www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Si, estoy tomando la misma KoolAid. Naw, J0sie...it's just a reference to going to Mass, which the original poster said he did while at the Vesuvio.

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

Thanks for the most detailed report, Wchb.

It is clear Vesuvio needs to have 86 written on the banner that includes CRT. Your experience mirrors Western's 150%.

The extra charges for room safe key and tv remote control are obscene.

I'm glad you were only compelled to use the facility for two nights and got in somewhere else. I guess you're learning you have to plan in advance to get the space/hotel you're wanting....but then again....sometimes you don't.

Irrespective, sorry you had to experience the first 2 nights of the first trip like that.

I'd like to scalp the review and post it on TripAdvisor to give 'em good whack if that's ok with you....or you could post it on TripAdvisor yourself. "Regular" people use TripAdvisor ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Search?q=Ves ... -search=Go ) and seemingly some have actually enjoyed that joint.

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

Steven1, well said and a good idea for WCHB to post his review on Trip Advisor.

If indeed as Sunny Isles says, the hotel's owners are going to remodel the Vesuvio, they ought to do it sooner than later. What I found obscene were not the safe key/remote control charges, but the charge for using the Internet. Ridiculous. Internet access should be an included feature for any hotel catering to gringos in the 21st century.

Not to further hijack the thread, but this reminds me of what happened to my traveling companion and me during my first visit to C.R. We were staying at Hotel California in Manuel Antonio. We had gotten news of Hurricane Ivan on the way to the coast. Since my traveling companion lives in Pensacola, we were very concerned about the storm and the safety of her beautiful home. There was no charge to use the hotel's one guest computer when we checked in. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of telling the desk clerk that we were worried about the hurricane and were happy that the computer was available, so we could get the latest weather reports and news. The following morning, when we went to check the Internet, a homemade sign was prominently posted next to the computer, stating that the charge for Internet use was $4.00/minute. In other words, the hotel staff (probably without the knowledge of the American owner) decided to gouge the gringos and put a little extra cash in their own pockets. I assure you that the sign was not present when we first used the computer.

This makes me wonder if some of the charges stated by hotel staff were of their own invention elsewhere. When in doubt, find out who the manager is (don't presume), and talk to him/her directly about any exhorbitant or otherwise questionable charges.

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

I used Tripadvisors too. I'm a regular on there for non-monger related activities. I was thinking about posting this review on there as well, but I need to clean it up first. The moderators on that board get very finicky about mentions of P2P.

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WCHB
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Don't walk behind me for I might not want to lead.
Don't walk in front of me for I might not want to follow.
Don't walk next to me either.
Just leave me the hell alone!

My attempt was never to con any vendors to getting freebie discounts. My intent was to be a member, but since my trip was the very next day, I would not think that I will get my card in time to be beneficial for my first trip. I asked the hotels to quote me Rack and VIP rates for comparison purposes, but was very upfront about not beeing a member. I'm better than that, my man. I dropped about $1,500 on this trip, do you think I'm going to swabble over a $40 membership? I even told Amistad Matt as such when he was going to give me a VIP rate that I did not care for it since the different was about $10 in my situation. Heck, even if Versuvio would have given me the discount, my price would have been $43 vs $45?! I only mentioned CRT to the owner at Vesuvio because I wanted to see if he was aware that his joint got bad reviews on the board. I was basically putting him on notice since I was going to post a review showing whether his hotel had remedied the many faults pointed out by a previous occupant. And it hadn't.

And what is wrong with using this board for informational purposes for free? Is the idea for a forum like this to foster free exchange of information to make everyone's experiences better? I am posting what I think is useful information which I hope will help a monger decide whether stay an this hotel or not. I'm not asking for a handout.

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WCHB
-----------------------------------------------------
Don't walk behind me for I might not want to lead.
Don't walk in front of me for I might not want to follow.
Don't walk next to me either.
Just leave me the hell alone!

Just to clarify, there was not a charge for the remote control. You just have to check it out up front, along with signing the waiver stating that you will owe $xxxx if it is not returned functional. The charge was for the safe key only.

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WCHB
-----------------------------------------------------
Don't walk behind me for I might not want to lead.
Don't walk in front of me for I might not want to follow.
Don't walk next to me either.
Just leave me the hell alone!

BhueyXXXVII, it's good to see on this board. I will definitely check out the headphones.

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WCHB
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Don't walk behind me for I might not want to lead.
Don't walk in front of me for I might not want to follow.
Don't walk next to me either.
Just leave me the hell alone!

El C....I've stayed at the Hotel California, and I'm not surprised by the trick they pulled with the computer. I can definitely imagine them doing that.

Wchb. Thank you for sharing your experince and info. I have been to the Metropoliton Cathedral on Ave 2. It is a good place for Mass. And the just remodeled Mercedes Cathedral about 4 blocks down is open now also. With a new walk way only from it to the Metro on Ave 4. Not that I spend alot of time at Mass while in CR.

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Take a walk on the wild side.

Bose is a good choice but an expensive one. The Travel Insider has done a good job of explaining the technology and reviewing the different models available over the years. He writes:



Go to his website to see reviews of the different models:
http://thetravelinsider.info/roadwarriorcontent/noisecancellingheadphonesindex.htm

Do those BOSE work WITHOUT also having to pipe in music??

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

Either way works. I have a pair.

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[url=http://www.amishrakefight.org/gfy/]

You sure this comment wasn't meant to be in the "Ball Shaving" thread ?!?!

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

I have two of the ear phones from , Travel Essentials ?. One over the ear and the other the smaller on ear, both work great. There review said that the BOSE where easily better for pure music, but only equal to there’s on sound reduction and less enough in price to count. As I am not a music expert to know the difference I went with there brand>. Never travel with out them now, can actually hear the movie, Ipod or sleep now on the plane.

And my friend with give testimony as how good they work on screaming Babi*s on planes after sitting on the ground for 4 hours ( including DOS Babi*s screaming in stereo )But I never thought I could sleep with them on as I am aside sleeper. Instead I used the real cheap foam shooters ear plugs to sleep, Wal- mart, Winchesters product- a dozen for 2 bucks

. The late night desk clerk at SL wanted a pair after she found out I had them in March, and got really happy that I gave her the rest of the package when I left , so if you got any when you leave ask her if she wants them? Or be really nice and give her a set of BOSE, she needs them to sleep in her building

carry extra batteries as you can get addicted to them

Wchb......That was a very entertaining and humorous hotel review.