Name: Costa Rica Backpackers
Address: Avenida 6, Calle 21 y 23, San José, Cantón San José, Costa Rica, San José, San José Province, CR
Price range: $22–$22 per night
Rating: 7.93

What guests think

At Costa Rica Backpackers, travelers highlight a lively, social vibe and central location with a pool and common areas, alongside mixed experiences with cleanliness, room comfort, and showers, plus notable noise from nearby trains and traffic.

Many guests praise friendly, helpful staff and the relaxed atmosphere, while others report rude or inattentive service and check-in hiccups. Onsite dining is well liked for taste and convenience, though service can be slow and extras like bottled water feel overpriced. Some reviewers felt the surrounding area less safe at night and several noted confusion over shared versus private bathrooms. Best for short, budget-friendly stays focused on location and community spaces.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Popular communal facilities include the pool, courtyard seating/hammocks, and an on-site restaurant/bar; a guest kitchen is available. Several reviews note cold or inconsistent hot water and occasional shower maintenance issues, and the kitchen can get crowded.

Related guest reviews

8

Veronica

Apr 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The space is large with a pool and yoga area.

8

Jeanette

May 31, 2023

·

This was a wonderful, affordable stay! The courtyard was the perfect place to relax and recharge with plenty of comfortable hammocks. Staff was nice and helpful. Shuttle service was very convenient. The only downside was that there was a lot of street noise: honking, sirens, etc.

10

Graham

Jun 29, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I loved the swimming pool! Me encantó la piscina!

2

Shauntianna R

Nov 18, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very run down NO HOT WATER I didn’t shower for 4 days jus washed myself with cold damn water and it was by loud all night on property and it rain my whole stay no tv in room I seen bugs in my room… most definitely would NOT BE BACK here… worst hostel I ever stayed in and I paid for my own room and it was jus a bad experience!

10

Charles

Oct 5, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

This hostel is very clean and the staff is very helpful when you ask them about activities to do or buses to take. Moreover, the atmosphere with the bar and the restaurant help to know more people!

10

KATE

Nov 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A friendly & relaxed welcome, given i was a Very late arrival. I was given a quiet room, which given my late check-in, was Very practical. So that i did not disturb others!! Loverly PuraVida atmosphere. Spent the following day by the pool, aclimatising & watching the 🐦 pool dip. & Had the Pool to my self ...for several swims.

8

Drunk

Jul 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Ok stay, cold showers

8

tara

Apr 7, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Shower needs repair, please

10

Jessica

Mar 27, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

located very centrally to museums and some eateries. if you want to hit the museo nacional, the museo del oro, etc. this is the perfect place! reasonably quiet, clean, with a friendly environment, and the in-house restaurant is super authentic and solid.

6

B

Mar 26, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hostel is fine apart from the fact that it is located next to a major train line and from about 4:30 a.m. all day you will regularly hear the train blowing it's horn and rumbling by. This is heard throughout the hostel but is much worse if you are assigned a room in the building at the back of the property. There isn't even an attempt to mitigate it, the dorm room window was not a proper window that you could close, so it sounded like you are sleeping outside next to the train line. The kitchen could do with another sink. There were lots of lineups to wash dishes and some people just gave up and dumped dirty dishes everywhere. Some small baskets to store food with labels on the baskets would help too, I got the feeling like a lot of the food in the fridges and shelves was from people who had already checked out.

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness feedback is mixed: some guests found rooms and common areas clean, while others reported dirty sheets, bugs/cockroaches, musty odors, and worn furnishings.

Related guest reviews

8

Dante

Aug 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It was fine for the price. Room was dirty but nothing I couldn't handle. Staff is friendly. A restaurant is located inside the establishment.

4

Laura Aniela

Jan 2, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

La habitación olía demasiado sucia, y todo el ambiente del hotel huele marihuana, los baños muy sucios

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4

DAVID L

Feb 28, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

Property online notes private bathroom for private room reserve option. No private bathroom is on site, You have to share toilets and showers with other guests. Cockroaches in Lobby. Bugs on private room floor. Area around dingy and possibly dangerous. I actually saw a female guest run to the property from a nearby main road. The guest has to be buzzed in and out. Tried to contact Expedia on the inaccurate online note that the private rooms offer private bathrooms but Expedia would only allow calls to their customer service Office and my cell phone would not work outside the United States. I would rate the property a step above being in Jail but not much more. Avoid the site unless all you have is $12 a day for a shared bedroom and that does not include any free breakfast.

2

ADRIAN

Jan 24, 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

Las sabanas estaban sucias y cuando se lo mencione al staff lo único que me.dijoeron es que fue mi culpa por lo mencionarlo a tiempo, y ni siquiera me ofrecieron una solución ni mucho menos una disculpa. Ademas la cocina estaba con algunas cucarachas

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10

Charles

Oct 5, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

This hostel is very clean and the staff is very helpful when you ask them about activities to do or buses to take. Moreover, the atmosphere with the bar and the restaurant help to know more people!

10

Enrique

Mar 2, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Realmente muy buena, tranquila y limpia.

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10

Mauricio

May 3, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Muy bonito y limpio

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2

Talal

Nov 29, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

As I selected above plus the molds and stint as you enter the room is something of a migraine. Stay away even if you are on strict budget it’s not worth the migraine and the rudeness of the local staff especially the guy who manages the place

10

Denis

Jan 27, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excelente estadía. El ambiente es muy agradable y relajado, perfecto para conocer gente. El personal fue muy amable y siempre dispuesto a ayudar. Las áreas comunes están bien cuidadas y son cómodas para descansar o trabajar. Muy buena ubicación también. Sin duda volvería.

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6

B

Mar 26, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hostel is fine apart from the fact that it is located next to a major train line and from about 4:30 a.m. all day you will regularly hear the train blowing it's horn and rumbling by. This is heard throughout the hostel but is much worse if you are assigned a room in the building at the back of the property. There isn't even an attempt to mitigate it, the dorm room window was not a proper window that you could close, so it sounded like you are sleeping outside next to the train line. The kitchen could do with another sink. There were lots of lineups to wash dishes and some people just gave up and dumped dirty dishes everywhere. Some small baskets to store food with labels on the baskets would help too, I got the feeling like a lot of the food in the fridges and shelves was from people who had already checked out.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Rooms are basic, with several reports of thin walls, old bunks, and significant noise from the nearby train or street. Multiple guests were surprised to find shared bathrooms instead of private ones, and hot water can be unreliable.

Related guest reviews

6

Joseph

Jul 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The train rail was so close to the room and I can hear the train all morning

6

Miguel Angel

Aug 15, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Noisy, not very clean and old bunk beds. It has a pool, clean common areas and is cheap

8

Tim

Dec 7, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

We had the Twin Bedroom in the basement. It was big enough for two people, but a new Mattress would be nice. The price was good, what the hostel offers. So for a short stay for a few days to arrive to Costa Rica we can recommend it.

4

Gemma

Jan 21, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

For the price the stay was accurate. The double room is advertised as a brighter room but it was dark. It was also misleading as under amenities listed bathroom, turns out it is a shared bathroom. The walls are paper thin and the sheet on the bed didn’t fit the bed and kept coming off in the night which made us feel a bit gross as the mattresses obviously don’t get washed. The staff/cleaners make a lot of noise talking in morning which woke us. And it is right next to the loud train but if you stay on a weekend like we did it doesn’t come too early. When we arrived really late after a long journey we were made to wait while two members of staff finished counting money which went on for a long time and was frustrating. The shares area is nice although the pool didn’t look too clean. Breakfast was good. Good french toast and smoothie. Overall wouldn’t stay here again and spend a little more for a nicer hostel.

8

JIALIANG

Aug 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room facing the road is a bit noisy at night and early morning.

2

Shauntianna R

Nov 18, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very run down NO HOT WATER I didn’t shower for 4 days jus washed myself with cold damn water and it was by loud all night on property and it rain my whole stay no tv in room I seen bugs in my room… most definitely would NOT BE BACK here… worst hostel I ever stayed in and I paid for my own room and it was jus a bad experience!

8

Drunk

Jul 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Ok stay, cold showers

2

Jose

Jun 19, 2025

·

Stayed 8 nights

First, I requested for hair dryer prior to my arrival and they answered that they don’t provide hair dryer but on their website it says they provide. When arrived, the private room has no private bathroom. In the description, it says private bathroom. All bathrooms are shared with others staying in the hostels and other private rooms. The staff are non professional acting. Especially Jesus who is not even smiling, using his phone all the time, non attentive to the guest, not smiling at all. What they say in their descriptions are not true. They also did not clean or refresh my waste basket in 8 nights of stay there. Worst stay I had in so many years I have been booking with your apps.

4

IANNIS

Apr 18, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

O anúncio mostrava banheiro privativo e quando cheguei lá não existia quarto com essa comodidade. Péssima experiência

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6

B

Mar 26, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hostel is fine apart from the fact that it is located next to a major train line and from about 4:30 a.m. all day you will regularly hear the train blowing it's horn and rumbling by. This is heard throughout the hostel but is much worse if you are assigned a room in the building at the back of the property. There isn't even an attempt to mitigate it, the dorm room window was not a proper window that you could close, so it sounded like you are sleeping outside next to the train line. The kitchen could do with another sink. There were lots of lineups to wash dishes and some people just gave up and dumped dirty dishes everywhere. Some small baskets to store food with labels on the baskets would help too, I got the feeling like a lot of the food in the fridges and shelves was from people who had already checked out.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Service

Staff are frequently described as friendly and helpful, but there are recurring complaints of rudeness, inattentiveness, check-in hassles, and communication issues.

Related guest reviews

2

ADRIAN

Jan 24, 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

Las sabanas estaban sucias y cuando se lo mencione al staff lo único que me.dijoeron es que fue mi culpa por lo mencionarlo a tiempo, y ni siquiera me ofrecieron una solución ni mucho menos una disculpa. Ademas la cocina estaba con algunas cucarachas

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6

Nickolai

Apr 10, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The place in itself is good, but the reception staff seemed very rude Leaving my room at 6am so I didn't wake up other people, I was question who I was and when I was leaving. The woman apparently checked me out already there

2

Tamara

Mar 11, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I went to check in at 830pm and the staff told me to come back in 30.minutes because they were chatting and bothered. The room was dirty and sheets had crumbs. I asked about a towel for showering and they said i needed to give my id to hold. I never got a towel. I think thst should be minimum..

10

Charles

Oct 5, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

This hostel is very clean and the staff is very helpful when you ask them about activities to do or buses to take. Moreover, the atmosphere with the bar and the restaurant help to know more people!

10

KATE

Nov 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A friendly & relaxed welcome, given i was a Very late arrival. I was given a quiet room, which given my late check-in, was Very practical. So that i did not disturb others!! Loverly PuraVida atmosphere. Spent the following day by the pool, aclimatising & watching the 🐦 pool dip. & Had the Pool to my self ...for several swims.

10

Henry

Nov 5, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Live the location it was close to the main square and city center, the people working was very nice and helpful.

2

Jose

Jun 19, 2025

·

Stayed 8 nights

First, I requested for hair dryer prior to my arrival and they answered that they don’t provide hair dryer but on their website it says they provide. When arrived, the private room has no private bathroom. In the description, it says private bathroom. All bathrooms are shared with others staying in the hostels and other private rooms. The staff are non professional acting. Especially Jesus who is not even smiling, using his phone all the time, non attentive to the guest, not smiling at all. What they say in their descriptions are not true. They also did not clean or refresh my waste basket in 8 nights of stay there. Worst stay I had in so many years I have been booking with your apps.

4

Nicole

May 17, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I’d say it’s an accurate price for what you get. The place itself is nice, but around 4.30AM there’s a lot of traffic starting making noise as well as the train. The two people in the reception when I was checking in was nice but was more interested in talking to each other. Bought breakfast which was alright. Appreciated the free coffee. They take 4 USD for 1 LITER of water, which is ridiculous. Buy it elsewhere if you have the possibility/time.

10

Emiko

Dec 31, 2022

·

Stayed 19,355 nights

The community of people that stay here are great. Lots of travel information gets shared. Centally located. Walking distance to everything. The restaurant chef makes great food. Staff is attentive. Would definitely stay again.

10

Denis

Jan 27, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excelente estadía. El ambiente es muy agradable y relajado, perfecto para conocer gente. El personal fue muy amable y siempre dispuesto a ayudar. Las áreas comunes están bien cuidadas y son cómodas para descansar o trabajar. Muy buena ubicación también. Sin duda volvería.

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Location

Very central and walkable to museums and the city center. However, several guests felt the surrounding area unsafe at night and noted train or street noise.

Related guest reviews

8

Christian

Feb 5, 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

Good vibe, nice food and very central.

10

Dominic

Jun 5, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Hat einen guten Eindruck gemacht und sieht auch sehr schick aus. Die Gegend wirkt aber nicht so als sollte man nachts noch raus gehen.

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10

Henry

Nov 5, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Live the location it was close to the main square and city center, the people working was very nice and helpful.

8

Aarón

Jan 30, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

Me gustó el precio, instalaciones limpias. Quizá lo único malo es en los alrededores la calle para ingresar es un poco oscura

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8

Ashley

Jun 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Les employés de l'accueil étaient bien gentils tout dans le hostel m'a plus. Le seul point négatif est vraiment le quartier peu sécuritaire.

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8

Kim

Jan 12, 2023

·

Stayed 19,367 nights

Great price, for the convienences, sketchy downtown location.

10

Jessica

Mar 27, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

located very centrally to museums and some eateries. if you want to hit the museo nacional, the museo del oro, etc. this is the perfect place! reasonably quiet, clean, with a friendly environment, and the in-house restaurant is super authentic and solid.

10

Shawn

Feb 18, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Super cute. Feels like a boutique hotel. Safe area. Walkable. Near bars, restaurants, little parks, a museum, and the police station which makes area feel safe too ☀️

10

Denis

Jan 27, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excelente estadía. El ambiente es muy agradable y relajado, perfecto para conocer gente. El personal fue muy amable y siempre dispuesto a ayudar. Las áreas comunes están bien cuidadas y son cómodas para descansar o trabajar. Muy buena ubicación también. Sin duda volvería.

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10

Verity

Jan 18, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice atmosphere, welcoming, quiet, kitchen and restaurant available. Close to a noisy train line but overall a good location.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

The on-site restaurant and breakfast earn praise for taste and convenience, with free coffee appreciated. Downsides include slow service at times and pricey bottled water.

Related guest reviews

8

Dante

Aug 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It was fine for the price. Room was dirty but nothing I couldn't handle. Staff is friendly. A restaurant is located inside the establishment.

8

Jeanette

May 31, 2023

·

This was a wonderful, affordable stay! The courtyard was the perfect place to relax and recharge with plenty of comfortable hammocks. Staff was nice and helpful. Shuttle service was very convenient. The only downside was that there was a lot of street noise: honking, sirens, etc.

10

Mauricio

Jun 26, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It very nice and clean. Friendly staff the onlyfans thing they might work is the restaurant, it tales forever to get whatever you orden. I love this place

10

Carry

Dec 26, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

Really liked the food, the convenient location, and the easiness to store luggage and too get help with taxi. Very nice place. And again mention the food was awesome.

10

Michael

Mar 16, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice atmoshere , good food ,other guests all good and friendly . will stay there again .

10

Charles

Oct 5, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

This hostel is very clean and the staff is very helpful when you ask them about activities to do or buses to take. Moreover, the atmosphere with the bar and the restaurant help to know more people!

4

Nicole

May 17, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I’d say it’s an accurate price for what you get. The place itself is nice, but around 4.30AM there’s a lot of traffic starting making noise as well as the train. The two people in the reception when I was checking in was nice but was more interested in talking to each other. Bought breakfast which was alright. Appreciated the free coffee. They take 4 USD for 1 LITER of water, which is ridiculous. Buy it elsewhere if you have the possibility/time.

10

Emiko

Dec 31, 2022

·

Stayed 19,355 nights

The community of people that stay here are great. Lots of travel information gets shared. Centally located. Walking distance to everything. The restaurant chef makes great food. Staff is attentive. Would definitely stay again.

10

Jessica

Mar 27, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

located very centrally to museums and some eateries. if you want to hit the museo nacional, the museo del oro, etc. this is the perfect place! reasonably quiet, clean, with a friendly environment, and the in-house restaurant is super authentic and solid.

10

Julie

Mar 26, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

It was a great place to stay. Beautiful grounds with a pool. It was mostly quiet, a lot of young people looking like they were partying, but that is pretty much expected. There was a restaurant, plenty of seating inside and outside, I just had yougert, granola, and fruit, but still very good and a beautiful presentation. It was very relaxing hanging out at the pool after a long day white water rafting. I stayed in an all women dorm and a couple of the girls looked like they had moved in permanently with all their stuff all over the floor. I didn’t know that the shower didn’t have hot water so that was shockingly cold, apparently there is hot water in a different shower, why there wasn't a sign stating this in unbeknownst to me.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$16
February	$17
March	$16
April	$15
May	$19
June	$14
July	$15
August	$21
September	$16
October	$22
November	$18
December	$18

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $22	2 $22	3 $22
4 $22	5 $22	6 $22	7 $22	8 $22	9 $22	10 $22
11 $22	12 $22	13 $22	14 $22	15 $22	16 $22	17 $22
18 $22	19 $22	20 $22	21 $22	22 $22	23 $22	24 $22
25 $22	26 $22	27 $22	28 $22	29 $22	30 $22	31 $22

Costa Rica Backpackers

Prices for Costa Rica Backpackers

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Comfort Shared Dormitory, Women Only, Pool Access

Comfort Shared Dormitory, Men Only, Pool Access

Standard Double Room

Comfort Room, Mixed Dorm, Pool Access

Comfort Shared Dormitory, Mixed Dorm, Pool Access, Mountain View

Standard Double Or Twin Room, 1 Bedroom, Private Pool

Deluxe Double Room

Guest reviews of Costa Rica Backpackers

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Costa Rica Backpackers

Prices for upcoming dates