www.CostaRicaTicas.com

A buddy of mine is contemplating joining me in SJO in January. I'm trying not to tell him what SJO can be all about because I want to see the look on his face when we walk into the HDR for his first time. Don't worry, he's a monger at heart and is a world travelor. The problem is that he tells me he's looking for a hotel in the $30 range. He's not a CRT member. I'm staying at the Presidente. Any suggestions for a cheap hotel?

The Hemingway Inn is a pretty good bet. I paid $30 cash per night with no tax. It is a pretty basic place - very Tico. Free breakfast, room safes ($3/night extra), friendly staff, reasonably clean.

It is located across the street from the Hotel Don Carlos, next to Hotel Castillo and just a little east of New Fantasy.

Take a look at Freebird if he joins CRT he can get a queen room for 30 plus tax a night.

It looks like Freebird will be a good monger place, but myself I just can't get past the no private bathroom thing - especially if I brought a take-out chica.

freebird, definitely.

I cannot get past the shared bathroom thing as well. I have been kicking around the idea of staying in one of the smaller hotels for my trip in late Jan. But the rates for those with the shared bath are very comparable to the rates at CR Morazon where the bath is yours alone. And I like my long hot showers with a favorita. Considering the age and income group of the average CR goer, why these hotels are obsessed with doing backpacker style bathrooms, I have no idea. Obviously no market research was done beforehand.

Probably because they are catering to backpackers. Sure they will let mongers in, but are they really catering to us? There seems to be more and more of the ecotourist types coming in.

Heard several times about Morazon at $35 a night, but the websites lowest priced room is listed at $59 plus 16% tax. How do you manage to get the rooms for $35 there??

They have a coupon in the Tico Times every week. Mon-Thur $35.00, Fri-Sun $40.00. Have to add 16.39% tax to both.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
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Alex Levine

That's basically $41 or $47.....pretty good deal! 10 nights for under $500. Use frequent flyer miles for the plane ticket and I just need party $. Now if only I can get the boss to give me some time off!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe by summer??

I stayed at the Hotel Castillo for 10 days (12/10 - 12/20). I received a rate of $37.00 a night. The rate was based on an extended stay plus CRT discount. Email Darren and he will set you up. I liked the place a lot. Rooms are OK. Large TV, safe, hot water etc. The room also comes with a hot breakfast. Not the greatest breakfast but what the heck it's free (hardboiled eggs, rice and beans, toast, juice (Tang). The bar is excellent. Tom the owner does a great job as a host and keeping the place in order. Great folks to shoot the shit with. Tom hires a few cute gals to tend bar etc. Pizza there is excellent as long as Eddie is preparing it. The hotel is a block away from Fantasy and a couple blocks away from Sportsmen Lodge. I stopped in there a few times but in my opinion it seems a tad commercial whereas Castillo is more traditional. If you go into Castillo tell Tom at the bar his buddy from Florida with all the tats says hi.

Yea that sounds like a great deal. Met a guy last trip named Jeff that stayed there and spoke highly of the place, and he had been to SJ several times. Thanks for the info! Looking at Memorial Day as a good time to snatch a vacation.