Escazú: 5.5km (3.4 miles) W of San José; Santa Ana: 13km (8 miles) W of San José

Located just west of San José, these affluent suburbs, once almost entirely farmlands and vacation estates, have boomed as the metropolitan area continues to expand. The two largest cities in this area, Escazú and Santa Ana, are popular with the Costa Rican professional class, as well as North American expatriates. Quite a few hotels have sprung up to cater to their needs. Both have large modern malls, endless little strip malls, and important business parks. It’s easy to commute between Escazú or Santa Ana and downtown San José via car, bus, or taxi. And the area is about the same distance from the airport as downtown San José.