Alajuela Backpackers Airport Hostel

Love this place, glad it’s open again. The rooftop bar is super fun with some great local color.

Good place and location with airport shuttle. Air conditioning is nice and has a restaurant within the hostel.

Good location. Useful transit to airport. Easy checkin and nice affordable rooms. Restaurant was decent too

Emplacement parfait, près de l'aéroport, donc très pratique pour une nuit avant un vol. Shuttle gratuit pour nous amener à l'aéroport. Restaurant au 4e étage, donc pas besoin de sortir pour manger quelque chose. Présence d'une ascenseur pour monter et descendre d'un étage à l'autre. Draps et chambre propres. Pas de savon ni de papier à main dans la salle de bain et les divans dans le hall d'entrée de l'hostel et les fauteuils dans le corridor sont très vieux (je doute de leur propreté)

Comfortable night stay before flying out! The front desk attendants were great and we had a wonderful stay! The shuttle to the airport was really easy and convenient.

As advertised: a place to sleep and shower. No frills. Decently clean. Shuttle service was prompt and it took no more than 10 min to get to the sleepy at mid morning. The only disappointment was that the rooftop bar is closed on Mondays (which was the only night I was there). I was looking forward to cooling off in the breeze up there and having a drink.

The person at the desk was friendly and helpful, but he recommended the upstairs restaurant, which ended up being closed. I found this out by taking the elevator upstairs and being met with total darkness. The hall to my room was dark when I was trying to find my room, as well. Otherwise, it was an acceptable place to spend one night.

This was a one night stop off after arriving at San Jose. No one was at the airport to collect me as stated. Had to phone up then wait . Pretty poor service .

Hotel de passage...après arrivée à san José...juste une nuit.Bon rapport qualité prix.Personnel agreable.iUne navette peux venir vous cherher et vous emmener à.l aeroport..Attention aux horaires. clim dans la chambre..

Flight arrived at 10pm, requested transportation 1 month prior from the airport with flight details. Got a message from the hostel the morning I was to arrive that they couldn't provide a shuttle. That was the only reason I booked this place. Staff was OK, by the time I finally got an Uber, it was well after 11pm and I had a shuttle picking me up at 5am, so wasn't there long, no storage for your bags, so I was up most the night nervous about falling asleep without my bags being secure. Also when I arrived, I was starving from traveling all day to find out that there was absolutely zero restaurants or bars open after 10pm. I wouldn't book this place again, but it was OK if you get an earlier flight and don't mind not having a place to lock your belongings up.

El lugar está en un muy buen lugar, y tiene servicio gratuito al aeropuerto. Además de están muy limpio.

Booked it for an airport stopover as it was close (6mins to airport) and the cheapest I could find - still 50$ a night though!! It was very noisy - paper thin walls letting in all the road noise but also the sound of people having sex next door. It felt seedy and dirty

The staff was so welcoming and helpful. The rooms were clean and the price cannot be beat. Highly recommended!

The staff was very nice but my sheets weren’t clean

The property seems to be not well cared for. Extremely noisy! Dirty bathroom.

Room was clean

Alajuela Backpackers es un sitio cerca al aeropuerto, pero el sitio es muy basico, no tiene mucha luz, y no estaba muy limpio, es para pasar una noche maximo y continuar tu viaje.

Emplacement parfait, près de l'aéroport, donc très pratique pour une nuit avant un vol. Shuttle gratuit pour nous amener à l'aéroport. Restaurant au 4e étage, donc pas besoin de sortir pour manger quelque chose. Présence d'une ascenseur pour monter et descendre d'un étage à l'autre. Draps et chambre propres. Pas de savon ni de papier à main dans la salle de bain et les divans dans le hall d'entrée de l'hostel et les fauteuils dans le corridor sont très vieux (je doute de leur propreté)

As advertised: a place to sleep and shower. No frills. Decently clean. Shuttle service was prompt and it took no more than 10 min to get to the sleepy at mid morning. The only disappointment was that the rooftop bar is closed on Mondays (which was the only night I was there). I was looking forward to cooling off in the breeze up there and having a drink.

The room was really dirty and everything was stinky and humid. No AC and the windows don't open. The bathroom had mold and the bedding smelled like dirty gym bag. The outside of the building and hallways were nice but everything else was smelly.

Quiet and well located

Booked it for an airport stopover as it was close (6mins to airport) and the cheapest I could find - still 50$ a night though!! It was very noisy - paper thin walls letting in all the road noise but also the sound of people having sex next door. It felt seedy and dirty

Perfect place for one night stay. Was very basic facilities, private room was very big though so lots of space to organise. Couldn’t organise shuttle to La Fortuna through the hostel but they were good at getting taxi to airport when the free shuttle timing didn’t work out.

This is ideal for a quick stop over if you've had a late flight into SJO, before you travel elsewhere in Costa Rica. The room was basic, very rickety old bunk beds that I was concerned might break as I was climbing up and down the ladder! The drains smelled absolutely terrible, I'm not sure what it was, but you can't spend long in the bathroom! Airport transfer was very helpful. Staff were reasonably helpful but not particularly friendly, which now I find unusual, after going elsewhere in Costa Rica, and people being SO nice! Essentially, good for a quick layover, I wouldn't stay longer.

Room was cool, the bar was great. Roomates kept farting throughout the night tho.

I've stay there a few times over the years. Convenient location and comfortable.

Ok for the price. It was just loud during my stay and bunk beds did not have curtains. Location is close to food and airport. Front desk was very friendly and helpful.

I would only stay here if you speak good Spanish. Guy at the front was rude and only spoke to me in Spanish when I couldn’t figure out how to open the door at night to get in. I can speak some but apparently not enough. I was obviously very tired and confused and he was quite rude about it. Also be aware the shuttle you have to get to before 10pm. The communication from them was very limited and took along time to respond when asking about check in and transport. Also no idea how the AC turns on, not sure if it even worked, which was a bummer cause it said they had AC. The room was very hot. Also was not shown or told where lockers were so could not lock up stuff. Very noisy- road and people talking in the lobby in the morning. Also be aware bathroom has no hand soap or towels. Lucky it was only a one night stay.

Had a private room that was surprisingly large was very close to airport perfect hostel to kill 24 hours before a flight.

The room was really dirty and everything was stinky and humid. No AC and the windows don't open. The bathroom had mold and the bedding smelled like dirty gym bag. The outside of the building and hallways were nice but everything else was smelly.

Easy check in. Helpful staff.

Gente muy amables y serviciales, el taxista que me asignaron fue cordial y puntual

I’ve stayed at my fair share of hostels and budget-friendly accommodations around the world, but Alajuela Backpackers Airport Hostel genuinely surprised me in the best way possible. From the moment we arrived, the entire experience felt warm, welcoming, and remarkably well-organized — but the real standout? Their shuttle driver, Jesus M. Let me be clear: Jesus M. is not just a shuttle driver. He is the heartbeat of this place. From the very first interaction, he went above and beyond in ways that most five-star hotels could only dream of. He didn’t just transport guests from point A to point B — he made every single person in that shuttle feel seen, cared for, and genuinely valued. Whether it was offering helpful local tips, accommodating everyone’s needs with a smile, or simply making the ride feel like part of the vacation itself, Jesus delivered an experience that was nothing short of exceptional. My partner and I were blown away by the level of personalized attention he gave us. He took the time to learn what we needed, answered every question we had about the area, and made thoughtful accommodations that showed he truly cared — not because it was his job, but because that’s just who he is. In a world where genuine hospitality is increasingly rare, Jesus M. is a breath of fresh air.

The staff was so welcoming and helpful. The rooms were clean and the price cannot be beat. Highly recommended!

Ok for the price. It was just loud during my stay and bunk beds did not have curtains. Location is close to food and airport. Front desk was very friendly and helpful.

Hello so I booked this for my daughter which is a young adult due to her plane for Liberia didn't leave until the next day. It is very convenient for a quick emphasis on quick layover. The free shuttle is awesome side note, you must book shuttle 24hrs in advance. If the shuttle dnt work a taxis is approximately $10 usd. They initially put my daughter in a dorm room with 3 guys she did not feel comfortable and called me crying. I told her to just stay in the lobby where there is a camera and the front desk personnel. The front desk attendant immediately seen her distress and provided her private room And bathroom and as a parent I was so grateful for this. So in my heart they get a 10/10!!! Btw I paid for the dorm room, my daughter was just uncomfortable with how many guys in the room.

The person at the desk was friendly and helpful, but he recommended the upstairs restaurant, which ended up being closed. I found this out by taking the elevator upstairs and being met with total darkness. The hall to my room was dark when I was trying to find my room, as well. Otherwise, it was an acceptable place to spend one night.

This was a one night stop off after arriving at San Jose. No one was at the airport to collect me as stated. Had to phone up then wait . Pretty poor service .

Courteous staff

Flight arrived at 10pm, requested transportation 1 month prior from the airport with flight details. Got a message from the hostel the morning I was to arrive that they couldn't provide a shuttle. That was the only reason I booked this place. Staff was OK, by the time I finally got an Uber, it was well after 11pm and I had a shuttle picking me up at 5am, so wasn't there long, no storage for your bags, so I was up most the night nervous about falling asleep without my bags being secure. Also when I arrived, I was starving from traveling all day to find out that there was absolutely zero restaurants or bars open after 10pm. I wouldn't book this place again, but it was OK if you get an earlier flight and don't mind not having a place to lock your belongings up.

Close to the airport for a quick layover, wonderful staff and nicely located close to the market and everything you need

Good place and location with airport shuttle. Air conditioning is nice and has a restaurant within the hostel.

Good location. Useful transit to airport. Easy checkin and nice affordable rooms. Restaurant was decent too

Emplacement parfait, près de l'aéroport, donc très pratique pour une nuit avant un vol. Shuttle gratuit pour nous amener à l'aéroport. Restaurant au 4e étage, donc pas besoin de sortir pour manger quelque chose. Présence d'une ascenseur pour monter et descendre d'un étage à l'autre. Draps et chambre propres. Pas de savon ni de papier à main dans la salle de bain et les divans dans le hall d'entrée de l'hostel et les fauteuils dans le corridor sont très vieux (je doute de leur propreté)

I've stay there a few times over the years. Convenient location and comfortable.

Great! 5 min taxi from the SJO airport. We arrived late at night bc our flight landed at 11pm, and we were greeted easily upon arrival. We even could stash our luggage for a few hours in a locked room after checkout.

Comfortable night stay before flying out! The front desk attendants were great and we had a wonderful stay! The shuttle to the airport was really easy and convenient.

Had a private room that was surprisingly large was very close to airport perfect hostel to kill 24 hours before a flight.

Fint til prisen. Man får en seng og et centralt beliggende hostel. Ikke så meget mere end det.

The staff were very helpful and the rooms were large and comfortable. We arrived late at night and found the area the hostel to be quite sketchy. I would not recommend walking the streets at night. The hostel itself felt very safe though. Great place to stay if you are looking for something cheap near the airport.

Love this place, glad it’s open again. The rooftop bar is super fun with some great local color.

It was simple and clean with a really nice community balcony facing a park. The bar/restaurant had limited food options but it good and affordable. Expedía falsely advertised breakfast availability, but there were bakeries really close so it wasn’t an issue.

The area wasn’t super safe in all honesty, especially as a female I wouldn’t recommend to leave the hostel past dark. The hostel itself, very very basic, very dead, not a great place to meet people. The dining area was closed whenever you tried to go, the front desk when we went was not pleasant to interact with. Overall wouldn’t go back, the only pro is it’s by the airport and relatively cheap

Good place and location with airport shuttle. Air conditioning is nice and has a restaurant within the hostel.

Good location. Useful transit to airport. Easy checkin and nice affordable rooms. Restaurant was decent too

Room was cool, the bar was great. Roomates kept farting throughout the night tho.

Emplacement parfait, près de l'aéroport, donc très pratique pour une nuit avant un vol. Shuttle gratuit pour nous amener à l'aéroport. Restaurant au 4e étage, donc pas besoin de sortir pour manger quelque chose. Présence d'une ascenseur pour monter et descendre d'un étage à l'autre. Draps et chambre propres. Pas de savon ni de papier à main dans la salle de bain et les divans dans le hall d'entrée de l'hostel et les fauteuils dans le corridor sont très vieux (je doute de leur propreté)

As advertised: a place to sleep and shower. No frills. Decently clean. Shuttle service was prompt and it took no more than 10 min to get to the sleepy at mid morning. The only disappointment was that the rooftop bar is closed on Mondays (which was the only night I was there). I was looking forward to cooling off in the breeze up there and having a drink.

The person at the desk was friendly and helpful, but he recommended the upstairs restaurant, which ended up being closed. I found this out by taking the elevator upstairs and being met with total darkness. The hall to my room was dark when I was trying to find my room, as well. Otherwise, it was an acceptable place to spend one night.

Flight arrived at 10pm, requested transportation 1 month prior from the airport with flight details. Got a message from the hostel the morning I was to arrive that they couldn't provide a shuttle. That was the only reason I booked this place. Staff was OK, by the time I finally got an Uber, it was well after 11pm and I had a shuttle picking me up at 5am, so wasn't there long, no storage for your bags, so I was up most the night nervous about falling asleep without my bags being secure. Also when I arrived, I was starving from traveling all day to find out that there was absolutely zero restaurants or bars open after 10pm. I wouldn't book this place again, but it was OK if you get an earlier flight and don't mind not having a place to lock your belongings up.