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I'm staying at the Vista Linda apartments on my next trip and I was wondering:

1) How far outside of town is it? Says 15 minutes on their website but it doesn't look that far on the map...
2) How long is the cab ride into town and are there cabs around in that neighborhood or do you need to call one?
3) How hard is it to find the place? Cab drivers in SJ in general don't seem to be able to find anything even with a map so I'm really wondering about this one...
4) How close is the bus stop to the apartments?
5) Is taking the bus to and from town a better option than taking a cab?

Any other comments about the place would be welcomed as well. For $140 for the week including taxes it seemed worth trying out as I've read that many others from the board have stayed there and liked it.

1 5-10 minutes from town depending on traffic. 30 minute walk.

2.During the day I walked up the street a bit and usually got one pretty quick. At night call one and wait inside.

3.Most cab drivers don't know the place. Get a card from carlos to show them . I would tell them 300 meters north of fabrica dorman esquvel(a big pipe factory) calle blancos. Around 1000 colones( 2 bucks)

4 The bus is right sround the corner, for me only in the day.

5 I usually took a the bus in the day and always a cab at night.

I stayed there 4-5 months and liked it. Carlos is a good guy. You meet some interesting people around the table in the common area. The neighborhood is below average. I didn't walk around at night. But the apt complex is secure and they have a night guard. Stay inside at night until the cab pulls up . You will like it.

I like Vista Linda a lot and have stayed there many times. The newest addition is in room safes which I really like,
The bus stops right in front runs from 5 AM to 11 PM and costs 110 col takes 15 to 20 min depnding on traffic.
I really isn't that far from downtown about a 20 min walk if you take shortcut. It is 10 to 15 min in taxi depending on traffic and runs 1100 to 1300 col. I use the bus when running unless in a rush. Taxis come by often as lots of residents in neighborhood use them.
Taxis have a little trouble finding, though some know it, unless you can give address in Spainish. It is 400m. norte, 300m oeste Duram Esquiville in Calle Blancos. It is helpful to have copy of address for taxis a business card is good to carry.rbc100

I like the place very much too. The others gave good intel on it though I'd like to clarify a few points.

First about it looking closer on the map. The reason for that is that to drive there one has to take a fairly convoluted route. If you take the bus, you'll be somewhat challenged remembering all the turns. I'd also go with the longer time estimate for the walk even with the shortcut. There are 2 ways to go that don't require following the bus route. If you're heading towards the SL side of downtown you can follow the train tracks over the river. If heading towards the Zona Roja side of town you can climb down a short hill and follow the Tibas Hwy into town. Or maybe RBC knows another shortcut that I don't.

I'd split the difference between the 2 cab ride time estimates. I'd say close to 10 minutes. Less later at night when there is little traffic and more during the height of rush hour. Cabs pass the corner fairly regularly depending on what other business they have in the neighborhood as RBC said. You can usually get one within 5-10 minutes but it could take longer and I don't think it is the greatest idea to hang out on the street that long after dark. As they said its better to have them call one for you after dark and wait inside the gate.

Even with the written directions cabbies can get confused at the very end since Linda Vista is down at the end of a little dead end section at the very end of Calle Blanco. If they make it that far most cabbies stop where Calle Blanco seems to end and the main thoroughfare turns off to the right not realizing that there is anything down that short little road in front of them. Passing by the pipe factory you go down a deep culvert and up the other side. When you get to the end where it meets Calle Blanco you might need to remind the driver to turn to the left (izquierda) and then when he gets to the "end" keep going.

The bus stop is close but not exactly out front like RBC said. It is back on the main street just around that corner I described and therefore out of sight from the guarded entrance gate. Buses come by every 10 minutes or so. But I'd be wary hanging out there after dark. I'd also be wary waiting at the bus-stop downtown after dark where you catch the bus for Calle Blanco )a couple of blocks to the west of the Holiday Inn

As to which method of travel is better that depends on you. Certainly during the day the bus is perfectly fine. If you have the time and don't mind working up a little sweat, a walk is also nice. I'm not normally in that big of rush to get anywhere during the day but if you are then spend the $1-2 for a cab. The bus makes more stops and so will take 5-10 minutes longer than a cab plus you might have to walk a few blocks from the bus-stop to whereever you're going. At night, I don't think I have to even tell you not to walk. I've taken the bus as late as the last one at 11PM without any problem, but given the ways things are getting in SJ these days plus DG's experience (which actually happened during the day), it would probably be safer to use a cab later at night. And of course after 11PM you really have no choice.

Thanks guys. That's the information I was looking for. I'm looking forward to staying there. I'll probably ride the bus during the day and use taxis at night. I guess another question is how do you identify the downtown bus? Is there a number, does it say el centro, or is there some other way to identify it? That may sound like a dumb question but I've never actually riden on a city bus anywhere so I'm not real sure what the drill is.

Thanks again for the info.

At Vista Linda only the only buses that pass are the one marked San Jose and anouther marked San Antonio. You want the San Jose bus and to be safe ask driver if San Jose. The bus stops on Calle 5 between Ave 3 and 5 I think but could be 1 and three in downtown. There is a sign there that says Calle Blancos and that is where you get the return bus from downtown
Oh Prolijo, I agree may problems recently most reported around Hotel Del Rey area. Just one correction I understand Don Gordos incident happened about 8 PM Sunday evening based on his post one of the more dangerous times in San Jose. I am always extra cautious on Sunday.rbc100

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To be honest I forget how the buses are labeled. Just about every one passing that corner is heading downtown and I think is labeled simply San Jose. They also have other buses that stop there less frequently. I've taken the bus from there to San Pedro that comes by once per hour but it was marked differently than the bus for downtown. So I doubt you'll make a mistake. It will also be pretty clear where to get off as just about everyone on the bus gets up to get off at the main downtown spot plus you'll start to recognize the neighborhood. Coming the other way it is a little dicier since there are many different bus stops and many different buses passing through downtown.

The bus stop for Calle Blanco is marked on my map. It is on the south side of Ave. 5 between Calle 1 and 3. But there are several in the same area so ask around to make sure you're in the right line. When you get on the bus you should realize that it will take a slightly different route going back and then when it gets to the Calle Blanco area takes a wide loop around the neighborhood into areas you didn't pass on the way out. So you need to keep your eye out for where to get off. BTW, if you click on the bus-stop symbol for Calle Blanco on my map you'll get a little pop-up with a pic of the Linda Vista and directions on how to get there.

Seems like every 3 or 4 buses goes to San Antonio rather than downtown from the bus stop at Vista Linda but they flip the sign back a forth depending on which way they are going.If you miss the stop at Vista Linda which you do have to watch for I think you may continue to San Antonio.rbc100

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

Damn, RBC, you beat me to the punch on that one. I guess I don't type quick enough or else, ahem, write posts that are too long.

Re: the DG incident, I'm not sure of the time, but I will say this and think you might agree. Despite the somewhat sketchiness of the Calle Blanco neighborhood after dark, I still would feel safer there then I would downtown after dark, particularly around the HDR. There may be more witnesses around but there are also more crooks hanging out where the money is. As for taking the bus back to the LV after dark, the really dangerous part is not IMHO the bus-stop near the LV where you get off and really spend very little time. The dangerous part is walking out the HDR, where you can attract thugs who will follow you to a more remote spot where they can mug you and hanging out at that little bus stop near the Holiday Inn waiting for the evening bus.

BTW, I don't know about San Antonio but I do know they also have buses for San Pedro cuz I've taken it (to get to class). Actually, I think those were marked UCR (for the Univ. of CR). Its probably best as you say to reconfirm with the driver when you get on board. Also, re: knowing when to get off, all the little houses in that neighborhood look the same to me. When you get on the bus it might help if you remember the name of the little tienda on the corner and look for their sign when you are coming back.

Unfortunately the little store on the corner has closed but there is anouther store up the street before you get off. I would suggest riding the bus from town in daytime before trying it after dark as it is a little trickier after dark. I agree Prolijo the area around Hotel Del Rey and Presidente worries me more then many outher areas walking late night.rbc100

I walk pretty much everywhere in San Jose during the day until about 6 PM. I enjoy wandering around the city and just going into places and checking them out. Once the sun starts to go down though I won't walk a block. Spending a few bucks on a cab is worth it for the peace of mind alone. Getting robbed doesn't really worry me since I don't usually have much on me. It's the getting shot or stabbed or beaten because I don't have much on me that worries me. Money or a camera can be replaced, my life and health cannot.

I agree the area around the HDR is like a magnet for thugs. I left the BM alone around 1 AM the last night I was there and it was like the bar scene from Star Wars outside. Every freak in the world was out that night. I grabbed a $4 cab just to get away from there fast and even the cab driver was a freak. He was trying to sell me pot the whole way back to the hotel.

It's all part of the fun of travelling in the third world though.

Just a tip on short cut to town. If you come out gate at Vista Linda. take a right and follow trail down the hill to main road where there is a gas station. Just take a left and this road goes straight into downtown. Have a good stay.rbc100

_________________
In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

I was waiting at the bus stop across from the little market at 8pm on a Sunday night when I was robbed . It was not a good move , on my part, to stand on the corner for 10 minutes waiting for a bus when I could have taken a taxi very easily. Sunday is the worst time to be out and about because you are alone out there. There is very little traffic and very little police presence which makes it prime time for the bandits to do their thing.

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NON ILLEGITIMI CARBORUNDUM

DG