Hyatt Centric San José Escazú has been named Costa Rica’s Leading Hotel 2026 at the World Travel Awards, according to the organisation’s 2026 winners list. The recognition brings attention to an urban hotel with a useful proposition for visitors: a place to settle into the San José area before heading deeper into Costa Rica.
The 161-room property sits at Plaza Tempo in Escazú, with restaurants, shopping and corporate offices nearby. Part of Hyatt’s Centric brand, it combines rooms and suites with two dining venues and space for meetings. The six-photo gallery above takes a closer look at the hotel’s public areas, accommodation and food-and-drink settings.
An Escazú Base for a City Stay
Hyatt’s hotel details place the property on Autopista Próspero Fernández at Plaza Tempo. Its appeal begins with having everyday options close by: guests can walk to restaurants, shops and offices rather than organise a vehicle for every short outing. That can be particularly useful on a brief stopover or a trip split between work and leisure.
The address also helps define the kind of holiday to plan. This is a hotel in the capital region, so a city stay here should have its own time in the itinerary. Travellers continuing to the coast or arranging a nature excursion should plan the transport separately and leave room for the journey, rather than treating those outings as part of the immediate neighbourhood.
Rooms, Suites and Space to Unpack
The hotel’s room categories include king and two-queen options measuring 26–28 square metres. Amenities listed by Hyatt include complimentary Wi-Fi, a minifridge and a coffee maker stocked with Costa Rican coffee. Local artwork and natural colours carry the destination into the room design without making the accommodation feel like a themed attraction.
Guests who want more separation between sleeping and downtime can look at the suites. The King Suite measures 60 square metres and includes a bedroom, separate living and dining areas, and a kitchenette. A high-floor version is listed at 62 square metres. Those layouts may be especially useful when a stay includes working from the hotel or spending a quieter evening indoors.
Views are another reason to compare the specific category before booking: some rooms are sold with city views, while high-floor options include mountain views. The gallery illustrates selected accommodation, so use the room description attached to your chosen rate to confirm the layout and outlook you are reserving.
Costa Rican Flavours at Cense and 19-49
The hotel’s dining venues make food part of the stay rather than simply a convenience between outings. Cense serves Costa Rican and internationally inspired dishes, with buffet breakfast and lunch alongside an à la carte dinner menu. A tasting menu offers another way to approach its contemporary Costa Rican cooking.
Cense has a 52-seat indoor restaurant and a terrace with seating for up to 52 more guests. Its Chef’s Private Table accommodates up to 10, giving a small group an alternative to booking a conventional restaurant table. Anyone organising a celebration or a hosted meal should ask about the menu, availability and final arrangements in advance.
The more informal 19-49 Lounge Bar & Café covers coffee, light meals and cocktails. That gives guests a second setting for an early start, a casual catch-up or a drink after dinner. Before choosing a room rate, check which meals are included; the presence of restaurants and a café does not by itself establish what a booking covers.
Planning a Stay Beyond the Award
For visitors combining business and leisure, the hotel lists 576 square metres of customisable event space. Planners can discuss meeting rooms, connectivity and in-house catering directly with the property. The published room descriptions use different capacities for different arrangements, making the intended layout more useful than a single headline guest count.
The award provides a reason to consider the property, while the location and room choice determine whether it suits an individual trip. Travellers building a longer Costa Rican holiday can also compare this city stop with our look at Costa Elena on the Pacific coast. Allowing separate time for each setting creates a more realistic itinerary than trying to fit every experience into a short San José stay.
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