www.CostaRicaTicas.com

The rooms at the Sportsmans are much better and way more unique than the generic, cheaply refurbished rooms at the Taormina. The facilities at the Taormina are also known to constantly have issues too (for example, the hot water going out or AC problems or the cockroach problem in the bar and in the rooms). Don't even get me started on the security guards at the Taormina that think they are actual police officers and love to stare down the guests. There really is no comparison to the great time you will have at the Sportsmans compared to the Taormina.

Think of an old Motel 6. Last time I stayed there was about 8 years ago, I would venture to bet they still have the same bedding. New owners, but same old things........ The room was dated but for the most part clean, did have neighbor noise issues though

To be fair, I think the whole place has been renovated and updated since then.

Stayed there once. Even the towel racks were falling off the wall.

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I am NOT a Cien Boy!!

The rooms at the Sportsmans are much better and way more unique than the generic, cheaply refurbished rooms at the Taormina. The facilities at the Taormina are also known to constantly have issues too (for example, the hot water going out or AC problems or the cockroach problem in the bar and in the rooms). Don't even get me started on the security guards at the Taormina that think they are actual police officers and love to stare down the guests. There really is no comparison to the great time you will have at the Sportsmans compared to the Taormina.[/quote]

By your description, Im glad I've only booked one night. Thanks for the info.

Rooms are rooms. You go there to pound, sleep, shower, sh*t and shave.

It's the hotel atmosphere that's important to me.

You can't get near Sportsmen's Lodge in that department. It's always a fun atmosphere and no nonsense on service.

Many excellent companion choices waiting about at your disposal that have been vetted, so if you're tired at night or lazy, no need to run all over town looking for lust...

Get the rooms in the back, bar rooms are noisy and everyone sees your activities...

If you prefer to not run around town looking for food, and want delicious first class near gourmet type meals at the snap of a finger with their all inclusive deal, and the rooms with porches have amazing views, Castillo should be your choice.

Castillo is a close second to Sportsmen's and just around the corner, 10 minute walk.

I don't care for Tam simply because it's at the bottom of the gulch, I don't care for that section of town. There's more punches thrown around at night in that hood than the SL/Castillo area...and sometimes a few in the daytime.

I've always heard mixed results from friends of mine visiting who stayed there, but always high praise for SL or Castillo. Unless they're offering a tremendous savings over SL and Castillo, I wouldn't stay there, especially with their often confusing set of rules and history of problems as shown in these other posts.

They get the Bronze medal in my book. If they're around the same price, rule them out and don't look back.

If you're on a budget and they're dramatically cheaper, then they're worth considering, hold your nose, hope for the best and jump in...nobody's been kilt there yet and there's new found action aplenty there many are reporting...

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Don't try to understand 'em, just rope 'em down and brand 'em...

Excellent assessment.

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I am NOT a Cien Boy!!

The Taormina has been my go-to hotel over the last few years (except trip earlier this year when it was closed).

The rooms on the top (4th) floor are renovated and have a much more modern look and feel which I prefer, compared with the antiquated rooms at some of the other places mentioned here. Though to each his own. I think Taormina has sorted through most of the kinks with room deficiencies on the 4th floor, but always best to check the room thoroughly when you first enter to ensure expectations are met.

The talent in the bar has generally been low on quantity (2-5 at a time) but high on quality (typically 7.5 - 8.5 range). Have seen a number of hotties in the Taormina bar. Not sure what it's like now.

The activity level at the Taormina is totally different now with the Del Rey closed and only approved visitors allowed to hang out at the Sportmans (as of the last week in Nov anyway).

For me, the Taormina has the nicest, most modern rooms of any place in the gulch and the rates are comparatively low. I've been staying there on my trips from the coast since the days when it was the Mona Lisa. They always put me on the 3rd floor (probably the cheapest rate) and the rooms are clean and modern with outstanding bedding and lush towels. Even the 3rd floor rooms were renovated after it became the Taormina (they did the 4th floor first). I've never stayed in the "Modern" wing or the nicer rooms at the Sportsmans...just the Clubhouse...so I don't know what those rooms are like but to me it doesn't matter because they are always out of my price range. Never had a problem with A/C at the Taormina (not that is matters because most of the time/year it's not really needed in San José unless you are doing strenous daytime exercise). The rooms also have narrow verticle windows that can be opened for fresh air which I like. I once booked into the Castillo to try something different. They put me in a small, old rustic room on the 3rd floor to which I had to walk up three flights of noisy wooden stairs. I dropped my bags, walked down to the Taormina and ended up getting a room there anyway, like normal. Went back to the Castillo the next day to get my bags and check out. Lesson learned, for me anyway. I always stay at the Taormina and go to the Sportmans for lunch plus a little afternoon hanging out. To me the Sportmans menu is much better so at a minimum it's always lunch there plus maybe some takeout for the dinner hour if I end up hanging out there late enough in the afternoon. Easy walk from there back to the Taormina because it's all downhill. If it's after dark I just take a taxi.

A cautionary word: The day after returning to the coast from my last 3 day stay I came down sick which later proved to be Covid from antibody blood tests a couple/three weeks later (and also Dengue Fever...2 for 1 package deal!). Hotel bars are risky environments. The Dengue was proabably from the coast.

Damn!!! G*d bless you man, glad you're still around to talk about it! Either of those two can send you to your maker, or possibly in my case, to a climate even warmer than Guanacaste.

Be well!

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Don't try to understand 'em, just rope 'em down and brand 'em...

Jajaja. I'll probably join you in that "warmer" climate, amigo.

I agree with you about the taormina, I stayed there 5 times in 2019 and once in 2020. Everything has always been good for me there with no problems. The security does act like assholes sometimes but i just ignore them. I have stayed on 3rd and 4th floors and its all good. I stayed at Castillo once and didn't care for it, but that's just me.

Stayed at Taormina last night. 3rd floor. No major complaints. Very modern, and comfortable room. Free parking in their indoor lot was a plus. $10 chica fee not a big deal. The restaurant in the hotel closes at 5pm and the bar at 8pm. Also maybe because it was New Year's but there were only 4-5 chicas in the bar. Very friendly

Not sure why some said this is like an old Days Inn, to me it's more comparible to a Wyndham Wingate. But to each their own.

A few years ago I went up to San José for New Year's to get away from the multitudes that go to the coastal towns between Xmas and New Year's. I hung out at the Del Rey for the midnight hour and it was totally dead compared to normal. Couldn't believe it. Probably a different story in Jacó.

A Chica fee? During these times? Isn't that a bit over the top???