www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I will be coming to CR in a few days and will be staying at SL. For those of you who have stayed here, I had a couple of questions.

1) How is the exchange rate for USD at SL compared to the bank rate and/or top floor (non baggage area) of the airport?

2) Do the SL rooms normally include the basic amenities i.e. bath soap and shampoo?

I travel to Dominican Republic frequently thus my reason for question#2. Many hotels in the DR do not even have soap in the rooms so I have become used to bringing it with me. Was curious if the SL was the same way.

Thanks
T-70

1) They usually give a pretty bad exchange rate, but for the convenience factor it's not really too much. Last time I compared the Amistad and Del Rey were both giving better rates. Of course the banks or upstairs airport would be the best.

2) They provide small shampoo bottles and even have their own branded soaps.

Thanks for the info.

I assume the casinos generally are also lower then the airport/bank?

You might get more responses if this isn't in the Restaurants section of the board... just a suggestion. I wish I could help, but never stayed at the SL.

Very True....my mistake, I selected the wrong section when I originally posted.

I was just at the SL. Their exchange rate was 500 colones per dollar. Just up the street at the Amistad, it was 510. So I exchanged most of my money at the Amistad. I didn't check at the airport since airport rates are usually the worst.

_________________
Man I'm living life like a great white shark swimming with minnows! It's all about panocha, great scotch, fine cigars, loud-ass rock music and speed, speed, speed - plus spending as much time as possible in paradise on earth, Costa Rica!

exchange money at the bank.....a few are near the morazan.....you will find at most hotels ....they have a brand of soap that they have in a holder its in most showers .....not really a good soap or bad .....its just there !!! I use it if I forget to bring my own

The airport IS an excellent place to exchange $$$... at the Scotia BANK... up stairs (arrival area) to the left of where one pays the exit tax. The place NOT to exchange $$$ is in the departure area just as one leaves the airport.

BTW... 10 Colones = 2 pennies at an exchange rate of 500 CRC to a buck.

Berk....

_________________
FRUITCAKE... and you thought it was something you eat! Not on CRT!

I know but to me, it was 2% better than the rate at the SL, and I was at the Amistad already several times during my trip hanging out at the bar with chicas, so it didn't cost me anything. I'm a numbers guy, and 2% is a lot to me.

_________________
Man I'm living life like a great white shark swimming with minnows! It's all about panocha, great scotch, fine cigars, loud-ass rock music and speed, speed, speed - plus spending as much time as possible in paradise on earth, Costa Rica!

I haven't been there, but from what I've read, don't you have the arrival and departure areas reversed? I think the departure area is up the stairs, isn't it?

There is an ATM about a 5-minute walk from the SL. Not a problem to walk there during the day (but I wouldn't walk there, especially alone, at night). I got the best overall exchange rates using my debit card to my US bank through the ATM. But beware of ATM fees. In my case, my bank refunds any ATM fees.

_________________
------------------------------------------------------------------
LIVIN' IT UP WHILE GOIN' DOWN!
-----> You Only Live Once - Make the Most of It! <------
------------------------------------------------------------------

Nobody asked me but--Don't casinos give reasonably true rates? And I know the Dunn Inn does but that may be available to guests only. Pure speculation on that...

_________________
"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

If the difference in the change rate is more or less 2 cents per dollar that equals about $20 per thousand.

If I remember correctly the SL has liquid soap in dispensers.

The only casino that I know of that gives good rates is Colonial, the others are weak. The Amon Plaza casino was the worst (if you didn't play).

Surprisingly, on my last trip when the bank rate was low 580's, HDR was paying 570.

My most recent intel tells me that Colonial has been more reluctant to exchange for non-players lately.

Personally, I just bring a little to last me a couple of days and then I use BCR ATM's. There is an ATM downstairs in the luggage area at the airport (Next to carousel #1).

Here at the Dunn Inn, we keep the rate at our bank's daily rate. The exchange service is for hotel guests and bar patrons.

BKTUNA/Boyd
I am never going home

_________________
BKTUNA/Boyd
I am never going home