www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Well, it looks like I wont be staying at the NJ. I appreciate all the feedback. I'm gonna take an apartment for a few days from a forum member, and then do my own apartment hunting during that time.

Now those are 2 much fairer assessments that I might agree with. The NJ probably ISN'T for 98% of the gringos that come to SJ because 98% of them probably come fairly set in their American-style expectations. But, IMHO and as I've said before, while it is FAR from being the Ritz (or even a Best Western), it at least meets my minimum qualifications (its clean, the bed is fairly comfortable and the room is secure) and it is also FAR from being a "phucking toilet" (If you'd argue that it is worth paying $30-40/nt more for a room with more bells and whistles, then I think it would be even more fair to say that is definitely worth paying $10/nt more instead of "sleeping in the back of an abandoned car").

As for the "bug-eyed guy", I wasn't there so can not really fairly assess, however I'll go back to saying that I've seen a LOT of rather odd-looking characters in CR (including some really odd-looking gringos at our more usual jaunts). If he was a latino maybe he was checking you out so avidly because he was suspicious or curious about you. After all, although there has usually been at least 1-2 other gringos staying at the NJ whenever I've been there it is hardly a common sight or one that most other guests would expect to see. However, if he was "listening in" as carefully as you suggest, I might have gotten in his face a little with a "¿Le puedo ayudar con algo?" or something. And, if he really was that suspicious looking, I probably would not have chosen that moment to break out my cash for exchanging.

The part about the clerk not being particularly helpful, has not really been my experience there. I guess YMMV on that. However, if you hadn't been there before and/or the clerk maintained he didn't have your first choices of rooms, then I probably would have asked to see what he DID have to offer BEFORE paying AND if it wasn't completely to my liking I probably would have gone directly back down to the front desk and asked for a full refund BEFORE I hung out a while and took a shower.

Lastly, as for Berk's comment that he wouldn't bring any chicas back there, I must admit I probably wouldn't EITHER, but for somewhat different reasons. For me at least, there have been plenty of times where I've got my mongering done at MP's during the day and I haven't brought back any chicas to my room even when staying at much nicer places. And those are the times that I've been more likely to stay at someplace like the NJ. OTOH, if you really think about it, the accomodations there are really no worse (and in many cases much better) than the surroundings many of us accept at the tico-style MP's that we frequent. Plus, as I've already pointed out, they're probably no worse than the places that the chicas THEMSELVES live in FULL-time. So WHY NOT take a chica back there? More to the point, some guys ALREADY take chicas back to places like the Hotel Asia, which is really no better than the NJ in terms of room quality (and actually is probably even worse). The only relevant difference there being that it is much closer to the HDR/BM and that they don't stay there AFTER the chica has left. But, at least for the session itself, so-called "tico-style" accommodations seem to suffice for PLENTY of guys.

Oh yeah, as for the name Nuevo Johnson, it does NOT signify (or suggest to me) a "gay hotel". I seriously doubt that the hotel management or most of its guests are even aware of the alternative meaning of "Johnson" in gringo vernacular nor would that meaning even occur to most non-mongers or non-puerile gringos.

In summary, I've NEVER said (or even meant to suggest) that the NJ was the sort of place for everybody. For those who have responded so negatively in this thread, I have to say "just because it is not for you does NOT mean that some other guy might find it suitable". For most gringos who I've met in CR (or elsewhere), who are more averse to more local experiences (like taking buses, having breakfast at someplace like the Central Mercado), seem to prefer to eat american-style food or prefer to eat at more upscale restaurants while in SJ, or are even reluctant to walk ANYWHERE in SJ after dark, someplace like the NJ is CERTAINLY not for them. It is also not the place for someone on an unlimited travel budget or expects to do a LOT of entertaining in the room (or otherwise hang out there a lot during their stay). HOWEVER, for the conditions described at the very start of this thread and for those that are sometimes experienced by at least some other members, a place like the NJ may be one worth considering.

Well said Pro, the NJ can't be much if any worse than the rooms at Claritas or the Copa in Jaco. Funny I've never seen any Ticos in those establishments.

I have stayed at the NJ. It is a basic place to crash while you get organized. I have never stayed at a hostel but have enjoyed reading travel stories, including Pro's, about them and some day may make a tour on his recommendations.

If you are looking for an affordable decent place to stay that caters to gringos long term, you may consider the Hotel Vista Linda. Heck you may decide to rent long term there as they have furnished apartments with the works. Many snow birds and retired travelers call the place home and it is hostel like in the comraderie that exists.

It is in Calle Blanco and a search of Vista Linda here or on one of the engines should help yield results. I have stayed at both NJ and Vista Linda. NJ was OK for a couple of days. Vista Linda was OK for several weeks if not a month.

Best of luck in your travels amigo,

This is really very good Hotel.Basic accomodation but you get relatively clean private bathrooms, TV, and rooms on the upper floors have larger windows which makes them brighter and more cheerful than some of the other hole in the wall joints.

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compromise agreement

I'm not sure if I'd quite call the NJ cheerful, but I'd agree with Carrot this much that the NJ is actually a bit better than most hotels in its price class and there ARE some in that price class that where EVEN I would not stay. The NJ is a place for guys looking only for really BASIC accomodation for as LITTLE as possible while STILL providing a BASICALLY safe clean and comfortable enviroment. IF you come at it from the perspective of someone expecting Castillo level accomodations, you WILL be SORELY disappointed. OTOH, if you come at it with an open mind and from the perspective of someone who can be satisfied with minimal bells and whistles, then the NJ might be a place worth looking at. As I said before, one rarely needs reservations and it doesn't cost to look for yourself.

As for the Linda Vista that Triple FFF mentioned, that should really be the subject of a seperate thread (and has been many times) but I've stayed there too and can tell you that it makes for a worthy alternative to the NJ for some guys who might be looking to spend as little as possible for their accomodation. However it is really a very different type of place than the NJ, so I'll lay out some of the key differences:

1) As Triple FFF already mentioned, Linda Vista is more for longer term guests of at least a week or more. I'm not even sure whether they offer a daily rate. Triple FF said that the LV is good for weeks if not months and its true that it has its share of permanent or semi-permanent residents. I have said that I wouldn't really want to stay at the NJ for more than just a couple of days. Actually, I think the NJ may have some gringo guests who stay there longer term too. I don't know what sort of deal they might have worked out but I think they must be desperately poor and/or crazy, because if you're going to be staying somewhere that long you should always be able to work out a much better deal and get much more at an apartment (such as at LV). However, if ALL you're looking for is a place to stay at for a night or 2 (perhaps as bookends before or after taking a trip to somewhere else in CR) then the NJ could be a better bet since most apartments prefer not to cater to such short-term stays if they allow it all.

2) As I recall, the LV cost something in the order of $125-$140/wk (or a little less per week if you commit to a whole month or more). That comes out to something around $20/day which is a little more than NJ's $10-15/day. Actually, I'm sure you could get that lower end or maybe even less at the NJ if you were staying for a week or more. I'm just not sure why you'd want to. Now, I'll admit the $5-10/day difference between the LV and NJ is not very significant and if you're staying for a week or more it would definitely be worth "trading up", but the difference is there.

3) These 2 places are worlds apart in terms of location. The NJ is in the heart of SJ's commercial downtown. The Calle Blanco barrio, where the LV is located, is much more of a suburban or at least residential type neighborhood to the north of El Pueblo. The Central Mercado area is very gritty. You should keep your wallet secure when you walk about the area during the day and you should definitely think twice about walking around there at all at night. Calle Blanco is not nearly so gritty. I wouldn't go so far as to call it upscale, but it is not at all a slum (more like a working class neighborhood). It also seems a lot safer the downtown mercado area, although Don Gordo was famously mugged less than 100yds from the LV itself while waiting for a bus on a Sunday morning. So security problems can arise even there.

4) I'd estimate that LV is at least twice as far if not more from ground zero than is the NJ. The walk from the NJ to the HDR/BM is still a pretty stiff one (maybe 1 km or just over half a mile) that takes you along the Ave. Central promenade which is often choked with other pedestrians. You'll always want to take a cab at night but if you're like me will nearly always elect to exercise your legs during the day. You can walk from the LV to ground zero as well (and I have many times) but it is much further. As with the NJ, you'll always want to take a cab at night (or maybe the bus which runs until ~10PM?) and I'm guessing most guys will also choose to take a cab or bus during the day as well. Incidently, the walk from LV may be longer but it is also less stressful than dealing with the Central Avenue crowds particularly if you cut across the river using the old railroad trestle.

5) The NJ is a genuine tico place. You may see a few other gringos staying there but not many. The LV may be in a genuine tico neighborhood but its clientele is for the most part 100% gringo. If you want to be able to rub shoulders (and speak english) with like-minded guys where you stay, then the LV will be much more your thing. OTOH, if you get enough of that when you go to hang at the SL or BM and just want to be left alone to crash or do your own thing while at your hotel or you even want to put yourself in a more genuinely local setting, then the NJ might be a better choice. Walking around the tico Calle Blanco neighborhood and taking the bus to get to/from there and the Gulch will help give you more local flavor, but it is not like walking around the bustling mercado area or staying at a tico hotel.

6) The noise at the NJ never really bothered me that much. Most places in the city have at least some issue with it. I remember reading a lot of complaints about noise at the Presidente, particularly during its many remodels, but their popularity didn't diminish because of that. And we all have heard about the more recent problems with the trains at the Amistad. However, if you're a light sleeper or noise really bothers you then you'll probably find the LV to be quieter than these other places.

There are probably other contrasts I could make but this all I can think of for now. Overall these are 2 very cheap, very interesting but still very different alternatives.