www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I have never messed with it before, because I have always overpacked for my trips to CR in the past and taken plenty of clothes for my trips. I will be making my fourth trip in October, and this time I would like to travel pretty light and fit everything in one bag.

Does Sportsman's Lodge have a laundry service, and if so how much do they charge. If not, it there a laundromat nearby that I can wash a couple pairs of jeans and a shirt or two at.

I know Presidente and Amistad have a laundry service where you get back to your room to find your clothes neatly folded on your bed. I am sure that there are other hotels that do this also, but I just like to stay at "The Belly of The Beast Jr" when I can.

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I can't deny it, with that smile on her face. It's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase!

I would not recommend the laundry services at SL, although it is a great place to hang out and a fine hotel, their prices for laundry are a bit on the excessive side...

There is a couple of laundry/lavenderia places on the new VIP map. Can't qute them off the top of my head.

I usually have the SL staff iron my clothes upon arrival, and slip them a few bucks. I've also used their laundry service for shirts and slacks.
Don't remember the cost, but they do a good job and get it back to you, folded or hung up, within a few hours. Unless you are a real phucking cheapskate, it is worthwhile. Nevertheless, I would recommend bringing ample underwear and socks, as they charge excessively, as I recall, to wash those garments.

Ciaociao

Beg to differ Ciao, I left a bag there once between trips, 1 pair of jeans, 2 button down shirts, 1 t-shirt, 3 pairs of socks and 3 boxers. My laundry bill was $24 + when i returned. I thought that was a bit excessive, and as you know, I am FAR from cheap when on vacation....

Edited after reading Bill's response.


I was unfortunately misled as to the prices for doing laundry. In fact, I was told that it cost $2.00 to launder a pair of socks. That's quite a bit higher than the actual price.

To the CRT gent who last year read the pricelist to me....better work on that literacy thing. It helps in life. Now that I see the pricelist, I will recant my earlier diatribe against high prices at the SL. In fact, I plan to pack less clothing for my August/September trip; it would be a lot more convenient to just have the SL folks wash, dry, fluff n' fold.

Apologies for posting an opinion based on bad data. I hate when that happens.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

Excessive is a mild term for the laundry prices. In 2004 & 2005, I paid approx 7 or 8 dollars for a full 8 days worth of laundry, plus $2 tip. I paid this price three times over those two years. The last time in I believe in 2006 I paid $24 for 4 days worth. The part that bothered me most was there was no indicator that that prices had tripled, or just possibly I forgot to read the laundry ticket. I know my jaw hit the floor when I saw the bill. Service was excellent, prices were off the charts. Hell, it could be contracted out at half that price. It's obvious Bill doesn't want the laundry biz, so no problem there with me.

El C, your right about the deep cleaning part, but since I haven't stayed there the last 3 times I have been to CR since they were booked once and I wanted to try other hotels the other 2 times, I have not had to deal with it. The main reason is that I won't switch rooms every day or every other day, as is often the case, just to stay there, although they do try hard not to let that happen. But that's just me. Its very nice, but there are other choices to stay in one room the whole visit. Just remember do the laundry elsewhere.

3P

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CR LOS or PI Come horny, Leave Happy
Being 'over the hill' is damn sure better than being under it!
I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one.

While my post was primarily meant as a ball busting of El Silencioso, it seems I managed to open a box of pandoras. I agree that it's a poor idea to have SL do all your laundry, particularly underwear. I've never hesitated to have a couple of shirts and slacks washed there if necessary although I tend to overpack. So my bad and my apologies if I gave bad information. I realize that budgets vary, and I have my own particular pecadillos when it comes to economizing. My bad again and I didn't mean to call out anyone who prefers to spend their money wisely. Mea culpa.

I do take exception to El Ciego's implication that I would say something get someone fired from SL. In fact, the couple of times I've asked for my clean laundry to be touched up after unpacking, was done so through the front desk, and it was through them I was not charged. But I tipped the maid (whose name I did not mention so I doubt she would be fired even though she committed no infraction) who returned my freshly pressed shirts.


Ciaociao

Hello Gentlemen,

This is the first I have read or heard of high laundry prices. We will review the price list and make some changes if I see some excessive prices.

Every single room has been remodeled since the Lodge has opened, in some cases twice. We will inspect each room again to check for deep cleaning issues. We have never fired a maid for pressing shirts or any other item for our guests.

Thanks for the heads up on these issues.

Bill

Sorry guys, but I've got to throw myself into this one. Since we all know that the term YMMV applies to almost all situations, why would this be any different ???

Ask yourself this -
- Why would someone stay at the HDR, when there are so many other less-expensive options?
- Why would someone go to 7-11 for a gallon of milk, knowing it's less expensive at their local supermarket?
- Why would someone bring their car to the 10 minute oil change place, instead of making an appointment and bringing it to the dealer?
- Why would someone pay more and FLY to Tamarindo, knowing it's cheaper to take a bus there?

It's very simple. It's called CONVENIENCE. And some people are certainly willing to pay more, just because of the “convenience factor”. And you don't have to be a “hot-shot” to understand this! And although we might all think of the SL as a type of “CRT Frat-House”, it's still a business. Bill is a business man. And I'm pretty sure that he's not in business to lose money, or break even. He's been a very big supporter of this site for years, and I know that he does his best to accommodate his guests. His laundry prices are twice as much as other places ? Big deal! But that's no reason to try and convince his future patrons NOT to use this service.

At the SL - we get reasonably priced rooms, a nice place to hang out, eat, drink, flirt with the chicas, watch sports, relax in the courtyard, shoot pool, exercise, locker storage and more. But wait.... the phucking laundry is expensive ??? Holy shit! Phuck that! I can't believe that Bill would stick it up our ass like that! That's bullshit. It's unbelievable that it costs TWICE AS MUCH to have your laundry done there! It's over-priced. It's excessive. This is terrible! Yeah, I'm ranting, but you get my point!

IMHO, I think it's extremely unfair to Bill (especially after everything he's done) to make statements like : “There is absolutely no good reason to pay SL's ridiculous prices for laundry “ or “Absolutely no need to pay the ridiculous prices at the SL “. Ok, the laundry at the SL is not the cheapest. We get it. No need to attack. Move on. But I don't think it's necessary to degrade these types of services at the SL using so much negativity, or to (almost) INSIST that people should not use SL's laundry services. Like I said... it's expensive – we get it.

Once again... it's simple. CONVENIENCE! I, along with just about everyone else on this board (including the posters on this thread) – have paid two or three times as much for a session with a Del Rey chica, knowing that we could get the same thing for less than ½ the price at numerous venues within a stone's throw from the BM. But why do we do it? Why are we willing to pay twice as much for the same phucking end-result ? CONVENIENCE! Of course, this is just one man's opinion.

When's the last time someone ran to big John and told him that the chica's who hang around his establishment charge too much for their “services” ? Or that his chica fees are way too much? And if they did, do you think big John would give a shit ? He'd certainly tell you to phuck off and go somewhere else if you don't like it. But yet, we still go there, and we continue to pay more than we would at other places. Ho hum! And I'm not about to "try" to talk someone out of going to the HDR, simply because it may cost more, possibly MUCH more!

One thing I learned a long time ago – In almost every single situation, there's always someone who can do it cheaper. But personally, my time is worth a lot more than a load of laundry.....

Respectfully,
MG

Dammit. I was typing this post while True Sportsman posted his response before me. But on a side note – the above post by True Sportsman (somewhat) proves my point.

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Well said MG, it amazes me why guys that come down here and drop a couple grand on a weekend allways complain about a buck here or there.

Thanks MarkL54. Don't get me wrong - I like to save a buck as much as the next guy. But I also like to exercise a certain degree of diplomacy and/or experience when I "choose my battles".

MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

I don't vacation to save money!! I would never haul my large a** and laundry around town to save a few dollars, when I could be sitting in the SL throwing my lame rap at a sweet young thing.

What about the cost of drinks, at all establishments world-wide. Multiply the amount of shots from a bottle times the amount charged per drink. It is outrageous. Don't ever buy a lady a drink again, you will be paying too much profit. Think about it, two drinks for you and a lady at LHL/HDR and you have the cost of laundry. So on the day that you have the laundry done at the SL, don't buy any Tica's drinks, and you will have saved money and have clean clothes. Everything is relative as to the perceived benefit of the buyer.

My suggestion is to take Champion type sports shirts. They are very light, fold up to almost nothing, and when you jump in the shower at night you can leave it on, wash it first, and then hang it over the curtain rod and it dries over night. A week trip you can pack 4-5 both long and short sleeve shirts in the same space as 1-2 regular shirts.

Health & happiness to all....

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It's not the size of the wand that put the rabbit in the hat, it's the magic in it!!!

SB,

This is exactly what I tried to convey in my original post, but you said it with a whole lot less words. Nicely done!

MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

we love ya bill.

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The difference between a Sea Story and a Fairy Tale is that a Fairy Tale starts out 'Once Upon a Time..' and a Sea Story starts out 'This is no Shit...'

(export version only, some restrictions may apply, some assembly required, not valid where the sun don't shine...

if you live in the states of Poverty, Darkness or anywhere outside of The Blessings of Civilization Trust, Inc...other rules may apply)

Playing on a theme of Brother Santa's Bro, I take silk shirts. The new washable silk folds / crams into almost no space, easily dries overnight and wrinkles fall out if hung in the shower room (wish my facial wrinkles were so accommodating). Of course, one could be a complete sleazebag and find somebody staying at La Amistad who's the same size as you...

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED