www.CostaRicaTicas.com

1. Fire half the waitresses and supervise the remaining (this applies to the HDR and the KL). They are so lazy they just sit around and talk with each other when the bar is full of gringos who want more service. The Ticos in the HDR who serve Del Mar food hustle and work hard without being annoying, but you have to ask one of them to ask the waitress to get you a drink. At the KL, you have to go to the bar to get a drink. If you don't tip 1,000 for every drink, they will make you wait. If you do tip, there is no thank you. Revenue could be increased by 30% if these teasers did their work.

2. Get rid of the chica fee to take a girl to your room at the HDR. That one insult puts the place off-limits to hundreds of gringos, no matter what the room rate or quality.

3. Put up a sign and otherwise advertise that you can get great food in-house or to-go at the Del Mar, all night. There are all kinds of gringos who would love a steak-and-cheese or even a big meal from midnight to 5:00 AM after they had their encounters with the chicas. Some go to Chellie's. I'm not going to get into a fight about Chellie's, but my strong hunch is that most guys would prefer the food at the Del Mar if they knew it was open. Most guys do not know it is open, and even some of them do not think of take-out for back at the hotel.

4. If the KL has to close at 2, why not open it at 8 or 9, with live music?The KL is fun (if you can get a drink).

5. Expand the list of appetizers available while sitting around the HDR while pushing less hard at the relatively expensive dinners. The fact is that a gringo is going to be more likely to eat dinner there in the future if he gets the good service and ambience of the Del Mar. The HDR is appropriate for appetizers with some spice to encourage more drinking.

Even though I often sit there and fume at the lousy and gringo-baiting service, I like some of the things about these places. The architecture of the Del Mar and KL bars is all about tropical play. I like the music. I like the chicas walking around trying to sell their asses. The waitstaff at the Del Mar are usually excellent, so clearly they are trained by someone. Why can't that same person train the waitresses next door? You would think that intelligent management would want to maximize both immediate profit and long-term success, but then....

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Same river, new water

MUY TICA?

if it aint broke dont fix it

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But mama, that's where the fun is

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I agree that the situatuion exists. But, does management or the waitresses really care? I'm sure the owners AND the waitresses are making plenty of money the way it is. Wasn't it Vegas Bob that said he talked to one of the owners, who made the comment "We're trying to find ways to do less business." Who knows, maybe this is part of that plan. Must be nice to be in that position.

You are attempting to export American thinking/concepts/ingenuity into a 2nd world country that can't find their ass with both hands. There is no word for "customer service" in Spanish.

Berk....

i agree with the male servers at the del mar ...they always remember me and know i like my food to go...i leave a good tip but feel its not always about the tip with them...they enjoy the job and understand fast is good. And what you said about the bartenders in key largo is right on...i was tipping 1000 a drink and i bought myself a cheap beer and got a girl a drink ...i see the red bull and a shot being made (and i am sitting there steaming) and its like 12 total so i am pissed and throw down a 1000 again for a tip and she gives me the look ...like i am a cheap ass...2 things changed that night ...any girl i buy a drink for gets the same as me or nothing and i never went to that bartender again ....and i know she understands as i have caught her looking at me and telling the other bartender the story...

Yeah, the service stinks, but you cannot beat the dinner with a show special. There is nothing better than chopping down on some steak while seeing the beauties parade.

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Hit them fast, Hit them hard and NEXT!
A good chica is like a good carpenter - No wood gets wasted!!!

They seem to have a reasonably high occupancy rate. To what advantage is it for them to abolish the fee? Multiply how many chicas go up that elevator every day by $10.00 and then calculate how many additional rooms they would have to rent each night to cover that loss.

As long as mongers are willing to stay there and pay the fee it makes no sense to abolish it IMHO.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

My main gripe with the service at HDR is that they are sloooooow getting to the tables now. Last year you could slowly play 20 or 50 bucks worth of chips at the roulette table and break even in free drinks, at least I was able to. Now, not a chance, I was lucky to get one drink in an hour of playing the other night.

The bartenders and servers are fine (literally and figuratively) IMO, I don't really go there to drink though.

It astonishes me that there is a chica fee there, Christ, of all the places in town to have one. I have never even entertained staying there.

Similarly, I don't think the food there is all that great, would rather save the dime and grab some fried chicken or arroz con camarones up the street. I do think, however, that it is pretty well known that they have food all night. I like your idea of more and better appetizers, like any place with gambling and sports in the world.


As for KL, I just wish the traffic would pick up a bit earlier in the evening but I really cannot complain about the setup there at all.

As long as someone isnt sitting at my table 31

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But mama, that's where the fun is

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wilt...you must of hit a bad night...my last trip (nov) at the tute table even the girls who have never served me were on the ball ..i tip 1000 per drink and tell them never let me get empty and they are on it...if i am plus on the table my last drink i throw them a few extra 1000's ...plus i am sure i am the only guy in a whore house hitting on the non working girls...but i do it every trip...

You know, HDR is a landmark worthy of the prices, elite status, in my opinion. I don't mind the prices, etc. IT'S something we need, whether we want to admit. I've been to CR about 25 times since 1998 (as a gift to myself upon finalized divorce).

The don't break/fix is not the issue, it's more a "keep the newbee safe"... May cost a little more, but worth it. Once you've been offsite, you must admit you'll wander into the DR just for a shot of eye candy. I've actually made visits where I stop in for 20 minutes on a 8 day trip.

Leave it alone, be safe, "newbees" without an experienced wingman... Just have fun, you'll pay a little more, but worth it. One your 2nd, 3rd, trip, look to expand on some low rent, MP's, CRT friend touring adventures... Leave DR alone.

Leave the DR alone

I think we have little choice in this matter

Why should they give you free drinks all night playing 100 colone roulette?

Seriously... some members here are so cheap and complain about everything. :roll:

I like the information on this site, but I'd be embarassed to associate with alot of the members here.