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Statying Anonymous in CR
https://forum.costaricaticas.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=50395		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  stiga9091 [ Wed Sep 13, 2017 1:45 am ]
Post subject:  Statying Anonymous in CR
Greetings,

A college friend and I would like to experience the wonders of CR. Obviously we'd like to be a discreet as reasonably possible. We are planning on staying at the Morazan or HDR. What is the minimum personal info we need to reveal in order to get get a room (passports/licences/pay by cash)? What are some tips on staying anon so word of all the fun doesnt make it back to the States(and our gf's;)?

Also at the Morazan they dont charge for ticas, but as we understand it they still need to register at the front desk. Is there any way to avoid this, if not how long do the hotels keep a list of all the ticas that have made it to your room? do they keep logs?

thx for the tips fellas!
Author:  LAdiablo [ Wed Sep 13, 2017 6:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
you can always check in under an alias once the reservation is made
the chica info thing is in your advantage should something get sideways
if she flips out on drugs and suddenly tears up your room or attacks you its good to have her info
not sure how her info could make any difference to you or make it back to your girl
you always have the option of doing business off site from the hotel at an mp or short time motel
if you told friends you are staying at the morazon and they look into it they are going to know you are in the belly of the beast w a quick internet search...
look at trip advisor or expedia etc review on the place
"nice for bringing someone back to the room in gringo gulch" :lol:
not going to take a sleuth to deduce whats going on just sayin
if she gets ahold of a term like gringo gulch you are toast no matter what name you use
Author:  MM3 [ Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
stiga9091 wrote:
Greetings,

A college friend and I would like to experience the wonders of CR. Obviously we'd like to be a discreet as reasonably possible. We are planning on staying at the Morazan or HDR. What is the minimum personal info we need to reveal in order to get get a room (passports/licences/pay by cash)? What are some tips on staying anon so word of all the fun doesnt make it back to the States(and our gf's;)?

Also at the Morazan they dont charge for ticas, but as we understand it they still need to register at the front desk. Is there any way to avoid this, if not how long do the hotels keep a list of all the ticas that have made it to your room? do they keep logs?

thx for the tips fellas!


1. Don't stay at the HDR if you want to be "anonymous". That's crazy. That's ground zero. The Morazan might be better but not much.

2. Stay at the Castillo or La Amistad - either present well as 'regular' hotels. No girl fee. The girl leaves her ID - nothing else.

3. You can pay at either the Castillo or La Amistad in cash. To make an online reservation they need normal online reservation stuff. If there is no credit card charge there is no record on the credit card statement.

4. Or you can stay someplace like the Hilton Garden Inn in La Sabana, taxi or Uber into centro, use MPs in the daytime and a 'love motel' like La Officina at night. Prepare to spend a lot.

[This only partly in jest] Obviously while you are going around anonymously you should probably have a CR burner phone with a local SIM purchased in cash and leave your US phone in the US (cell tower tracking), stay off all social media, etc.

There's a group of guys that come down from the Atlanta area every year (maybe twice a year) to "play golf" and stay at La Amistad because of the all-inclusive. I don't play golf (my dad was a fanatic) and even I know that there's world-class courses within a couple of hours of Atlanta. They actually play once or twice (probably take multiple shirts for photos).
Author:  nosejelly [ Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
If the GFs google Costa Rica Women you're probably F'd! Unless the GFs are blindly trusting or gullable.
Author:  Zeos [ Wed Sep 13, 2017 6:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
If you're a guy going to CR by yourself (ie without your gf/spouse) you're already busted if anyone cares to search. I genuinely went to CR for other reasons initially...but eventually many people assumed I was there for the chicas. So I thought...why not. It almost worked that way anyway.
Author:  stiga9091 [ Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
alright, so Morazan it is. If I book a reservation online under an alias, I'll try to check in with the reservation print-out, and then pay in cash. hopefully they wont require passport or drivers license(I saw a post on TripAdvisor that they scanned some guys passport??). Also, we wont be taking cell phones or be yapping on social media about the trip prior.,,,
Author:  MM3 [ Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
stiga9091 wrote:
alright, so Morazan it is. If I book a reservation online under an alias, I'll try to check in with the reservation print-out, and then pay in cash. hopefully they wont require passport or drivers license(I saw a post on TripAdvisor that they scanned some guys passport??). Also, we wont be taking cell phones or be yapping on social media about the trip prior.,,,


So, yeah. Anonymous at the Morazan. Might as well just stay at the HDR and post it on Facebook.

You're worried about being anonymous and your going to stay at a hotel you already believe scans passports?

And is next to the HDR.

The Castillo and the La Amistad don't scan shit. And aren't a dump.
Author:  Jawanker [ Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
Most hotels will want to at least see your passport, that's true all over the world.
Don't worry, after a few days in Costa Rica you won't want to go back to your old girlfriends anyway. :lol:
Author:  Buzzfla [ Mon Sep 18, 2017 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
The Morazán does scan your passport. Get a room on the fifth floor
Author:  Miamiheller [ Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
stiga9091 wrote:
alright, so Morazan it is. If I book a reservation online under an alias, I'll try to check in with the reservation print-out, and then pay in cash. hopefully they wont require passport or drivers license(I saw a post on TripAdvisor that they scanned some guys passport??). Also, we wont be taking cell phones or be yapping on social media about the trip prior.,,,


Speaking of social media - if you have Facebook on your phone and you don't want every one of your friends to see you're in sunny "San Jose, Costa Rica", be sure to check out this article before you go down:

http://time.com/money/4831793/facebook- ... pchat-map/

mh
Author:  Zeos [ Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
Every hotel will need to see your passport and probably scan it. They may even be required to do so. You also have to be able to produce your passport any time an official asks...generally a good photocopy of your passport info page and your entry stamp page will suffice...but you always need to have passport ID on your person. If you try to use a fake name, or some such thing they may just call the police instead of giving you a room. Don't provide that excuse.

I'm also reasonably sure that your info actually goes nowhere. It's not like Cuba where they track you...its just they (hotels) always need real ID. for locals as well as foreigners.
Author:  pokins [ Tue Sep 19, 2017 12:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
in regards to having a copy of your passport - will photos of your passport on your phone work?
Author:  MM3 [ Tue Sep 19, 2017 7:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
pokins wrote:
in regards to having a copy of your passport - will photos of your passport on your phone work?


No. And while most cops are satisfied with a color copy of the picture page and visa page, they can demand your actual passport.
Author:  Ilv4play [ Tue Sep 19, 2017 12:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
MM3 wrote:
No. And while most cops are satisfied with a color copy of the picture page and visa page, they can demand your actual passport.


If you are driving make sure you have your passport on you and not a copy. I had an issue where I went to Panama and spent the night in Ciudad Niely and in the morning had a somewhat extra vigourus session with the fiance after getting ready to leave the motel. In the haste to leave my passport which I had already put in my shorts pocket had come out and got covered up by the bedspread on the bed. On the way back we get caught up in a checkpoint and low and behold no passport. We were about 5 miles from the place we stayed at and while talking with the officer my fiance calls the motel and the cleaners had found my passport in the bed. That little fiasco cost about 30 minutes of time and a crisp $100.00. The officer said that he could take the plates of the vehicle for my driving without my passport if he wanted to. What was nice though was I usually keep a $100.00 bill in my passport anyway in case of bribery but it was still there when I retrieved my passport from the hotel. I assume since I had left a decent tip for the maids that they made sure the money stayed with the passport and they would not accept a tip for returning it. I did drive to the store, picked up a case of Imperial, and took it back to the motel as a thank you though.
Author:  Zeos [ Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Statying Anonymous in CR
Part of the story on having your passport is that the country has a law...like a lot of other countries - that you always have to have in your possession your official id document... for residents it is the cedula. It is a crime (of some kind) to not have it with you. Same applies to foreigners...hence passport. And when doing any type of business you can be asked for this id.... including renting a room. So it is not a special thing for foreigners...it applies to everyone. Watch the locals walking into the DR at night...they all have to show their ID. When I get mistaken for a local I get asked for it as well. Walking in to the Key Largo for example. It is a good time then to talk English and politely offer the copy of my passport...which they don't like. But after they phone the boss and the boss tells them to let me in...he's Canadian... in I go. Of course that part is Spanish...and I get a real kick out of it.
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