www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Great place! The best way to describe The Sportsmens Lodge (TSL) is that it quickly becomes “a place where people know your name.” When I returned to TSL from the Del Rey, I felt less like I was walking into a hotel and more like I was returning home. The hospitality is unmatched. You won’t find that typical corporate feel at the TSL like other hotels. The lobby/bar/check-in area are centrally located so no matter your needs it isn’t necessary to use your room phone for hotel services since everyone is just a few feet away from your room – help is just a few feet away no matter your needs at the TSL.

I have not read many postings about TSL, however I can imagine that some find rooms located around the lobby/bar area a bit noisy. You can hear things happening just outside of your room. For me, this is a bonus because it adds to feeling like you are at home. The noise is just a wake up call for me, because otherwise I’d sleep the morning away - I’m no morning person so the distant noises are more appreciated than an annoyance. For those of you that want complete silence and want to sleep your mornings away, request a room further from the bar/lobby area or when the additional 10 or 11 rooms are added in the back request one of those. I’ll stick with that lobby/bar area.

Food!!! The Club Sandwich and the Hamburger are outstanding. I had a few other things off the menu too (can’t remember the names exactly) and they were all very good and perfectly sized portions as well. I ate every meal at TSL. Even if you stay at the Presidente or elsewhere, find TSL to eat and you’ll not regret it.

Chicas that hang out around the bar at TSL are as sweet as they come. There are a few that aren’t in very good shape so if you are staying there and you just want a really good message for an hour, I’d recommend it. I got a few messages from the fatties for 25 dollars- be sure to tell them to do your feet and hands (my favorite). I find that the messages, when sex is involved, are rushed so an hour with a fatty without the pressure of sex is a good thing for me.

The staff is outstanding and like I said above, if you make even the slightest effort to get to know them, they’ll know your name which again dispels the corporate feel that most hotels exhibit. I hope Bill hands out big bonus checks at Christmas to his crew, because they are a major contributor to the success of TSL.

I have only one suggestion for the TSL – make the rooms nonsmoking. I was in the Amor on my second stay and for a non-smoker; it smelled very bad especially when mixed with the damp SJ weather. Since most of the clientele are Americans, I don’t think anyone would object in a big way to a nonsmoking policy considering in the USA this policy is normal. The lobby/bar area is so close to the rooms, it wouldn’t be a major inconvenience to walk a few feet to smoke. So as for smoking, I prefer that the only smoking allowed is for “smoking hot” Chicas to be in the room.

I didn't hear any noise with regard to the hotel's expansion - my stay was in late August 2005. The expansion involves a completely separate building.

Your stay includes free coffee, muffin and fruit every morning.

Lastly, my next stay will be at TSL and the next and next and next.

I didn't stay at TSL last week (we stayed at the DR), but my friends and I walked over there during the day for a drink, bite to eat, and a game of pool. From what I saw, the hotel seemed very classy, clean, and beautifully laid out. The bartender was incredibly friendly and compared to the bars at the DR and BM they had a great selection of booze behind the counter. Personally, I prefer the non-stop action and 24-hour a day excitement in and around the DR. The Sportsman Lodge's somewhat isolated location would disuade me from ever staying there, but then again you can argue that its distance from the hectic, loud DR area is what makes it so appealing. This is strictly a personal preference thing. I'm more of a DR type of monger.

My room is right off the lobby, and yes, it can get a little loud. But the fact is the bar closes at midnight, and let's face it, you are on vacation. If you can not stay up after 12 on vacation, you probably should not be in this country in the first place.

Honestly, I did not find the noise a factor at all. A real nice place to stay, etc.,etc., it has been reported by people with better writting skills than me.

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Tunaman

I have a better idea. Instead of prohibiting smoking in all rooms, maybe the folks at the SL could designate one or two rooms as non-smoking. So, when you call for a reservation, you can request one of those rooms. Yet, if the hotel is booked up except for the one or two rooms designated as non-smoking rooms, then I would expect those rooms to be made available to smokers. I'll leave it up to Bill and Ray to ponder your request.

I know smokers get the elbow thrown at them in the USA so I’m careful to suggest USA policy in CR, however the rooms are so close to the bar I don’t see a need to smoke in them. Also, the damp weather makes the smell worse, because the smoke attaches to damp materials and stays there. If smoking remains, I’d hope that some more frequent deep cleaning is done on a more regular basis to compensate. When I first walked in to the room (Amor), they had the fan going as if to air it out but this wasn’t in the least effective.

i just got back from costa rica, my first visit, and my favorite hangout quickly became the sportsman lodge. bill is a great host and the ladies behind the bar are all wonderful. they truely make you feel like you are family. i didn't stay at tsl but as soon as their a/c rooms are finished (bill said 10/15/05) i will. it is the perfect place for guys 40 and older, the younger guys may not like the laidback atmosphere. the food was excellent and great service. one thing though, the bartenders make very little salary and rely on tips....i was amazed at how few guys tipped at all or very little.....so hook the bartenders up when they take care of you. even one of the working girls played pool with me for half the night one night. there was usually 6 or 7 girls there working and one of the girls was the most attractive of any that i saw the week i was in CR. I didn't get her name, as another guy grabbed her before i did......but they had several others that were nice as well. the biggest plus is these girls don't pressure you and are very accomodating.

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gb5151

I thought they added 10% to the bar bill for service so although I tipped a bit, I didn't go crazy tipping since my bar bill stated a 10% service charge.

Yep, there is a percentage added for tip or servicio but Margie, Heidi, Karol, Violetta, Marianna et al are the nicest and sincerely warmest bartenders on the planet and deserve whatever extras you can afford. They are true treasures

Pax,
Sluthog

sluthog,thanks for your post.I just returned from 5 days at the SL.I am in the service industry and believe me the barmaids at SL with their service and personality,deserve whatever you can afford to tip,regardless of the 10%.thanks again my waitresses would love you! Rferg

If we can afford to throw 40 to 100 at Chicas, surely we can tip.

I tipped, just not the normal because of the 10%.

The service is very personal at TSL - much appreciated too. I can hardly wait to get back down there, perhaps during the Superbowl if I can wait that long.

I have stayed at the SL twice and loved each stay. Like a poster mentioned above, the bar closes at 12:00, and when you return to the SL after a night of partying the place will be dark and locked down. The security dude will let you in and lead you to your room. It is very quiet throughout the evening and early morning hours.

My routine is to go straight to the SL upon arrival to CR to drop off my bags. I'll return at around dinner time for a shower and pretty good food (the nachos kick serious ass). I'm usually out of there at about 6:00 or 7:00. The early-evening crowd is lively but not out of control by any means.

I have seen only two or three chicas at the SL at any given time. Was I just unlucky?

The SL is a great place to stay if you want a quiet room, good food, and good service. It is very chica friendly, i.e., no pu*sy tax. I think it is the perfect place to base operations if you want to let it all hang out elsewhere in San Jose. But if you're looking for an experience like the DR, this is not the place. The age range of the typical SL guest is wide, but I've found that age doesn't matter much when mongering. I'm in my early thirties and tore up the town with a 60-something fellow gringo on my first trip. My second trip to SL also was alone and was just as productive.

Most of the staff are eager to help with the exception of one bartender who does not speak English - not real friendly. But that's about the worst I can say about the SL.

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I don't pay chicas to spend time with me. I pay chicas to not spend time with me afterward.

Dcdweller... amen to the nachos, they ROCK, but my absolute favorite is the steak in jalapeno sauce with fries.... mmmmmmmm!!

Yes, you were just unlucky, as I can tell you personally that my wingman and I took out 5 at one time just last Thursday, and they were all 8's and above! God bless the Sportsman's! More on that story in my soon-to-be-released trip report.

Ruffnutz

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EVERYONE'S A ROCK STAR IN C.R.!!
"Just when I thought I was out... They pull me back in." -- Ruffnutz on trying to quit CRT

Just to give you an idea of what type of guy Bill of Sportsmen's Lodge is, I met Bill 11 months ago and talked to him for about 2 minutes.

Last week I walked in with Ruffnutz and after saying hello to Ruff he pointed at me and said, "Witling, right?"

That made quite an impression on me.

Witling wrote:


2 minutes? When's the last time your conversation with anyone was just two minutes?

I agree Bill is a good guy, but I think you left off a zero or two.

I had a craving for hot dogs and found out SL had them....they were excellent .....with cervesa frio.
Checked out the new addition and it looks fantastic. The party suite will be fantastic, a perfect party place. I must remember not to take chicas to the loft bedroom......may roll off