A 1947 building with Costa Rican soul
Hotel Colonial is not just a place to stay: it is a witness to the evolution of San José. Every wall, every arch and every tile tells a chapter of the Costa Rican capital's history.
In 1906, Catalan couple José Urgellés Riart and Antonieta Ferrer settle in San José. Don José opens a cabinetmaking workshop near the Iglesia del Carmen, where he hand-carves European-style furniture in fine woods. The Urgellés workshop soon earns a reputation among the capital's coffee growers and landowners.
Antonio Urgellés Ferrer, son of the founder and a cabinetmaker by trade, builds the family residence with his wife Virginia Chavarría González, next to the Iglesia de La Soledad. He commissions Catalan architect Víctor Sabater for the design, with engineer Federico Jiménez overseeing construction. The mahogany beams, corbels and archways on the first floor, along with the main door, are hand-carved in the family's own Urgellés workshop (a process that takes months). The facade features stone veneer, Solomonic columns cast from molds made exclusively for this building, and a Mexican Talavera fountain in the front garden. Three balconies display wrought-iron railings with Art Nouveau detailing, and the second floor is finished in cristóbal hardwood.
For over three decades, the residence is home to the Urgellés family. Don Antonio personally oversees every maintenance detail, preserving the integrity of the artisan finishes. The Urgellés workshop continues its craft during these years, with pieces reaching the Teatro Nacional, Casa Presidencial, the Legislative Assembly, and Central American embassies.
The house passes to Laura Urgellés, Antonio's daughter. Over the years it serves different purposes: the Galería de Arte 452 and later the National Youth Movement. Despite the changes in use, the original structure and its artisan details remain virtually intact.
Eddy Vargas Fallas had admired the house for years. Every Sunday, attending mass at the Iglesia de La Soledad with his family, he would park facing the property. A trip to Granada, Nicaragua (where he discovered colonial houses converted into hotels) added shape to the dream. When he learned that doña Laura Urgellés was selling, he didn't hesitate: he sold possessions, took out a loan, and with the unwavering support of his wife Marta Chacón, acquired the property.
Under architect Fausto Calderón, the renovation begins. The guiding principle: preserve everything original and make the new indistinguishable from the old. The hand-carved wooden arches, corbels, railings and every detail of the Urgellés' artisanal work are carefully protected throughout construction. A new three-level wing is built in the courtyard, following the same architectural language, and a small pool is added. In May 2005, don Eddy's dream becomes reality: Hotel Colonial opens its doors as an affordable, quality option in the historic center of San José, steps from the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Theater, and Chinatown. The result: 17 rooms integrated so harmoniously that today it is difficult to tell where the original house ends and the new construction begins.
Following don Eddy's passing in 2020, the hotel's management passed to his daughter Silvia Vargas Chacón. Don Eddy led the hotel with deep dedication until his final years, and his commitment to every detail remains the guiding spirit of the house. Today, 21 years after its opening and 79 years since the house was built, alongside the café and the Casa Colonial 452 restaurant (whose name carries the historic street number of the house), the hotel continues to open its doors so visitors from around the world can discover and enjoy the history of Costa Rica's capital.
Book your stay at Hotel Colonial and experience a building that has been home to many families for over 79 years.