www.CostaRicaTicas.com

is this hotel GF? doesn't look like gf hotel but just wondering.

It is spelled Balmoral. There have been differing reviews of the place posted here. You might try a search, turned up over a hundred hits, and read what they have had to say.

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Pura Vida
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Alex Levine

Yah it is Balmoral. I meant to type a but you know how sometimes when you type stuff, you just type it wrong w/o realizing.. newayz I've done search and looked over earlier but didn't find any useful info. Dats y I was posting here

*edit*
nvm I found that this place is Chica friendly but not so friendly.. lol
$20 for chica fee?
can anyone confirm this?

After intensive reading, I realized this chica fee thing is pretty random depending on when each visited. Some say no fee while others say fee.
After looking through my reservation info, I came to conclusion that chica fee depends on the way you book this hotel.

please say wtf now to this hotel ,,,as you will be saying it once you are paying for a room there...i stayed at this place on my first trip (didnt know about the crt) and wasnt much on the isg...this place kept coming up when I looked at flights so I made a rsvp to the place and after 2 days I got the hell out of it...unless someone knows a way around the front desk you will be paying 20 everytime ....my first day was 60 in chica fees...went to the manager and told him ...look charge me a extra 20 a day and I will stay...but everytime just isnt right ....he could care less...so out i went !!!NEVER TO RETURN...I did see where if booking with a flight its less then 40 a night ,,,,good price if it wasnt for the bullshit

The lobby cafe is a nice place to sit and people watch. on Central ave. touristy. that's their thing, I guess. I don't know about the hotel, but you can get that vibe I think. I was there on a Sun a.m. for late breakfast with a chica from the night before. . and there were some people (mostly older couples) sitting around that gave us a few glares.. I thought it was funny, but I can imagine it would get old after awhile.

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Enzo

Now in High Definition!

Not a good monger choice for a hotel at all.

All downtown hotels have early morning traffic noise, and that hotel has thin walls so if you neighbor has his tv on at 2, you'll hear it, but I haven't stayed there in 4 years so maybe they've remodeled.

Stopped by on my trip before last - sometime in May - with a fellow I just met who was staying there. Had my gorgeous little novia with me. We just wanted to see his room for five minutes to see if it would be a good option to the Presidente. I often make my travel plans on short notice & sometimes the Presidente is booked.

This was about noon & they treated my novia like a puta, very disparaging, very rude. We were clear we just wanted to look at the room. There were several customers checking in in the lobby. All expressed displeasure with the Balmoral.

My new buddy was pretty pissed with them as was my gf. I kind of expected it so I simpy said it wasn't a problem - we'd stay elsewhere.

We used to eat at the Patio once or twice a week ~~ never again. My gf is certainly fine with that decision. I've been to SJO six times this year, 12 last and 10 the year before. Will be returning again mid July.

I like the SL but two issues make it lower on my list - I usually can't get a decent room on short notice (I won't take one of the crappy old ones) and having to pay the piratas every time for a short trip at night is annoying. Haven't tried the new Amistad yet but the location presents similar issues.

I used to use the Clarion Ammon Plaza but got a bit tired of the security. Also, it's a bit out of the way.

The Sleep Inn is an excellent choice for us - no chica fees since she always checks in with me & they know us now. Great location with probably the best casino in town. Breakfast is marginal though. With the government rate of $80 or so it's a great 2nd choice to the Presidente.

The Marriott is perfect in all things except location & price, so we'll stay there occassionally (but not in the rainy season).


/dddick

If you stay at the Balmoral you need to know this; I was staying at the Presidente in a Jr. suite facing avenue central. About sundown I mixed a drink before heading to HDR. Looking out the window I noticed the light had been left on in a Balmoral room right across from me. Those reflective windows can be seen right through at night. There a guy in a baseball cap and nothing else entertaining 2 chicas. One was sitting on his face while the other riding cowgirl. I leusurely finished my drink and the show was still going on as I left my room for the night. so you may want to pull the blinds at the Balmoral after dark.