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Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
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Author:  Loco Mike [ Mon May 23, 2011 9:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I hit San Jose for the first time in over 6 months, which is the longest I've been away since I first started going to SJO 6 years ago. After reading various reports about the Prez I finally moved on and looked for other venues. I think I had stayed at the Prez for about 15 straight trips.

I tried the SL and Amistad, the SL was booked, it took them three days to respond to my e-mail just to let me know they were booked :? . (not mad I will try the SL another time) The Amistad responded within a few hours so I reserved a room there. I asked for a premium room, if one became available, and about a day later they had a cancellation. I took the upgrade.

Used up almost all my Spirit miles and got a ticket for about $100 including baggage fees. In typical Spirit fashion they were about 1 1/2 hours late leaving Ft. Lauderdale. I wound up sitting next to a CRT guy who was moving to CR from North Carolina. He was also staying at the Amistad for the first time. Nice coincidence as we had a nice conversation going down to SJO.

Go to the Amistad and checked in. Everything was fine and the put me in room 312 which has a jacuzzi and steam room. The room compares favorably to the Spa rooms at the Prez. The staff at the Amistad was great and I would certainly stay there again.

I celebrated my new found freedom from the Prez dress code by partying mainly with Chicas wearing short sexy dresses. It was nice staying in a venue with a liberal chica policy. The guys at the Amistad were for the most part good guys who were fun to shoot the breeze with at breakfast or just hanging out between sessions.

Now on to the trains that everyone talks about. They are for real and come periodically throughout the day. I guess trains are somewhat like people and no two are exactly the same. Some of them were mild in terms of there noise and vibration level and some where absolute mofo's with respect to there noise and vibration level. If your a light sleeper the trains will wake your ass up.

Going back Spirit improved a little and was only an hour and fifteen minutes late. What a phucked up unreliable airline. Those bastards lick the sweat and maggots off a dead goats ass.

Overall it was good to get back to SJO for a nice weekend. Hopefully airfares will go down some and I will go back. If not I will continue going to Santo Domingo as my total trip for 3-4 days, including chica fees and dining out, is about what I would have to spend on just airfare and hotel in SJO.
Author:  Dont.litter [ Thu May 26, 2011 6:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I was in room 106 for 8 days (nights really, except for sessions during the day!) and I can attest that the staff (Rudy, Carlos, etc) are amazing. Thy will do anything for you.

But I must say the trains started blaring the horns at 6am every day except sat and sun. That woke my ass up and prevented me from sleeping past 6am each week day which was a big pain in the ass.

I would never stay there again unless my room was somewhere at the opposite end of the hotel, but even then, I am not sure if it is better.
Author:  El Ornitorrinco [ Thu May 26, 2011 8:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I usually stay in 106 & have never been woken up by the train. Last weekend, I was in 212 for a change of pace & noticed it slightly more, but still was never woken up by it. The staff at La Amistad are very good, no question. Ate breakfast there for the first time this last trip (I usually prefer the Del Mar buffet) & was disappointed.
Author:  Jawanker [ Thu May 26, 2011 9:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
There are lot of relatively light trains, and then there are a few larger ones during the day that rock the hotel like a small earthquake. All of them blow their whistles. It's a safety issue, and probably necessary. I really have gotten used to it. More annoying are the hotel guests that have long loud obnoxious late parties and don't close their room doors and the phuckers that feel it necessary to shout down the hall to their friends, especially of the nights that you have to get up early for business or a flight home. It's a matter of common courtesy to be quiet in the hallways.
Author:  Elkarlos [ Fri May 27, 2011 1:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I think the conductors BLOW a little harder/louder near La Amistad because Matt has complained about it.
But then, there are guards at all crossings so blowing the horn is kind of senseless and discourteous. Oh, that's right....Costa Rica.
Pura Vida.
Author:  El Ornitorrinco [ Fri May 27, 2011 4:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
Jawanker wrote:
There are lot of relatively light trains, and then there are a few larger ones during the day that rock the hotel like a small earthquake. All of them blow their whistles. It's a safety issue, and probably necessary. I really have gotten used to it. More annoying are the hotel guests that have long loud obnoxious late parties and don't close their room doors and the phuckers that feel it necessary to shout down the hall to their friends, especially of the nights that you have to get up early for business or a flight home. It's a matter of common courtesy to be quiet in the hallways.


+1

Only had it happen once, but those phuckers in April were super loud & annoying.
Author:  Hank [ Tue May 31, 2011 8:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I have stayed in 202 and 211 which are both on the other side and have never been bothered by the trains noise.
Author:  Dont.litter [ Tue May 31, 2011 9:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I heard the girls getting slammed across the hall from 106 where I was. I guess those guys heard my girls though... so it is tit for tat!

It is not a super soundproof hotel....
Author:  Nhhank [ Tue May 31, 2011 2:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I do stay at La Amistad from time to time :shock:

203 is cave away from the tracks...mini- suite with hot tub and a sunna

210 is also as quite as it gets there... Standard King room

Good internet in both

As far as the other noise... deal with it :idea: I run the fan on the AC and have some background music playing if i want to sleep, which is rare :D

I must agree the free breakfast is abit slim unless you pay for some meat or potatoes

The laundry for a pinky is a great plus
Author:  El Ornitorrinco [ Tue May 31, 2011 4:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
Staying in 312 for the first time in June...will report on how loud or not the train is in that room.
Author:  PlaneCrazy [ Sat Jun 11, 2011 6:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I don't know why everyone is so hung up on the trains that go by the Amistad. I've stayed in that first floor room closest to the tracks a couple of times now and it didn't bother me one bit. Plus, on Sundays and on holidays, there are almost no trains. Even when they are running once an hour, those pissy little passenger trains have nothing on the 5 mile long monster freight trains that I used to have go by my house when I was growing up. I even lived beside a CN train yard once and every morning, I would wake up to the sound of some monster diesel engine idling less then 50 feet away as they built the trains for the day.

I guess it's because random noises don't bother me much (trains, airplanes, cars driving by, etc) It's the regular noises that bug me... especially people talking.

The absolute worst stay, for noise, that I had in CR was the one and only time I stayed at the HDR. I was on the 3rd floor in a room facing towards the Del Mar Restaurant and the noise at night there was insane! I came close to committing murder after a week of some insane woman screaming outside or the cripple who would park near the gate in his wheelchair and choke a trombone to death for half the night. LOL! Great view for people watching though.. I have to give them that.
Author:  Cloude [ Sun Jun 12, 2011 11:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I stayed there last week for a whole week for the first time. The noise from the train wasn't too bad in either the room on the first floor or the second floor. It never woke me up anyday, but I could hear it during the day if I didn't have either the tv or music playing. I did hear the train a lot while sitting at the bar/dining area but I never stayed there too long unless I was there for a meal.

Overall the stay there was very good as the bartender was extremely nice and was smiles the whole time I was there. The front desk was helpful with everything. The only complaint was the smaller rooms were terrible in size. The larger rooms felt a lot better and actually have a window to the outside.

I would definately stay there again if there wasn't anything available at the SL.

Cloude
Author:  Koolaidkid [ Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
Thanks for all the great post. I will be staying there in September and I am looking forward to the trip. I will also report daily once I arrive.
Author:  CaptainCohiba [ Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
I stayed there not too long ago i a room with the tracks right outside the window and I noticed the noise way less. When the train first became an issue a few years back it was obnoxiously loud and bothersome. Now, I barely heard it. I don't know of it is due to lighter rail cars, the conductor going a bit easy by the hotel, or the people Matt has put out there by the tracks to signal. Either way, for me, the noise was minimal and not an issue. And by the way, still much quieter than the Presidente.


PURA VIDA!
Author:  K-Paxian [ Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Trains, Planes & Amistad(s)
Jawanker wrote:
There are lot of relatively light trains, and then there are a few larger ones during the day that rock the hotel like a small earthquake. All of them blow their whistles. It's a safety issue, and probably necessary. I really have gotten used to it. More annoying are the hotel guests that have long loud obnoxious late parties and don't close their room doors and the phuckers that feel it necessary to shout down the hall to their friends, especially of the nights that you have to get up early for business or a flight home. It's a matter of common courtesy to be quiet in the hallways.


I found the loud obnoxious tools much more annoying than the train when I stayed at the Amistad. Loud drunken parties done with doors wide open and/or in the hallways. Screaming to each other down the hall. Clomping up the stairs with two chicas making a huge racket. All in the middle of the night. Assholes....
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