Balmoral Hotel
- February 16, 2006
- Rated 4 of 5 by
meadowzephyr from Newport News, Virginia
An Eagles song played softly in my head as we were ushered into the, by then, bedarkened Hotel Balmoral by an enthusiastic bell hop and a friendly taxi cab driver. We arrived in Costa Rica in the wee-hours of the morning, to find the streets of San Jose completely empty, save a "crazy man" (as the taxi driver called him) bumming money for a cafecita. Here even the beggars wear smiles.
"You can check out anytime you like but you can never leave."
The Balmoral has an old world charm that immediately struck me. American pop music poured from every corner of the lobby—dark, with no other guests. I found that slightly alarming, but then again it was 3am. Due to lost luggage, we would be getting in extremely late; I called the hotel in advance to tell them that we would still meet our reservation. They were friendly to a fault and assured me they would be waiting for us, that was not a formal nicety. It seemed as though they were in fact waiting just for us as we approached the concierge's desk. We had reserved a "premier room." This is a room that included a window view, and Breakfast. Our reservation was confirmed and we were given our key as well as three squares, colored paper breakfast tickets for each day we would be staying there. In a world of e-tickets, what could be more charming? At $50 a night (purchased along with flight) during peak travel season in Costa Rica, the premier room didn't break the bank.
We rode the elevator, bell-hop in tow to our room. Upon arriving at our room we tipped our conscientious bell-hop, our guidebook recommended a tip of $1, and he bid us a buena noche.
We opened the door to our "premier room." Dim lights shone on a room spacious enough for three, as I was traveling with my mom and sister. A lone painting adorned a wall, a television and desk shared the floor with two comfy, if not luxurious, beds (the sheets are cleaned daily). The charm of the Balmoral lies not in luxury but in cleanliness and antiquity that's almost quaint. Interestingly, ironing is forbidden in rooms because of fire risk. But ironing services are available. Phone calls have an a-la-carte charge.
Breakfast the next morning would not disappoint. Expect no continental breakfast fair here. Instead we were presented with fresh fruit—no doubt Costa Rica's finest. Fresh mangoes, bananas, and melons of every sort were ours for the taking. Omelets were made to order and the breakfast staff showed a friendliness we found typical of Costa Rica's pura vida populace.
The Balmoral is not for those accustomed to luxury, or the hip and trendy set, but it is cozy, inviting, and affordable and clean, if not immaculate. This fact coupled with many in house amenities, and a staff that's extremely friendly and professional will make for a pleasant stay. ¡Pura Vida!
From journal Around Costa Rica in Four Days