We stayed here one night on arriving to San Jose. Hotel was clean, staff was friendly. Pool was nice with drinks delivered poolside. Furnishings in the room were not super new, but bed was comfortable. Restaurant was horribly overpriced for essentially hotel food, hence the three star rating, and service was pretty slow despite how empty the restaurant was when we ate there. Overall a good place to stay as you're arriving into town, but don't stay too long and go out to dinner!

Stayed here on first night in Costa Rica after trans Atlantic flight. Very comfortable. Lovely outlook over the valley, both at night and in the morning. Hotel had a colonistic feel about it. Room very comfortable and clean. Very nice restaurant and nice, but small, garden. We soon gave up on our morning walk along the road at the front of the hotel, as the road was very busy and there were no pavements.

Following our international flight we were looking for a value for money hotel prior to moving on the next day for our tour of Costa Rica. Our expectations were not great even so we were disappointed with the hotel on a number of counts.

You got a feel for the condition of the hotel when you got to Reception to find that the staff members chair was extremely tatty. A small thing but indicative of the way it is maintained, make do and mend rather than a professional job. Such a shame as the property has potential with its design with balconies having great views over the city.

You get the feeling that they concentrate on getting their revenue from the restaurant which has a good local reputation forgetting the accommodation.

We didn’t eat at the restaurant in the evening. Instead we went 50 meters down the road (turn right out of the hotel) to a local bar that served food. The food was good, the staff friendly and the prices very reasonable. The fact that it was very busy with local people tells you that it must be good.

The hotel breakfast was continental and unremarkable but served with a smile. Overall we found the staff to be helpful and friendly.

We stayed at the Alta for our first night in Costa Rica before leaving the next morning for the Osa at the end of December 2011. We wanted to stay in a place with some local flavor and this was definitely it. (I can't see going to Costa Rica and staying in an American chain hotel). The building, the grounds, the pool and the rooms were all full of character - woodwork, tiling, views. We enjoyed our balcony immensely. We had appetizers at the restaurant, La Luz which were very good and served by an attentive and friendly staff. We had to leave before breakfast the next morning so the front desk had coffeecake and juice sent to our rooms. The hotel arranged a driver from the airport and back the next morning since we had a group of 6 and wanted to travel together. I found the reservation and check in process to be straightforward.
My only complaint was that the water in the shower was lukewarm at best.