Location & Directions

The Hotel Bougainvillea is located only 10 minutes north of San José, from here you can easily drive to the Braulio Carrillo National Park and Limón. We will gladly give you excellent directions to other major attractions, and you can see this map.

Directions: Location & Directions

Directions from the Airport to the Bougainvillea Hotel

Take the highway to San José, at first traffic light, (HAMPTON INN hotel on the left)  go straight. After  4.5km, about ¼ of a mile after the FIRESTONE factory, take the exit to the right.(‘San Antonio')   At the end of the exit ramp turn left (to go on overpass) Stay right. Keep on the same road, and about after 6 km you will find a series of factories:  COCORISA, and after the Nestlé factory go about two blocks' distance, stay in the middle lane. You will find a traffic light, right after the light the street turns into a one way street, as soon as you can after the light,  go all the way to the left  to make a sharp left  (there is a white wall on the right) There are three lanes in this road (also one way) , you will have a short distance to change to the far right lane. You will find a traffic light, go right.  After 3 km (go past 3M Factory ) , at first STOP (this is the intersection with the road to San José) , go straight . Take second left . Take the second right after this (at MUSMANNI, which has a large orange and white sign) and you will see the hotel on your left after about 1 km.(3/4 of a mile) (Hotel is located in Santo Tomás de Santo Domingo )

Directions to the Airport and Highway 1 from the Hotel Bougainvillea

Turn right at hotel exit. Go 1 km until the first stop at Musmanni bread store, turn left  until the next stop, turn right and go two blocks. (this is the intersection with the road to San José) At Stop go straight and then 3 km until you get to the first traffic light (not pedestrian crossing light) At the light, you will find a three way fork in the road. Take the ‘middle' road which veers slightly left.  Go 150 meters until the next stop and turn right. After 3.5 km, stay left at the fork. After 2.5 km, make a right when there is no longer right of way and then a left at the traffic light. Turn right exactly before the overpass to take the highway to the airport. From here, it is  4.5 km and there is a toll of ¢ 75.00.

From the Airport to the Poás Volcano

When you see the Airport, keep right to take the exit to Alajuela. When the highway ends, at the first traffic light, keep going straight on the road that starts. (you will cross the town of Alajuela) Then follow the same road until you find the sign to Poás, where you have to turn right. (aprox. 40 min. from Alajuela)

From the Airport to the Pacific

After you pass the Airport, follow the signs to San Ramón. (be careful not to get out on the exit to Alajuela) If you are going to Puntarenas, Monteverde or any of the beaches in Guanacaste, keep on the highway until the find the sea.    If you are going to Jacó, Quepos or Manuel Antonio, follow the signs to Atenas. (this will be the first exit after Alajuela, aprox. 25 min) Take the exit to the right and turn left at the end of the exit. Go past Atenas and Orotina, and then follow the signs to the beach you are going to.
Directions to Irazú Volcano and Cartago

Go past the Villa Tournón Hotel. (if  you want, you can follow our shuttle bus) Go straight at first intersection (past McDonald's) for about 2 km until you get to the first large intersection. Go right.  After 1 km, you will get to the first roundabout,(flag)  where you have to go half of it. (second exit) Keep going until you see a large peach building (the mall San Pedro) Take the exit which is right by this building, before the overpass. You will find another roundabout, in which you have to go three quarters of the way. (third exit) At this time you will be on the road to San Pedro. Keep going straight. You will pass Curridabat and at the end of the road you will find the highway to Cartago and signs explaining how to get to the Irazú volcano and Cartago.

Arenal Volcano (aprox. 3 1/2  hours)

Follow directions to the Airport.   Keep on the Highway to go past the Airport (follow signs to San Ramón or Puntarenas) After aprox. 35 minutes, turn to the right on the Naranjo exit. In Naranjo, follow signs to Ciudad Quesada and El Tucano Hotel. (close to Ciudad Quesada)  4.3  km after you have left Naranjo, there will be a fork in the road, take the road in the middle.  22 km after this, you will arrive in the town of Zarcero. If you do not stop to look at the beautiful park, just go straight through the town.   After Zarcero you will pass the small towns of Laguna and Zapote, and after aprox. 90 km (from Zarcero) you will arrive in Ciudad Quesada.(stop following signs to El Tucano now!!)  Go straight and you will pass the church from the back.   Although you should follow the same road, at one point there is no right of way, so you must go right, left and left again, and at the stop go right. After 10.4 km of Ciudad Q. turn left at intersection toward La Fortuna. After 13.7 km, turn right at the soccer field in Santa Clara.  After about 80 km. you will arrive in La Fortuna, go straight through the town and you will be on your way to Arenal and Tabacón Hot Springs. ( aprox. 25 minutes)

FROM SAN JOSÉ DOWNTOWN TO THE HOTEL

If you are in downtown San José, try to get to Calle 3 (Street 3) which is Northbound. This will take you right into Highway 32. When the road widens, go straight at the traffic light, you are now on the highway. Take the second exit, which is labeled TIBÁS . At the end of the exit, turn right. You will go past a McDonald's . Right before the church (you will see the back part) there is a traffic light where you need to turn right, and left right away to keep going in the same direction.   At the next stop, go right. You will go over a large bridge, turn right on the first road after the bridge. Take the following first right and the following first right afterwards, you will be on the road to Santo Tomás. The hotel is on your left after about ¾ km.

DIRECTIONS FROM CARTAGO TO THE HOTEL

Take highway to San José and exit in the CURRIDABAT/SAN PEDRO/SAN JOSÉ exit, go straight (this is a wide street) until you find the first roundabout, go only one fourth of the way, meaning, take the very first exit. (there are always four exits to each roundabout) About one mile after you will find the flag roundabout, go half the way (second exit) . In the next large intersection, which is also about a mile away, take a left at the traffic light. Go straight until you go past the VILLA TOURNON HOTEL, and then take a right at the traffic light. This is highway 32 going to Limón.  Take the second exit, which is labeled TIBÁS . At the end of the exit, turn right. You will go past a McDonald's . Right before the church (you will see the back part) there is a traffic light where you need to turn right, and left right away to keep going in the same direction.   At the next stop, go right. You will go over a large bridge, turn right on the first road after the bridge. Take the following first right and the following first right afterwards, you will be on the road to Santo Tomás. The hotel is on your left after about ¾ km.

Directions to Arenal Through Vara Blanca

Make a left at hotel entrance. At the stop sign go left.  At the next stop sign, go left again. Go right at the following stop sign and you will be on the road to Heredia. After 5 minutes you will see a three way intersection (T). Go right. You will now see the town of Heredia on your left. Keep going until you find another three way intersection, (T) where you will turn left. A the next stop sign, go right. Keep on going until you find the town of Barva, and drive through it. Then you will find a fork in the road, stay left. After about 12 km , at Centro Social Nery, turn right. After about 18 km turn right (sign for Restaurante Vara Blanca) After about 30 km , make a sharp left right after red and white radio tower. The road there is bad for about 20 minutes. When you get to the town of Aguas Zarcas, first town after about one hour, make a right at the Banco de Costa Rica sign, right before the church. After about 2km, make a left at Soda Ariana. At next three way intersection, go left. After about 20 km, you will find a 4 way intersection at the town of Muelle. Go straight and after 15 km, at three way intersection, go left. Go right at next stop sign. You will arrive to La Fortuna. Pass through it and you will be headed for Tabacón and most of the hotels in the Arenal area.

Print this map that shows the way from the Airport to the Hotel, if you need directions from any other location please do not hesitate to let us know.