www.CostaRicaTicas.com

No (and I suspect you already knew that), but I routinely keep my bags locked whereever I stay (which I recommend to everyone else as well) and if I have valuables that I'm more concerned about I've taken them to the front desk which will lock them up for me. Like I said before, I have NEVER had any problem with missing items there, nor has anyone that I know who has stayed there and I have on occasion forgotten to lock my bag or even left some money out on the table. Would a safe in the room be better? Sure. Does that mean this is a dangerous place to stay where things routinely disappear from the rooms, like you've been suggesting? Not at all. It would be FAR more dangerous "taking your money with you" out on the streets of SJ. Even at this place that you consider so terrible, it is FAR safer to leave things locked in your room (or if you're that worried about it, locked up at the front desk).

Contact info for the Hotel Doral is: www.hoteldoralcr.com/ing/htm/home.htm
Couldn't find anything on the Hotel Posada Inn.
To slightly amend Brother Prolijo's definition, "posada" means a country-style inn (parking for horses? No more than 3 stories tall?).

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"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

I have stayed at the Doral as well and would consider it a nice tico style hotel. Last time I stayed there is was about $28 without breakfast about a year or little more back. It is on the new Ave 4 pedestrian parkway. neither place had in room safes as I recall.rbc100

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

I stay at the nuevo johnson every year.
I have left cash in my room many times (no problems ever) and the front desk people recognize me every time.
Cheap lodging and kitty corner from the Central Mercado (which I love to stroll thru every morning)
Safe area during the day, but I cab it at night.
It is 2 blocks away from the bus stop from the airport too.

There is a fairly large array of night-time entertainment venues. Most establishments are located in the historical district. Other restaurants are located along Avenida Vicente Guerrero and Avenida Reforma. Nuevo Laredo has a red light district called Boy's Town. The city has diversity of attractions:

* Cultural center.
* Museum of natural history.
* José Reyes Meza Museum.
* Regional zoo.
* Estacion Palabra Gabriel García Márquez.
* House of the culture.
* Building Antigua Aduana.
* Longoria bank museum.
* Archivo Historico.

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SJC airport hotels

I don't get how guys spend hundreds to get there and then consider staying in a 3rd world "budget" hotel in a bad area to save money. IN MY OPINION, it's one of those deals where if you can't afford a regular hotel, you probably shouldn't be going down. Personally, I wouldn't stay there if they paid me.

There are a number of better hotels not that much more expensive to avoid having to stay there including (but not limited to):

-Morazon
-Freebird
-Castillo

Hey Chico dude..... the Hotel Nuevo Johnson is in San Jose Costa Rica. What the hell does a post about Nuevo Laredo Mexico have to do with the the HNJ in another country?

Berk....

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

Probably about the dumbest comment you have ever made.

Berk....

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

Not gonna sucker me in.

+1

Think that is somewhat misleading. The hotels you list are at least twice the price and in some cases three to four times the price of the Hotel Nuevo Johnson.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

If a component of your vacation is to seek an authentic Tico experience, then the Hotel NJ and similar venues are for you--the whole point of this Thread as I see it is to alert Brothers about what that experience truly is. It's your time, money and experience--spend them any way you see fit. Knowledge is power, to corn a cliche.

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"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

To each his own. Let the cards fall where they may. Everyone has a preference and it may not be mine or yours but it's theirs. I've stayed at 8 different locations and then some in SJ. I like them all for different reasons. Most recently Hotel Castillo. I have not stayed at the NJ yet though.

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Go Dolphins!!!

Hotel Johnson as said is not for everyone but I like being in the area. As far as secure , I fell more comfortable there than most places. I have stayed there off and on for 5 or 6 years and never had a problem and there has been very little staff turnover over that time. They actually get a good number of gringo customers. Many more now than when I first started staying there.rbc100

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

I haven't stayed at the HJ so far but I have often stayed at the Doral. It has been well described in this thread and is a great place if you are looking for a tico style hotel. If you like strip clubs I would recommend Le Grillon. It's a short walk from the Doral. RBC is correct about there not being safes in the rooms but I usually lock my electronic stuff in my suitcase and it has never been bothered. They do have safety deposit boxes available. The kind you would normally see at a bank. They will let you use one for free but if you lose the key it will cost you $75 to have the lock drilled out. I usually take one to keep my passport and extra cash in.

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Wingman? I don't need no stinkin' wingman