Santa Ana is ideally located just outside of San Jose at the base of a verdant green mountain range. It is a close drive to both the Juan Santa Maria International Airport and the Pavas Regional Airport. Santa Ana is a Costa Rican town with lots of character and is well known for the hand made ceramic crafts sold here.

How to get here:

First. You will need to make it to the Juan Santamaria airport which is on the main road coming toward San Jose from Manuel Antonio. As you are driving toward San Jose the airport and its main runway will be on your right hand side. Make the first right turn after the runway ends and drive towards Santa Ana along the main road. There will be signs along the way for a supermarket called Auto Mercado located in Santa Ana. Santa Ana is approximately 12 miles from the airport, if you get lost just stop and ask anyone to point you to Santa Ana. Once you see the Auto Mercado on your left keep driving straight, you will pass a Pizza Hut on your left and cross under a highway.

After you cross under the highway you will take the first left hand turn and drive straight until you reach another supermarket called Mas X Menos, it will be on your right. Take an immediate left when you get to this supermarket. Follow road and take a right at the T. Follow this road past some soccer fields (called Futbol 5) until you reach another T. Take a left and drive approximately 3 blocks. We are on the right hand side across from the Victory High School. If you get to Santa Ana and get lost you can call the hotel from a pay phone at 2203-7467 or my cell phone at 89815519. I am attaching a map we made of Santa Ana as well. Please email me if you have any questions.

Restaurants:

There are many well known restaurants in the area such as Machu Pichu (Peruvian), Bacchus (Italian, Mediterranean), Ceviche del Rey (Peruvian), El Hacienda (Costa Rican), and Lo Spago (Italian)

Bars:

La Terraza: Only two blocks away. Younger hip crowd.
Cocos Bar: A little older crowd. Good appetizers.
Rock and Roll Pollo: Sportsbar.

Medical Facilities

Cima Hospital: One of the best hospitals in the country. Many people come to Costa Rica just to have procedures done at this hospital.

Shopping

Farmers Market: Every Sunday morning there is a local farmers market in the center of Santa Ana. Great place for delicious and inexpensive fruits and veggies. Also a great place to people watch.

Artisan shops: These shops are well represented in Santa Ana. Most sell locally made pottery and ceramics.

The Multiplaza Mall is a modern shopping plaza with a ten screen movie theater. A wide variety of clothing and goods can be found here. Movies at the theater are shown in English with Spanish subtitles.

Pricesmart: Like the North American Costco membership warehouse.

Office Depot: Office supplies and electronics.

Automercado: Supermarket with great selection of local, North American and European products.

The Forum Business Park

A huge business park that is home to many of the financial markets and multinational corporations in Costa Rica.

Photos from around Santa Ana

Cevich del Rey Restaurant	Colonial style church in Santa Ana	Cima Hospital	A Santa Ana sunset
Conversa Spanish Language School	Forum Business Park	Beautiful view of the Santa Ana Mountains
Multiplaza Mall	More Santa Ana mountains.	Cima Hospital