Hotel Grano de Oro is one of the most famous hotels in Costa Rica. Started by Eldon and Lori Cooke, a Canadian couple who saw a need for personalized lodging space within the bustling city of San José, the space has earned a reputation in its almost thirty years of business as a place where beautiful architecture and local hospitality were perfectly matched.

The name “Grano de Oro” comes from the phrase “Golden Bean”—a reference to the coffee bean. The hotel’s founders recognized how powerful this small bean could be, and the great impact coffee beans had on Costa Rica and decided to incorporate it into their business.

When the hotel opened in 1991, it had a café and a small gift shop. In just three years, the popularity of the hotel led to an expansion and the creation of a restaurant. Over the next ten years, the restaurant developed a reputation rivaling that of the hotel.

In 2007, the restaurant was expanded for a third time. The restaurant is renowned throughout the city for its coffee, wine cellar, specialty cocktails and unique setting in a Victorian mansion. It’s a hotspot among tourists and locals alike.

It is amazing to think that all of this—the hotel, the restaurant—originated with a deep respect and love for coffee beans and Costa Rica.