www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Greetings,

I just recieved this email from Nixon:

Hi Hal,
Due to the hotel putting up the rates, they are now $75.00 CRT VIP and
$80.00 Non VIP per night and that includes the taxes. If you need to book
just let me know with a credit card.
Regards
Nixon

On a percentage basis that is a fairly hefty increase . Inflation adjustment?

Gentlemen:
The above Rates are indeed now in effect and the approriate adjustments to the web discount pages reflecting them will be made.

The Casino is charging our members exactly what the The Clarion charges the Casino. All rates include All Taxes & Breakfast. This is still over 25% or more off the rates through any travel agency or discount deal offered.

Remember the Casino is trying to draw players, although it is not necessary to gamble to recieve these rates, the concept is to bring in new gamblers of course. If you are a gambler your rate will be adjusted per Casino mangement descretion as with any Casino based rates.

Sorry for the changes!

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Thank you for supporting CRT!

Admin 1

Will the casino and hotel honor previously quoted rates if reservations were made before the price increase? It wouldn't be a big deal but I reserved 8 rooms.

CR4ME

CR:
I'd email Nixxon and express your concerns.... I'm sure something can be worked out as they guys are a class act.

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Thank you for supporting CRT!

_________________
Thank you for supporting CRT!

Thanks admin1 for the info. I was going to ask the same question. I had made a reservation at the Amon in advance in anticipation that I will be free from work to attend the Super Bowl weekend party.

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Live today as it was your last day, for tomorrow may never come.

GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sorry, but I think they are raising their rates rather quickly after initially working out a deal with CRT and reeling us in. Admin 1 and 2 ........your hard work just received a slap in the face. It's certainly their business decision but don't they realize they may just begin to lose some of our business.

I have had it with these hotels that CRT and CRS members have helped to uplift into a thriving business. Now we give the Amon a part of the jump start it needs to get going and what do they do but raise the phucking rates ASAP. Don't even talk to me about the casino rate, what a joke.........anyone who has ever been a avid gambler or junket player knows what a rip off that is in the end......believe me, there are no favors there. Yes, they do have an OK hotel with good service as does the Pres......but these two are no longer on mine or my old man's list. Anyone care to notice that the Pres has not increased the rate in the last 2 years but to our disadvantage, the room availability is shit since it is so popular now.......now a reservation mostly requires 2 months or more advance which is difficult for a number of travelers.

These CR - SJ 3rd world hotels are pissing me off to where it is changing my plans of travel and leading me to believe that SJ is becoming too expensive, overpriced chica talent not the same, crime and over crowded with gringos.......the place is losing it's luster and appeal.

Admin 1.........Please tell the hotel Amon to go ....................................perhaps I should be more cordial and respectful..........let their establishment know that I wish them well and hope they prosper. Right !

CTY

I agree with Circus. I think CRT should politely tell the management to go phuck themselves. Further, we cannot endorse a "stay" at Amon any longer, as there are other establishments willing to work with us.

Cordially,
CRT

Fellas:
Let us understand something.. We do not get the rooms from the Clarion /Amon Plaza. The promotion is straight forward to get some traffic to the Casino as that is who our agreement is with.

The casino Managment, is giving us a direct pass through discount and is not making a dime on us. They have to book rooms, collect payments deal with any problems etc, with the hope that our members like the casino gamble in the casino or reccomend the casino to others. THE AMON has nothing to do with this. That is why we tell you, all reservations are directly though the Casino.

I can understand your frustration to some degree, but try booking the Amon through any travel agent, directly or any discount site and you will be lucky to get a standard room for $100.00 plus taxes. This is still a good deal, and I for one appreciate everything the Mgt, at the CASINO has done for us.
Let us take the Casino Rate aside and deal with just the discounted rate to get a room there. Its a higher priced hotel than anything in the area and I challenge you to find a rate better than what we receive.

Once again I stress the Hotel has absolutely NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!

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Thank you for supporting CRT!

It is high season now. I don't know of any tourist destnation in the world that doesn't raise their rates during their peak season. The question is really whether or not they will lower the rates for us after the bulk of the tourists have gone home.I happen to think the hotel is the best in SJ for our groups purposes. However I wrote some time ago that I recommended that guys stay there NOW because they were doing good business at rack rates with families and business travellers and weren't going to need us for long to fill up the rooms.

VB is absolutely right. Charge whatever the market will bear. If a place can consistently fill up their rooms two months in advance why shouldn't they as good businessmen raise their rates accordingly to find the new equilibrium. Does anyone really think that just because we helped them get started when times were thin that they will feel they owe us anything when they no longer need us. What we as consumers then have to decide is whether the place is still a good deal for us at the new higher rate.

$75/nt after taxes is about equal to $64/nt pre-tax which is not all that much more expensive than the Prez and you can still usually actually get a room. The admin is right, this is still not that bad a deal (albeit not quite as good as before). The problem with this board endorsing any particular hotel is that its influence is such that members throng there filling up all the rooms and inevitably leading to a decline in service or an increase in rates or both. Pooling our market clout to secure better discounts is geat to a certain point, but at some point we also need to spread our business around a little more. If the price at the Amon is getting a little too rich for you or the availability of rooms at the Prez is becoming an increasing annoyance, don't complain about it. Instead try out other places and let everyone know when you've found what you feel is better alternative. For example, the admins have secured a discount for us at the Sportsmens Lodge. The are new and anxious for new business. I'm guessing at this point you can always get a room and they haven't reached the point where they feel compelled to raise their rates. Personally, I'm going to give the Morazon a 2nd look next time I'm in town or else try out the Hotel Castillo.

VB also raises a great point about waiting to see what happens during the off-season. A couple of the things that make us whorticulturalists so valuable as a target market for hoteliers is that a) we tend to be repeat customers much more so than traditional CR visitors and b) our business tends to be a lot more steady throughout the year including the non-peak season. The Amon has made a calculated gamble that they can have their cake and eat it too. Raise their rates when they are not so dependent on us for business and hope it doesn't drive too many of us away permanently if and when they return to their summer pricing

Incidentally, the line of logic I began with also applies to chicas. If a chica can secure enough business at cien por una hora, who can blame her for demanding that rate. The problem isn't with her, it's with the guys that pay it. If you think the price is too high and you can do better, simply take your business elsewhere. What I don't understand when it comes to chicas is those that demand that high rate that don't get enough business. Some demand that rate and go up the stairs every hour with a new guy. But many get maybe one date at $100 each night or none at all, when they could settle for $60-75 and get 3-4 dates. You do the math. I don't know, maybe their motivations are different. To me its sort of like a hotel with an already high vacancy rate raising their room rates.