The Best Hotels Near Pimento, by the Record
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Perched above the Valle del Sol with city lights flickering in the distance, this boutique hotel sits a thirty-minute drive west of downtown San José in the mountains, which is most of its appeal. Rooms channel the golden age of Costa Rican coffee culture: leather chairs, Art Nouveau headboards, Indian cotton linens, and private terraces big enough to actually use. The Spanish colonial meets poured-concrete interior is an unlikely pairing that the place commits to fully.
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Exposed brick and parquet floors greet you in the lobby of this boutique-ish downtown hotel, which lends out bicycles and means it. A rooftop garden, Chesterfield sofas, and a vintage neon sign give it an industrial-chic feel without trying too hard. The 91 rooms run simple and clean upstairs. Breakfast is included, the fitness center is there if you need it, and the Michelin Guide has it among its selected hotels. San José is often a stopover, but this one makes the stop easy.
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Terraced suites climb a jungle mountainside above Manuel Antonio, with the Pacific coast spread out below, which is a strong opening argument for booking the balcony room. This adults-only luxury resort keeps things calm by design, pairing polished stone, high ceilings, and crisp tropical interiors with a bi-level pool connected by a waterfall. A spa, guided tours into the national park, and La Luna restaurant round out the picture.
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Mosaic-encrusted walls, Balinese carvings, and mid-century Hollywood glam collide across this adults-only boutique hotel perched on a rainforest bluff above the Pacific. Ten villas and suites line the hillside, each with an ocean-facing terrace and hammock, and a golf cart shuttles you down to a wild beach below. The Shanti Spa is lined with river pebbles laid in spiraling patterns, and the restaurant swings close to 360-degree views of jungle and sea.