the room was pleasant. On my next visit (I have relatives in the area) the WiFi was out the whole time I was there (not a huge deal.) I asked at checkin if they would ensure I wasn’t near a construction site. The manager upgraded us to a beautiful suite. Overall I will be happy to return and as long as I’m aware of the WiFi issue, I’ll work around it. They get 4 stars for working with me on the previous stay, but not 5 due to the WiFi issue. Also, I had prepaid thru hotels.com, and the policy is to not refund early checkout-but due to the inability to reach the property, I was refunded the last night (had a medical emergency that required me to return home early.) Will totally stay here again.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jan 2026

Lori Van

Room was clean and nice to see the “stars” on the hotel doors letting you know what old movie starts Jad stayed in your room!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jan 2026

Dena

Very comfortable stay… staff very friendly

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jan 2026

Alejandro

Check In was smooth and lobby was beautiful.
Room was especially clean even though the furniture seemed dated.
Only thing missing was any kind of guide / booklet with tv channel guide, checkout times, room service options, local guides ect.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jan 2026

Gene W

This is an old hotel that has not been renovated. But it’s got a beautiful pool and dog exercise patio and a great brunch and the ambience of an old hotel. The reception could’ve been a little bit more friendly but other than that everything was OK. the parking is free and plenty. There is a Jack in the Box and pantry right across the street for late night food there’s no room service. And of our closes a little too early at 9:30 but they did have a wonderful Yamaha piano and I played it and that was nice. My dogs enjoyed that patio so much.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2026

David

Large, modern suite with windows looking south and west. Pleasant, helpful staff. Huge, beautiful lobby. staffPleasant, hestaff

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2026

Bryan

Friendly staff and early check-in made the visit excellent.

Business_and_leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

16 Jan 2026

Wendy

I stayed 3 out of 7 days because the smell was getting into my clothes. They had a wonderful breakfast buffet for Christmas.
They have newer rooms in the tower, just fyi.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jan 2026

Travis

Nice people...friendly...attentive.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jan 2026

Espie

The staff was very helpful and kind. Check in and check out was easy. Thank you,

Business_and_leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

10 Jan 2026

Cecilia

Okay I know this is an old hotel but peeeeeyew it’s stinky ! Could use major upgrades AND better service. Pick a struggle.

Business Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jan 2026

Brook

I enjoyed my stay here! Read mixed reviews about the rooms. Personally, i didnt have a problem with them. They are definitely original and outdated, but not in a bad way. Reminded me of a an old studio apartment. Spacious room, walk in closet and very high ceilings. The hotel itself has a lot to see! From their lounge area to the courtyard outside. I was their during holiday season. Lots of beautiful decorations! Its definitely a must see.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jan 2026

Ron

The building was awesome. The staff were excellent and we loved the room.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

04 Jan 2026

Yesenia

Everything was clean. Everything was nice. The only thing is maybe ahead of time they had. Clark. Should tell guest when checking in to be careful with room card. We could not open our door and we had shopping bags, and it was such a pain to walk back to the front desk to let them know that it was not opening. She was quick to say you can’t have it around your phone because it will dis Activate??? never heard of such a thing, but when you have ankle issues, it was really hard for us to walk back and let them know about this.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2026

Eduardo

Staff was outstanding and so helpful!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

03 Jan 2026

Michelle

The initial room I was placed in smelled of stale cigarette smoke. The staff was quick to assign me a new room which ended up being very nice.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2026

Jessica

Very clean. Nice staff

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2026

Dora

Great Hotel, would be nice if the dinning in the hotel served breakfast.

Junior suite was perfect and beds were comfy. However I think it would not take much of housekeeping would shampoo the stains in the carpet. Yes I know the hotel is old but it would not take long to spot clean the carpet stains.

Other than that it was a great experience.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2026

Richard

Yes

6/10

Pleasant

02 Jan 2026

Crystal

Was ok. Hate the fact that they take long to give back your deposit.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

02 Jan 2026

Seda

Room was too old

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2026

LEONARD

Maid service only every three days …. Or on request … ?

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2026

Casey Lee

Very unique hotel, decorated with antique items. We took the midnight tour, very fun. Staff is very friendly and helpful. I would love to come back.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jan 2026

Kendra

It was a great stay with great staff.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jan 2026

Luis

Room was clean but I could have used more towels

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jan 2026

Luis

The front desk manager was an absolute great person

10/10

Exceptional

31 Dec 2025

Ryan

Very clean room. Historic hotel with big bay windows in the rooms looking over the city.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2025

Vishaal

The room I had was very spacious and luxurious. The TV worked well. The shower was weak, and they do not refresh the room (do housekeeping) unless you ask.

8/10

Excellent

30 Dec 2025

RICHARD

The room was spotless

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2025

Steven

Yes

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2025

Garrett

Staff was very kind. Also, the place is very cool. If you like historical locations that have lots of neat little spaces to explore, I would definitely consider booking here.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Dec 2025

Jeffrey

Favorite place to stay when we are in Santa Maria

10/10

Exceptional

28 Dec 2025

Xin

Yes

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

26 Dec 2025

Siddhant

This isn't the fault of the hotel, this is just reflecting that if someone cannot make it to their reservation (due to flight/car rental cancellation) booking from the hotel directly would be beneficial, booking through Expedia they could not help me make changes to my reservation, and I lost the money for 1 day of the reservation for never having been there

8/10

Excellent

26 Dec 2025

Juan

Clean but needs to be dusted off a bit more

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2025

Jazmin

Really nice hotel. Would recommend to stay

6/10

Pleasant

26 Dec 2025

Mattia

Cool hotel but we got an ugly room. The facility looks cool but the room and toilet weren't that clean. I was lured into this by the pictures of the externals and the room looked better in the picture.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2025

Roger

Nice place. Will conceded it again next visit.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Dec 2025

Jung-A

clean and quickly fixed the toilet.

8/10

Excellent

22 Dec 2025

Brian

Really nice staff. Pretty clean and a decent room. Good for a night. Restaurant and nicer bar not open on Sunday. The woman sever in the afternoon as excellent. The man at night was horrible. We left because he wouldn’t take our order

Leisure Family