Located in Desamparados, Hotel Pibi Boreal is on a river, within a 15-minute drive of Plaza Real Alajuela and Alajuela Cathedral. .This hotel is 8.9 mi (14.4 km) from Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center and 10.6 mi (17.1 km) from Hacienda Alsacia.
What's nearby
Cafe Rosa Blanca Organic Coffee Farm - 12 min drive - 3.3 miles
Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto - 15 min drive - 3.8 miles
Alajuela Cathedral - 16 min drive - 4.2 miles
Plaza Real Alajuela - 17 min drive - 4.4 miles
Juan Santamaría Park - 17 min drive - 4.4 miles
Getting around
San Antonio de Belen Station - 28 min drive
Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) - 20 min drive
Restaurants
McDonald's - 15 min drive
Bar Restaurante Caribbean - 6 min drive
Marisquería Bethel - 10 min drive
Bar Tipico Copey - 6 min drive
Restaurante Los Herra - 12 min drive
About this property
Hotel Pibi Boreal
Hotel Pibi Boreal offers 9 accommodations, which are accessible via exterior corridors and feature complimentary bottled water and complimentary toiletries. Each accommodation is individually decorated. Beds feature Egyptian cotton sheets and premium bedding. A pillow menu is available. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Coffee/tea makers and minibars are provided. Bathrooms include showers with rainfall showerheads. Additionally, rooms include ceiling fans and blackout drapes/curtains. Housekeeping is offered daily and hypo-allergenic bedding can be requested.
Make yourself at home in one of the 9 guestrooms featuring minibars. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected. Private bathrooms with showers feature rainfall showerheads and complimentary toiletries. Conveniences include coffee/tea makers and complimentary bottled water, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Take in the views from a terrace and a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access.
Take advantage of the hotel's room service (during limited hours). A complimentary full breakfast is served daily from 7 AM to 9:30 AM.
Featured amenities include express check-in, express check-out, and multilingual staff. A roundtrip airport shuttle is complimentary (available on request).
A complimentary full breakfast is served each morning between 7 AM and 9:30 AM.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Property amenities
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
Free roundtrip airport shuttle from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM on request
Free secured self parking on site
Food and drink
Free full breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM
Conveniences
Laundry facilities
Limited-hour front desk
Luggage storage
Safe at front desk
Water dispenser
Guest services
Concierge services
Housekeeping (daily)
Multilingual staff
Tour and ticket assistance
Outdoors
Garden
In the mountains
On a river
Terrace
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Accessible airport shuttle
No elevator (single-level property)
Stair-free path to entrance
More
1 building
1 floor
Beaux Arts architecture
Built in 2018
Mosquito nets
Smoking not allowed
Room amenities
Bedroom
Blackout drapes
Egyptian cotton sheets
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Pillow menu
Bathroom
Free toiletries
Private bathroom
Rainfall showerhead
Shampoo
Shower
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided
Food and drink
Coffee/tea maker
Free bottled water
Limited room service
Minibar
More
Access via exterior corridors
Ceiling fan
Individual decor
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10 AM
Contactless check-out available
Late check-out subject to availability
A late check-out fee will be charged
Express check-out available
Special check-in instructions
Guests must transfer via Airport shuttle to the property; guests must contact the property at least 48 hours before travel, using the contact information on the confirmation received after booking
This property offers transfers from the airport; to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 24 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The front desk is open daily from 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Guests planning to arrive outside of normal check-in hours will receive an email with check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 48 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 8:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Front desk (limited hours)
Pets
No pets or service animals allowed
Children and extra beds
Children 2 and younger are not allowed at this property; All guests older than 2 are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Property payment types
Important information
Optional extras
Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Minimum Spring Break check-in age is 18 years old
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
Tax ID - 3102765133
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Cashless transactions are available
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
Children 2 years old and younger are not permitted at this property
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property
Property is also known as
Hotel Pibi Boreal Alajuela
Pibi Boreal Alajuela
Pibi Boreal
Hotel Pibi Boreal Hotel
Hotel Pibi Boreal Desamparados
Hotel Pibi Boreal Hotel Desamparados
Hotel Pibi Boreal Reviews
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Everything at Hotel Pibi Boreal was beautiful! A small neighborhood hotel at the end of the road the rooms overlook a beautiful jungle area. The owners were very welcoming and attentive with timely and courteous airport transfers - even at 4am. There was a minibar and in room coffee and I was even able to a get a warm sandwich since my travels meant I missed lunch.
With nice clean bedding and a wonderful balcony it was a beautiful stopover at the end of a wonderful week.
Leslee
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
6/10 Okay
Lisa
Traveled with partner
Nov 15, 2025
Quite basic and ‘tired’ looking rooms. Cold water only in the sink for hand washing. Tepid shower and thin towels- It felt a bit like going back to back packing in our youth. Pick up and drop off from and to the airport was a nice bonus. Good breakfast and coffee. Good priced beer. It’s away from any shops/restaurants although cheap uber ride to down town is $5. Or you can order u er eats but this also felt like being a student again!The driving and traffic is terrible so not as convenient a location as it first seems for a one night stay between flights. The garden was great with a chance for seeing more birds but the early checkout of 10am and a feeling given of being obliged to leave the property with no access to facilities like you get with other hotels made for a long day waiting for late over night flight home. On a positive note the owner was happy to keep our luggage and meet us down town with the car to take us to the airport which took an element of stress away. With hindsight we wouldn’t chose this location for a night between flights due to the above points in future but all part of the experience of travel
We stayed here on our last night in Costa Rica so we could be close to the airport. The family that runs this is so lovely. It's a quiet spot with a beautiful property. It was gorgeous waking up to one final view of the landscape through the giant single-pane window in the room. They recommended a great seafood spot in town for dinner and drove us to the airport in the morning.
Martha
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
8/10 Good
Adriana
Nov 2, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Clean room, nice hosts. I wish I had a better view from my balcony, other than the bushes. Also, maybe ham and eggs would have been a better alternative for breakfast. I never eat jam and butter.
Other than that, the place is very quiet and relatively close to the airport. I'd definitely stay here again.
I had a wonderful experience at Pibi Boreal hotel! The location is perfect—very close to the SJO airport, which made my travel so convenient. One of the best parts is the free shuttle service to and from the airport, which was punctual and easy to use.
The hotel itself is spotless. Every corner, even the tiniest area, was incredibly clean and well-maintained. It’s clear that cleanliness is a top priority here, and I really appreciated that.
Overall, this was a comfortable, stress-free stay. I will definitely be coming back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a clean, convenient place near the airport!
Perfect spot for as we came into San Jose for our flight out the next day. The family is so kind, and it was nice to be 20 min out of the madness of a city after spending 2 weeks in amazing beaches and rain forests. Highly recommend!
Absolutely perfect little gem…we stayed the night before our international flight back home, and it was so convenient! I would stay there again in a heartbeat!
We arrived late and left early, but the owners were very helpful. They greeted us at our car with an umbrella, and provided a service of pizza and salad. The room was comfortable and a good size, and had everything you need. It’s out of the way but it was fine for us as we had a vehicle. We would consider staying again so that we could explore the property.
The property is absolutely stunning! The staff is wonderful.
The place looks even better in person. I 100% recommend it.
Jacquelin
Stayed 1 night in May 2025
10/10 Excellent
Elizabeth
Traveled with family
May 29, 2025
Liked: Amenities
Absolutely gorgeous property, owners are very kind and friendly. There is an abundance of wildlife right off your deck! Would definitely recommend this place!
Elizabeth
Stayed 1 night in May 2025
6/10 Okay
Verified traveler
Traveled with family
May 9, 2025
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
Would be 4 stars if not for our particular issue
Fine for a one night stay before the airport. Really enjoyed the balcony and breakfast out there was nice. Unfortunately, the room was infested with ants. They were all over the bathroom and, most problematically, the beds. We did not eat inside the room and when we informed the owner she said maybe the previous guest had had food :/
I am fine with bugs here and there, but the bed is where I draw the line. And both were crawling with them.
Matt went above and beyond to not only make sure we had transportation from the airport to the hotel but he set us up with transportation to where we needed to go the next day. Seriously made my stay allllll that much more enjoyable and smooth sailing. Seriously couldn’t thank them enough. Even his kids are well mannered and helpful! Great family, and family business they have!
We only had the pleasure of staying for one night, everything from our complimentary hotel pickup and breakfast and the hotel’s gorgeous property was the perfect start to our trip. I really enjoyed the small, quiet and quaint atmosphere. You can tell Matthieu and his wife put a lot of love into hosting their guests. Would love to return and stay longer on our next trip!