From hostel to small hotel
When we wrote about Casa de Lis in 2014, it was a backpacker hostel with shared dorms, started by its founder, Lis. It's still in the same spot in the middle of Turrialba, but it now calls itself Hotel Casa de Lis. New owners, Dennia and Carolina, have taken it on and kept the warm, home-like feel it was known for. We rechecked it in October 2026, when its site was current and taking bookings.
Costa Rica Journeys also keeps a profile of Hotel Casa de Lis that covers the same change of name.
What it's like
This is a small, simple place rather than a resort. Every room now has a private bathroom, fast Wi-Fi and a ceiling fan. The options are:
- Deluxe double and triple rooms with a private balcony over the garden and a smart TV
- A standard double with a street-facing balcony, and a quieter standard double without one
- A single room by the garden, good for solo travelers
- A family room with a single bed and 2 sets of bunks
- A quadruple room with 2 sets of bunks for friends traveling together, with its bathroom just outside the room
There's a garden with a covered terrace, coffee and tea for guests, breakfast, and a front desk that helps with tours and transport.
What to do from here
Turrialba is a working town in the hills east of San José, best known for white-water rafting on the Pacuare River. The hotel helps arrange tours with local operators, including:
- White-water rafting on the Pacuare River
- A tour of a small, family-run organic coffee farm, or of a much larger coffee estate
- A cacao tour and chocolate workshop
- Birding trips with a local guide, including outings for quetzals and hummingbirds
- Hikes through volcanic landscapes and to waterfalls
If you love birds, read our birdwatching guide before you go.
Who it suits (and who it doesn't)
It suits budget travelers, couples and small families who want a clean, friendly room in town, close to buses, shops and restaurants. It's a good base for a couple of nights of rafting or coffee tours.
It's not a place for resort facilities like a pool or spa, and rooms facing the street will hear some town life.
Getting there
The hotel is on Avenida 0 (also called Avenida Monge Dumani), next to the ICE office in central Turrialba, and about 5 minutes on foot from the bus station. Buses run about hourly from San José and take roughly 2.5 hours. The road is fully paved if you're driving. The hotel can also help arrange a private transfer from the airport. Our guides to getting around Costa Rica and Costa Rica without a car have more on buses and shuttles.
Turrialba also works as a stop between San José and the Caribbean coast.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hotel Casa de Lis the same place as Hostel Casa de Lis?
Yes. It's the same property in central Turrialba under a new name and new owners.
Does it still have dorms?
The current rooms are private rooms with their own bathrooms. The quadruple room has 2 sets of bunk beds for groups traveling together.
Can I get there by bus?
Yes. Buses leave San José for Turrialba about every hour, and the hotel is around 5 minutes' walk from Turrialba's bus station.
Can the hotel book rafting?
Yes. The front desk helps arrange rafting, coffee, cacao and birding tours with local operators.
