Il tuo soggiorno — Hotel El Icaco
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La proprietà — Hotel El Icaco
Hotel El Icaco sits a block back from the waterfront, a modest three-star with a faded colonial facade and a tiled courtyard that gets afternoon shade. The lobby is small, tiled, and air-conditioned, with a reception desk often manned by a single person. It suits budget-conscious travellers who want a clean, safe base for a night or two, not those seeking beachfront luxury. USP: free parking and a pool that’s small but quiet.
Cronache di Limon
Limon was founded in the 1870s as the Caribbean terminus of the Atlantic railway, built to export coffee and bananas. Its architecture is a mix of clapboard Caribbean wooden houses with verandas and zinc roofs, plus a few concrete civic buildings. The 1991 earthquake damaged many older structures, so much of the town centre feels modern and utilitarian. Culturally, it’s Costa Rica’s Afro-Caribbean hub, where reggae and Creole English are as common as Spanish, and the cuisine leans heavily on coconut milk and seafood.
Il momento migliore per visitare
Guida completa di Limon →I migliori mesi
February and March are dry and busy, with good weather and full high season crowds. March also hosts the Limon Carnival, a week-long street party with parades and music.
Peak / Festival Surge
December to April is the main dry season, when prices at Hotel El Icaco can double to around $60–80 per night. Holy Week (March/April) and Christmas/New Year see the biggest spikes. The Limon Carnival (mid-October) is another local peak.
Stagione di spalla
May and June offer reduced dry-season prices (often $30–40) and fewer tourists, though rain increases. September and October are cheapest but wettest, with humidity high and some roads prone to flooding.
Meteo e imballaggio
Limon is hot and humid year-round, with rain possible any day; the ‘dry’ season still sees brief showers. Pack a light rain jacket, quick-dry trousers, and sandals with good grip for wet pavements.
Briefing della città — Limon
- As of mid-2025, the main road to San Jose (Route 32) is still subject to landslides after heavy rain, so allow extra travel time or check with the hotel for status updates.
- A new food market (Mercado Municipal) opened in Limon centre in late 2024, replacing the old one, with more covered seating and food stalls; it’s a good spot for cheap local lunch.
- The hotel’s pool is closed for maintenance until further notice, so check before booking if that’s a priority.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Hotel El Icaco, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the second or third floor facing the rear of the property (away from the main street). These are high enough to avoid ground-level noise but still accessible via the stairs without waiting for the lift.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the ground floor, especially those near the reception or street side – street noise from Limon’s main road can be intrusive, and ground-floor rooms may have less privacy.
Best views
Rooms facing the rear offer views of the surrounding low-rise buildings and tropical vegetation, avoiding the direct street view which is mostly traffic and commercial fronts.
Quietest floors
Floors 2–3 are the quietest, as they are above street level and away from the lift’s mechanical noise, which is often loudest on the top floor in budget hotels.
🔊 Noise notes
Limon’s main road sees heavy local traffic, including buses and taxis, especially during the day. Also, the lift can be a noise source; request a room at least one door away from the lift shaft.
Insider tips
1. Arrive early for check-in to choose your room in person – the staff may accommodate rear-facing requests if available. 2. Ask for a fan if the air conditioning is weak; some rooms have better airflow than others.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
strutture alberghiere — Hotel El Icaco
Free WiFi in all rooms and public areas. Speed is around 10 Mbps download, adequate for email and browsing. No login – just connect.
One lift serves all three floors; no stairs-only sections.
No complimentary digital or physical newspapers. The building is a modern concrete structure from the 1990s with no heritage quirks.
Check-in from 14:00. Early bag drop is allowed at reception from 10:00. Late check-out until 13:00 costs $20; after 13:00, half the nightly rate.
Free storage at reception for same-day arrival or departure.
Step-free entry via a ramp at the main door. Lift to all floors. No special bathroom fixtures. Some doorways are narrow (70 cm).
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park is at Parque Vargas, 300 metres west, $1 per hour or $8 overnight. No EV charging on site.
Tasse, imposte e depositi
City / tourist tax: 13% VAT (IVA) included in rates; no additional city tax.
Deposit & card hold: A 50% deposit may be required for advance booking; a $100 incidental hold on a credit card is taken at check-in.
Faith & Dietary vicino
- Church: Iglesia de Tortuguero (556 m · ~7 min walk)
Stile di vita e ricreazione locale
Parque de los Pájaros — 672 m · ~8 min walk
Sea Turtle Conservancy Visitor's Center — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
5 minuti di radio essenziali
Bambú — 63 m · ~1 min walk
Moneta e moneta
Get a travel card →Costa Rican Colón, CRC
Banks and official exchange offices (cambios) in downtown Limón give the best rates; skip the airport and tourist bureaux where you lose 5-10% on the rate.
Visa and Mastercard accepted at most hotels and larger supermarkets; smaller sodas (eateries) and market stalls are cash-only. Contactless is rare.
Restaurants include 10% service charge (servicio); optional extra 5-10% for good service. Taxis: round up to nearest 500 CRC. Hotel staff: 1,000–2,000 CRC per bag for porters.
Mangiare, fare shopping e viaggiare su un budget
Cheap car hire →A black coffee (café negro) at a local soda: around 600–800 CRC.
A casado (rice, beans, plantain, salad, protein) at a soda: 3,500–5,000 CRC.
A main dish like grilled fish or chicken with sides at a local restaurant: 5,000–7,000 CRC.
The Central Market and the waterfront area near Parque Vargas have cheap patacones, empanadas, and fresh coconut water stalls.
Supermercado Pali and Más x Menos are the budget chains in Limón centre.
Small independent clothing stalls in the Central Market and along Avenida 2 offer low-priced basics; no big fast-fashion chains.
Local buses (colectivos) within Limón cost about 500 CRC per ride; from San José airport, take the direct MEPE / Caribeños bus (approx 7,000 CRC – 10,000 CRC) rather than private shuttles.
Eat sodas for casados instead of tourist-facing restaurants; buy fruit from market stalls rather than supermarkets; negotiate multi-day rentals for bike or car outside the airport zone.
Emergency Contacts
LimonIn Limón, dial 911 for all emergencies. For non-urgent police matters, the local station is at 2758-0022. The Red Cross ambulance service can also be reached via 911, but their local dispatch is 2758-1387.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Limon, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Hotel El Icaco
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Girare intorno
Limon Bus Station → Natural Park hotel (Cieneguita area)
💡 Flag any bus with 'Cieneguita' or 'Pueblo' on the windshield. Carry exact change in colones—drivers don't break large bills. The driver will stop near Natural Park if you say 'hotel Natural Park por favor'.
Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) → Natural Park hotel, Limón
💡 Negotiate the fare firmly before getting in—drivers often quote double for tourists. Official airport taxi booths give fixed rates; pay in colones not dollars to avoid exchange markups.
San José (Terminal Caribeños) → Limon Bus Station (2km from Natural Park)
💡 Direct buses to Limón from Terminal Caribeños—look for 'MEPE' signs. Get off at the Cieneguita stop if closer to Natural Park, but confirm with the driver first. Buy your ticket at the terminal, not onboard, to avoid cash handling issues.
Limon Bus Station → Natural Park hotel
💡 Red taxis are regulated; avoid unmarked 'pirate' cars. A trip from the bus station to Natural Park should cost about 2000 colones. Confirm the price before getting in and have small bills ready.
Domande frequenti
What are the best rooms at Hotel El Icaco?
Request a room on the second or third floor facing the rear of the property (away from the main street). These are high enough to avoid ground-level noise but still accessible via the stairs without waiting for the lift.
Which rooms should I avoid at Hotel El Icaco?
Avoid rooms on the ground floor, especially those near the reception or street side – street noise from Limon’s main road can be intrusive, and ground-floor rooms may have less privacy.
Is Hotel El Icaco noisy?
Limon’s main road sees heavy local traffic, including buses and taxis, especially during the day. Also, the lift can be a noise source; request a room at least one door away from the lift shaft.
Which rooms have the best views at Hotel El Icaco?
Rooms facing the rear offer views of the surrounding low-rise buildings and tropical vegetation, avoiding the direct street view which is mostly traffic and commercial fronts.
What are insider tips for staying at Hotel El Icaco?
1. Arrive early for check-in to choose your room in person – the staff may accommodate rear-facing requests if available. 2. Ask for a fan if the air conditioning is weak; some rooms have better airflow than others.
What time is check-in at Hotel El Icaco?
Check-in at Hotel El Icaco is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Hotel El Icaco have Wi-Fi?
Free WiFi in all rooms and public areas. Speed is around 10 Mbps download, adequate for email and browsing. No login – just connect.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Hotel El Icaco?
13% VAT (IVA) included in rates; no additional city tax.
Where can I eat cheaply near Hotel El Icaco?
A casado (rice, beans, plantain, salad, protein) at a soda: 3,500–5,000 CRC.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Hotel El Icaco?
Local buses (colectivos) within Limón cost about 500 CRC per ride; from San José airport, take the direct MEPE / Caribeños bus (approx 7,000 CRC – 10,000 CRC) rather than private shuttles.
When is the best time to visit Limon?
February and March are dry and busy, with good weather and full high season crowds. March also hosts the Limon Carnival, a week-long street party with parades and music.
Principali attrazioni a Limon
💡 Come in late afternoon to watch cruise ships dock, and grab a batido from the stall by the west entrance.
💡 No entry fee, but you’ll be asked to sign in at the guard booth. Best before 10am to avoid heat.
💡 Check their Facebook page for free salsa or merengue workshops on weeknights. The balcony has good views of the central market.
💡 Visit on a Saturday morning – they sometimes host live calypso music in the courtyard.
💡 Walk north past the old pier for quieter spots. Keep valuables in sight – occasional theft happens in isolated areas.