www.CostaRicaTicas.com

On the positive side, it is good to stay at a place full of fellow mongerers.
The CRT discount is real. The place is clean. The people at the main desk
were friendly and helpful (one looked up a telephone number for me).

At breakfast the coffee was good even though I had to wait for it
one morning. The breakfast fixings were limited.

Wireless service was inconsistent for me. Sometimes it was so slow
I gave up.

I had requested a room with some kind of view, even a street. They put
me in the new building on the upper floor. Plants blocked the potential
view, and the walkway immediately outside the room meant that
people could look in the room as they walked by. So I noticed that
all the drapes were closed among my neighbors. It is a shame because
the building overlooks the river ravine and the zoo.

One thing that bugged me was the plate in the room with the handwritten
instructions: tip for maid. Way too blatant for me. On the other hand,
I had a great relaxing bath in the wide tub where I could immerse
myself to the nose.

The location provides great access to Zona Blue, but it is difficult to get
a taxi on the street. If you ask them to call a cab, they call a tourist
van that feels lilke overkill for a ride to the Del Rey. There's that little
feeling of tipping pressure that you get whenever you don't hail an
honest cabbie who uses the meter. By the way, I really like the typical
San Jose cabbie who uses the meter -- you just have to avoid the
sharks outside the clubs who despise us mongers.

I had a great corvina at The Garden Restaurant next door. Other
mongerers appeared to be having a good time. The little blonde waitress
was cute as can be but cold as a fish.

I asked to change rooms, but the place was full. The old building with
its wood interiors seems much more interesting. I found out an apartment
right next to the Del Rey was available for less money, so I moved
to a place where I could make my own coffee, refrigerate my yogurt and
juice, and look out at the street full of activity, which I like to do.

My guess is that other guys have much better experiences at the Hotel
Castillo. I don't mean to contradict their impressions. I am just giving
mine. Maybe it will be helpful to someone, just as I have been helped
in so many ways on this site.

_________________
Same river, new water

Is that the former Alexandra from Sonny's?

_________________
Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

I was at Castillo in Aug. Great stay, staff was good, with exception of Alexandras hubby at end of bar. A fight ensued between hubby and owner over sone posting on web of Alex. At my business I do not allow hubby or boyfriends to hang out. That guy suer had a crappy attitude.

I suppose the last sentence in Pacifica55's post above pretty much says it all.

The biker is an old gringo?

You have to keep Hotel Castillio within the perspective of a $60 a night hotel.

I realize it is not for everyone, but if you are looking for a value oriented hotel that is very friendly to mongers I would say that it is hard to beat for a number of reasons.

If you want to spend more else where you will get more.

You can just about stay in the suite at Castillo for $60 a night with CRT card. The standard rooms are around $40. I have always felt like Castillo is an excellent value for the money.




It always surprises me how mongering men get caught up in that of situation of falling for a girl they have to "protect". Now I don't know what the situation is between this bartender and her guy so I'm really not talking about that. Although regarding that situation, how in the hell am I supposed to get respect from a girl if I'm always sitting at the end of the bar while she's working... I wonder if she'll get just a little tired of me and wish I had a little something more going on with my life. Hell, that might make her find other guys more interesting... But I digress.

What I am curious about is something I see guys do but cannot tell if it is a biological or learned compulsion. Is it even just some kind of insecure thing born of our own lack of success at home? I do not know. Let me ask a couple questions. Why in an environment where we have loads of girls available to us at literally our beckon call would we want to settle for just one girl, (especially a hooker)? Why would we become "protective" of our relationship with a girl that required no effort on our part to develop a relationship other than exchanging money for service? Why did most of us start mongering in the first place, to find love? I know we are all susceptible to our feelings; and I have always thought we take with us into this hobby whatever pathologies we suffer from at home. To that end I believe an insecure guy from the US will more than likely get caught up in the "does she like me" or "she's my hooker girlfriend" or the need to live in the illusion that "we have something special between us". It's an approval thing that's probably pretty normal but if we aren't over it by the time we have hookers galore available it can become a slippery slope. I have seen guys accuse other guys of making a move on their "novia" and it seems really desperate and insecure, especially if it was just in the jealous guy's imagination. So why would we ever want to fall into that trap of trying to be protective over hookers of all creatures? I guess it's hard enough to have a complete grasp of reality in a normal relationship when feelings are involved then when you throw all the dynamics of being around hookers.....

First a question, if I love the SL and like the Amon would I like the Castilo?

An observation about your post, I will go as far as to say I have seen guy's get jealous over a hooker they have known for maybe a day. Myself I really get a kick out of saying your turn.

You've got to avoid falling under the spell of "pu*sy voodoo."

Right, $60 is the regular rate for the rooms in the new wing. I compare regular rate to regular rate for my comparisons, but your point is well taken.

The standard rooms are a little below my standards. But I agree Castillio is outstanding for the value oriented monger. Being a local weekend warrior, it is perfect for my trips into San Jose.

That said, it is not for everyone. SL and Presidente will meet expectations of those that want more and don't mind hitting a higher price point.

I am staying at the castillo right now and have stayed here the past few trips. I will add my views from this trip.

Pro's
1. The staff is excellent
2. The rooms are clean and cheap
3. The attached Gardens Resteraunt and Bar is handy.
4. It is a quick walk to almost everything in the gulch.

Con's
1. There are newer hotels (amistadt) almost as reasonable.
2. The lack of more than one internet terminal and it was down for several days.
3. The Gardens bar is still nice, but the resteraunt is not up to its former standards.

My next trip is going to be spent at the Amistadt if the construction is finished.

Yeah.....It would be nice if they had a few more computer terminals. It's often difficult to get on it with all the gringos using it......and often times the chicas.