www.CostaRicaTicas.com

OK DG, I see. $60 sounds steep. A guy I know stayed at Hemingway. He paid a chica fee like $10/per I think. He said doors were thin, kind of a cozy inn w/ mix of eco tourists, families, generally cool people.

The Hemingway Inn is an old mansion that was made into a hotel. It does have a certain "character" if you will, to it. The rooms are antiquated, with dark wood paneled walls and hard wood floors. There is a range of guests staying there, from the eco-tourist to the occasional monger. They do have an adequate breakfast of gallo pinto, hard boiled eggs, toast, tamales, a nice variety of fresh fruit, juice and coffee. The bathrooms have the electric style "suicide showers". The rate was reasonable....about $40.00 total, per night [about 2 years ago]. There was a chica fee of $10.00, which I think is negotiable. The staff, for the most part, was considerate and professional about bringing a chica to the room.....even to the point of making some good spirited jokes about it in private, and getting a few chuckles out of it.

All this being said......keep in mind, as mentioned above, eco-tourists and families with Ch*ldren do stay at this hotel, which can sometimes create a "walk of shame" when escorting a chica through the lobby and to your room. Also, as someone else posted, the walls are thin, sometimes even with a "locked and sealed" door between them. When staying at this hotel with "mongering intentions" on your mind, you need to be considerate to, and respectful of, the other guests who may very well be getting up early the next morning to tour the Butterfly Farm.

www.hemingwayinn.com

Zebra

Here's the deal on the La Gran Via, which used to be a great place to stay, although when I stayed there in March it was in need of attention in some aspects.

Got this e-mail back from Alvaro:

For those who don't read Spanish, it basically says that the hotel is closed indefinitely and he invites you to stay at the Hotel San Agustin which (my opinion here) is further away from Gringo Gulch in a not so great area.

So it looks like another chica friendly hotel bites the dust, at least for now. I have a feeling when it re-emerges it may not be as cheap nor chica friendly.

BUENAS NOCHES SR.!!!!! UN CORDIAL SALUDO !!! ES CORRECTO LA
GRAN VIA
ESTA CERRADO INDEFINIDAMENTE.

NUESTRO HOTEL HA SIDO CAMBIADO DE DIRECCION, CON RESPECTO A ESTE GRAN VIA LE DIRE QUE NO TENEMOS IDEA DE SI ABRIRAN O NO.

POR LO PRONTO NUESTRO PERSONAL ON EL SERVICIO DE LA GRAN VIA ESTA UBICADO A 5 CUADRAS DE LA ANTIGUA GRAN VIA, LLAMADO HOTEL SAN AGUSTIN.

HABIATCIONES CON BANO PRIVADO, AGUA CALIENTE, TELEVISION POR CABLE A CONTROL REMOTO,CAJAS DE SEGURIDAD EN LA HABITACION COMPLETAMENTE GRATIS,TELEFONO ,LAVANDERIA , SERVICIO DE BAR Y RESTAURANTE CON ROOM SERVICE , INTERNET
GRATIS PARA NUESTROS HUESPEDES 24 HORAS AL DIA ECT.


TENEMOS SERVICIO DE TRANSPORTE DESDE EL AEROPUERTO , COMPLETAMENTE GRATIS .
( solamente necesitamos sus datos de vuelo )

HAGAME SABER SI ES DE SU CONVENIENCIA. SERA UN GUSTO EL PODER SERVIRLE
NUEVAMENTE.

SERVIDOR.

ALVARO MONTERO.

The San Agostin offers some nice things, according to Mr. Montero's letter.

* Free 24 hour Internet for guests

* Free in-room safes

* Free transportation from the airport

* Cable TV w/remote, hot water, private bath

* Bar/restaurant service w/room service.

Too bad that this hotel is five blocks farther away from the Gulch and in a less-than-desireable area.

_________________
Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

I have checked out the San Agustin.

Yes they do have all those things that Alvaro listed. What he failed to mention is that the rooms are small, sparsely furnished and I think, when compared to the Gran Via, terribly overpriced.

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

Stayed at Hotel Doral for one night. I must say it was a decent low price option. Pretty clean, basic room, and friendly clerk at front desk. I paid $24 no breakfast, cash. Chica friendly but $6 fee and called room after to make sure everything is cool. As had been reported the downside was neighborhood at night.. All in all not bad. It was kind of a bummer going back there at night honestly. So I moved to Morazan for 3 nights after that.