www.CostaRicaTicas.com

First the good:

Nice people, the grounds of the hotel are pretty nice, small breakfast is included in the price and the restaurant has a nice view of the beach. I brought back 4 chicas during my stay there and had no problems with security and no chica fees. The room is very basic, no TV and no phone.
AC is good and there is also a ceiling fan which is nice. Didn't get a chance to go to the bar there, but it looks nice and the pool has a volleyball court on one side if you are into that.

The bad:

Once I got inside my room I noticed I didn't have a key to the room safe (which was supposed to be included). Went back to the front desk and was informed I would have to pay a $6 non-refundable deposit for the safe key. No big deal, but I hate it when places nickel and dime you. The room had kind of a musty smell to it. My room was facing the pool, but I could still hear the construction going on behind the hotel (even with the bathroom door shut). This made it hard to sleep in past say 8:00 a.m. with hammering and pounding. The way those guys were working (coupled with rainy weather) it could be a good year before they are done with construction. I had prepaid for my room through expedia. When I returned home, I noticed I was charged $150 for 2 nights by expedia's booking company. The hotel also charged me $120 for those 2 nights. I have been going back and forth with the hotel and the booking company regarding the refund.

My advice on this hotel- don't even consider it until say mid 2007 and make sure to look at all your charges if you do book here.

Hotel Poseidon is a better option for about $10 more IMO-

I stayed at that same hotel and i was robbed out of that hotel...as i have wrote, the problem i had with this place was once you enter the room and unlock the door with a key....the door is now un-locked you must relock the door again once inside...i wish the hotel staff would of informed me of this inportant detail...yes after reviewing all the facts the 2 items that increased me getting robbed were 1. i drank way to much ...never have i drank this much while doing the pay for play...maybe making a honest girl turn into a thief ...since i layed there sleeping and knowing once she left the room the door dosnt lock (i seen her leave and all was well)2. the hotel dosnt make the girl leave her id....at the desk...the next day when i reported the crime to the manager ...he could care less , and i left with the feeling of maybe the staff could of been in on the crime...i have no facts to prove this ..just a gut feeling..when i ask the manager to get the guard that was on duty that nite ...he just said "no" and looked into some book....and said ...you bring a girl to the room....i said yes...and now it seem like with him the case was closed ...and he seemed to enjoy the fact that i was robbed....anyway....those are the facts .....just a heads up ..if you chose to stay ...

I stayed there and had no problem. My room had a TV and safe. The beach is nicer there than some of the other hotels. Try stayin at the Tangeri next trip good service.

DIDO... I just stayed at the Cocal and had a good experience. The pool and bar is awesome. Rooms are nice and very cheap. The staff was friendly and helpful. The food was also good.

Only complaint was the construction noise in the morning. Other than that.... great hotel.

IMHO... if you get robbed by a chica, its almost always your fault. (Sorry... its the chica's fault for being a little thief... but you know what I mean) You know the game. The hotel can help you be safer by providing safes, ID checks and door locks. But, utlimately, you need some street smarts.

BTW... You can do all three at the Cocal. They have safes... you can request the security guy to take down her cedula info and the doors DO HAVE LOCKS. I have been in "relaxed" hotels where ID checks are not mandatory. You can always request one. I even had a "relaxed" hotel make a photocopy of her cedula behind the counter. Its easy enough.

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I have stayed at the Cocal twice and have had very good experiences both times. The pool bar is great, and the staff was very friendly. They corrected a problem with my bill right away. I had no problem with the lock on my door. The only problem was the construction.

All in all I had a great time there with good friends. I would have no problem staying there again.


Xman

I stayed there recently and had a good time, even though I hate Jaco.

The pool bar is very cool. The restaurant is VERY GOOD, the dinner I had was EXCELLENT and reasonably priced.

My safe key was $3 (not $6 ), and I also had no problems with my door.
(I learned how to lock it when I was a little boy. )

I must be a hard sleeper because noise just does not bother me at all. I can pretty much sleep through anything. All in all, a good place for $60/night for a nice poolside room.

I have stayed there twice, had an awsome time there. Pool bar is excellent,great bartenders.( other than Johana is at Monkey bar now). Food is great. Half the reason I go to Jaco is the fun and the freindly people I have met from all over US there. Staying at Capobana this time as buddy just got back saturday and said the noice from Construction was a pain. But all in all I will be back to the Cocal once Const. is slowed and quiet.
Harley

Orange, i have enjoyed reading your posts and respect your views on san jose and our hobby...and i know even on the slowest of days , you will have a post or two. Not sure if you ever been robbed ....but as you well know it has happen to me ...this was my 6th trip to san jose and with at least the first 4 trips i follow every rule and did everything to stay safe...and found san jose to be a safe place for me ..did i let my guard down , sure a little but i got to know what to do and what not to do in san jose...then comes my birthday and we go to jaco...a normal nite for is while taking taxis from place to place is maybe 4 or 5 beers ..never drunk but a little buzz on..then we get to JACO...12.00 what to do ..we cant find woman ...anywhere ?? we go to bar to bar ..and i get drunk..(its my b-day) then we sit at b.b and wait (and drink more ) then we get to where we are with the girls...and (in my mind ) we are safe and i make it back to my hotel ...only to discover that is the place that isnt safe as you said "your mommy taught you how to lock the door" in the last 15 years of my life i can say ..i have not stayed in hotel room where you needed to lock the door once you were inside...sounds simple "if you know you need to do it" that is where i have a problem with the hotel and the staff....why cant they point out a very important fact to there guests..?? why did the desk cleck seem to enjoy that i was robbed ...why when i ask to see the guard on duty that nite..he wont look at me....getting robbed sucks ...be it me or you or anyone else....please keep the jokes ...to yourself....