www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I'm planning to head back down to CR in September or early October and if all goes well, will stay four or five months. I want to headquarter in an aparthotel, and I've seen some good leads posted. But my plan is to arrive, stay a week or so in San Jose, then head West and check out the North and Central Pacific Coast for a couple of weeks. Is there any safe place in SJ to store my other gear (which would include my laptop,etc) for the two weeks I'm away. Or do you think I could get the aparthotel I'll be staying at to safely store it for a small fee? Security is important, but I would rather not be paying a monthly rate at the aparthotel AND have to pay for hotel rooms on my road trip. Thanks for the suggestions.

Check out VistaLinda apartments (vistalinda.webcindario.com) They are very nice, secure, and cheap enough to keep one as a base of operations for the duration.

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Tonka. (Still Alive and kicking.)

I can no longer in good faith recommend Vista Linda...
I also highly recommend avoiding the Clarion hotel!

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Tonka. (Still Alive and kicking.)

My favorite for years, until one of us messed it up and made it chica unfriendly about 5 years ago, was Aparthotel LaSabana, a few blocks from the park on a quiet street. Spotless, kitchenettes, free good bk, computer, fax, pool, sauna, coin laundry, free secured parking/free airport shuttle, lots of restaurants very near including fast food. If you're going to the west coast, a great jump off location.

Local Chinese owned since it opened in the 90's but completely Tico run. Looking at their website pics today, I see Luis is still the front desk manager. That's a good sign to me when a place has long standing managment in place. The DelRey being the exception re: "her" who's run more gringo's out of the DR over bar bill/hotel charges/lack of basic courtesy disputes then have 200 overly pesty gorda DR putas in the past year alone. Go figure, every one has their opinion on that one, mine is a big fat ass who sits at a desk 10' from her with a big smile on his face whenever he wants it. Not to mention popular bartenders who "disappear".

Aparthotel LaSabana is as quiet as you're going to get in SJ, a premium for me, at those rates if you get a pool side room facing the front desk/kitchen, not in the wing above the front desk/kitchen, and not one facing the "backyard" so to speak which is a police car junk yard, at least it was. And now with a $11 for 2 hours at Queens hotel a block from the Rey first mentioned by Rac, it's a very nice out of the gulch option. Very very good rates for a really nice place close to the gulch (weekly discount rate too) for the smaller rooms and very moderate rates (weekly discount rate too) for the kitchenettes, check the website, offers storage at no charge though I didn't see it on their site but I know they do. Very well run place. Won't you need your laptop? http://www.apartotel-lasabana.com/en/rooms/rates

Another popular one is Aparthotel Christina, http://www.apartotelcristina.com/ same general area by the Sabannah Park, never been there. Know guys that have and rave and last time I heard they weren't blocking a discreet entrance with a discreet chica. I did also hear $5 in advance to the guy you know will be working the desk really greased it.

Another cheaper option is Aparthotel El Sesteo, same general area, no where near as nice as the two above, has a website

The Sportsmens Lodge had some lockers for rent, You supply your own lock, I think Bill might be able to hook you up

Lets just say that Carlos likes to run a nice quiet place...
And any deviation from that rule will get you promptly shown the gate, without a refund!


In the case of the Clarion Amon Plaza, not only will you be tossed out, but your passport, wallet, and other possessions will be forfeit! And don't bother with la policia, because they will simply add a good beating to what the bouncers at the Clarion have already done... The place is NOT, CHICA, OR MONGER friendly!

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Tonka. (Still Alive and kicking.)

Thanks Greengo, I needed those enlightened truths mixed with streams of consciousness.

so, if I understand this right, you got 'removed' from two different establishments?
Was this all on the same trip?
If so, what was the common denominator is both these incidents?
Maybe a little self evaluation is in order?