www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I'm getting ready to book rooms for the first week of January. Which hotel would you reccomend, and why??

Wow, tough question.

Here are advantages to either:

Presidente: WIFI, modern, communal jacuzzi that you can reserve free, refrigerator/AC/electronic-lockedd security box in room. No chica fees, but guests are limited to one visitor at a time and the dress code is still in effect. Great location a block from the HDR and many other useful places.

Castillo: Great rates especially if you prepay in cash. Close to Sportsmen's Lodge.

Both houses offer CRT VIP discounts. Both have excellent, friendly employees. El Presidente is more "gringofied" than the Castillo.

Hope this heps.

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

Easy,

If you're booking the first week of January....that's cutting it close. I booked a room at the Castillo for January......2 months ago, and even then it seemed like they didn't have that much available.

Good luck,
Zebra

I stayed in Castillo in August, I didn't like it. Sure, it's cheap $38/night. I didn't see the cheap rooms, I had the deluxe room for $50/night, but still didn't like it. The beds are on wheels and move across the room as your having fun with the chicas. It's pretty funny at first, but gets annoying very quickly. When we came back from Jaco, they put me in a different room with no A/C, even though I paid for and requested one with A/C. They moved me to another one, but made me pay a few $ more for the rate difference. The breakfast is lousy. Some pinto (Tico rice and beans), bread, fruit, and coffee/juice. No eggs, no ham/bacon... pretty weak

I won't be staying there again.

YMMV. I stay there myself. I hope to see you around town, but I keep a low profile when in town.

Yes, those beds do move around.

I say go with the Presidente if you can get a room there, even more so if you can get one of the larger room types--the junior suites, spa rooms, or to live it up and really impress the chicas, one of the grand spa suites (I was able to land one of those for three nights over the Thanksgiving weekend). Loads of fetaures, and it's right on the pedestrian part of Avienda Central--walked it on two evenings without any fear.

Yeah, the Castillo may be cheap, but it seems you get what you pay for. I require a certain level of comfort and amenities when in SJ.

Guys, thanks for the info. I have booked the presidente for the week, and thanks to CRT for the great discount.

Agree completely. Its funny, but I pretty much voiced the same sentiment after my stay and had two strange and vehmently opposed posts about what I had to say. It was almost like the posters had an alterior motive in being so in love with a motel that to me at least is equivalent to a Motel6 or some like competitor. Of course, just my opinion...