For the extra $5.00, it might be worth it.
First of all, Jimmy and the other drivers associated with the SL are friendly, knowledgeable guys. Jimmy doesn't mind small side-trips to pick up a sixer of Imperial, cruise past local hot-spots and the like. The orange cabs will not do this for the $12.00 flat fee.
Secondly, if you do take the orange taxis and have forgotten your map to the SL, you can tell the driver that you're going to the former Hotel Iloki. As stated above, the SL is comfortably close to the Hemingway, Castillo and Don Carlos hotels; it's also very close to Cafe Mundo, a restaurant well known to most SJO cabbies.
If saving money is what you're about, try the 200B bus to San Jose. it costs less than a buck.

You'll need exact change of course, and they will not accept U.S. currency, but buses are very cheap.
Then, you could grab a red cab and get to the Iloki/Sportsmen's for about $2.00 cab fare, total around $3.00.
I took an orange airport taxi to the SL with no problem whatsoever. Simply buy a taxi ticket at the kiosk outside the airport Customs area and immediately to your left as you exit. You hand the ticket to the taxi driver as you board the taxi; tipping is not necessary unless you feel particularly generous or are traveling with heavy/unwieldy luggage.
Important note: The taxi ticket vendors will only accept bills which are unmarked, not torn, perfect. Also, if you pay with larger bills requiring change, you'll get your change back in colones, not dollars
The exchange rate will be lousy, so be sure to have bills totaling exactly $12.00. It wasn't a big deal for me, but I bought my ticket with $15.00 and received around 1300 colones change...at the time the exchange was 480 colones:$1.00. In other words, I lost about 28 cents.
