www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I ended up at the hotel freebird since everything else was either booked up or double/triple the price. Given the situation, I highly expected that I'd be "getting what I paid for".

Upon arrival, I found the rooms to be surprisingly nice. The owner, dennis, is an american ex-pat who quickly introduced me to the city, the scene, and the inside scoop on essentially everything. The hotel only has 7 rooms, which resulted in instant camaraderie with the other guests staying there. The vibe is decidedly low-key and up-beat, almost college dorm like, and given the nature of our stays, fits appropriately.

While only 2 of the rooms have AC, my room was a very comfortable temperature with just the fan. The only real downside is that the regular rooms share bathrooms on the ground floor. Other than a smirk from the girls, it wasn't really an issue. Everything is very clean. The hotel is 2 blocks south of the action, an essentially negligible distance.

I went there expecting a budget hotel, but its really not. It's just sort of a non-conventional hotel. I highly recommend it, especially if you're traveling by yourself.