www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Just wondering if anyone has any hotel recommendations for good decent places that are close but non-gulch?

In reviewing all the stuff on here (and it is a great wealth of info!), just not sure staying right in gulch (why is it called that anyway??) is right for me...places like Dunn, Amistad, sound a little too wild & crazy (i.e. noisy) and the area a bit much

So certainly want to see the area when I am there--but maybe not stay right in the area...(ya I know I'm a wimp)

Like to keep it maybe under a $100...what about a place like Barcelo San Jose Palacio??

Also interested in the whole no-chica thing? Just how do places enforce this? Never had a problem with either pickups or ******* doing incalls in my time before---just be bold (or use a side door) but sounds like they are tough down there in the CR...

There's a reason why those places aren't talked about much here, and it's because they're for the eco-tourist crowd, not mongers. Lots of American-based chains and boutique places. Most, don't allow chica "guests", and yes, they do enforce it. A very few might allows chicas but charge a high fee for them, like the Holiday Inn Aurola, which has a $75 fee, i.e. they don't want you there.

The "gulch" is short for Gringo Gulch, and is where the American monger crowd hangs out; it covers the area from the Del Rey to the Sportsmen's Lodge (with an extension south to the Freebird, Bar Idem and Relax). If you want to play with chicas, it's where you want to be, no need to stay or go anywhere else.

To expand on HikerToms very good responce:

Most hotel here, and for that matter in most latin countries, only have one open entrance and it forces you to enter and pass by the front desk Hell I even had problems getting my latina wife (ex) into my room in a hotel in Colombia because I did not put her name on the registration (she was arriving later).

As for the hotels in the gulch being "too wild and crazy (noisy)"; I live here and therefore do not stay in the hotels anymore but I do hear what a lot of guys have to say about the different hotels. The Amastad is a very nice hotel (even caters to families with Ch*ldren) that does not allow working chicas unless accompanied by a guest of the hotel (at no charge for her). It is for the most part a very quite place except for the occasional train. The Castillo, the Dunn Inn (at the moment), and several other hotels in the "gulch" are not big party places All are quite at night and do not have a lot of chicas running around. The bar next to the Castillo and the bar/resturant in the Dunn do occasionally have a few chicas but they are not anything that would make either "wild and crazy" The Sportsmen does have a very popular bar (kind of like a frat house for CRT brothers) and it does have chicas working. But the bar closes at 12 or 1am (not sure the exact time) and the chicas are all either "occupado" or they leave. The rooms there in the new Mansion wing are very nice and quite for the most part (really no different than being in most hotels after midnight). The REY, now that is a different story--from what I hear, LOUD and Noisy!!! But if you are going to be looking for working chicas you will have to go to The REY, The Sportsmen, a couple of local "gulch" bars, or a MP. That is unless you know the city, are fairly fluent in spanish, are fairly young and good looking, and have a lot of money to spend!! Then you might be able to find non working or semi-pro chicas to entertain you. Unless this fits you, why not just stay close to where the chicas are, where the fellow CRT brothers to help you with info are, and where there are like minded people who speak english to visit with. JMHO

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

neuvo johnson would suit you.not in the gulch but close or the ambassador...

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Jaco is called little USA by all ticos

He wants "good decent places" and mentions the Barcelo San Jose Palacio...don't think the NJ qualifies.

Hotel M is probably the best choice for a very nice quiet upscale mongering place outside the Gulch, it's in San Pedro, but it is pricey (but they are currently running a discount special).

To find a hotel close to the gulch and not in it go to a tourist site like "Trip Adviser" . You can read the reports of eco-tourists and decide what would suit you. Be assured that all of them will have a "guest fee". If you plan to go to massage parlors only you will be fine but for security reasons as BB57 said no one can slip in and out of back doors or side doors of non-chica friendly hotels.

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Softbob

There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so.
HAMLET

Amistad, Castillo, Freebird and Dunn Inn are OK places to stay if you enjoy tranquility mixed with a little bit of mongering. Even if you wanted to monger "just a little", I would stay away from chica-unfriendly accommodations. You and your date don't need the hassle and you don't need the additional cost associated with these kind of places. Mainstream hotels in CR frown upon guests who bring back p4p take-out... and are a real pain in the ass about it. If you intend to "wife up" with one chica and want to stay at a "non-gulch" place, then register her when you check in.

When I first came to CR, it was my understanding that the "gulch" was the area between Parque Morazon in the north, Hotel Del Rey to the east and Hotel Presidente in the south. Thanks to the post-Sportsmens mongering boom, I guess that definition has expanded to now include Barrios Amon & Otoya.

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Blue Devil

Pura Vida...enjoying life to the fullest...

BD, yeah, the Gulch originally was just the Del Rey-Presidente area; I remember the SL was considered "outside" the Gulch. Now that it has expanded into a true HDR alternative, and with the Amistad, Dunn Inn, Castillo and HLH, the area can be thought of as "North Gulch", with a "South Gulch" of the Freebird, Idem and Relax.

Exactly why I think of the SLHotel /Cafe Mundo/La A area as "The Neighborhood". The Gulch proper used to include El Presidente hotel but since they seemingly don't want our biz anymore...
Here's the Websites of 2 reasonably close-in civilian hotels + TripAdvisor:
http://www.barcelo.com/BarceloHotels/es ... o/Home.htm
http://www.clever-hotels.com/es/Hotel/Tryp%20Corobici/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g2919 ... otels.html

I do hope you take the Brothers advice and consider one of "our" hotels--you won't be disturbed ,exposed or disappointed.

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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

P123 I don't follow your logic here, what is the main purpose of your trip? Is there a legimate reason for not wanting to stay in the gulch other than "you're a wimp"? If you don't have family or business to tend to then quit being wimpy and stay in the gulch. Even if you do you could probably get away with staying at the Presidente or Amistad and be withing walking distance of the action.

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Living well is the best revenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwUtj_YnNoY

Peter 1213

Perhaps the biggest benefit of staying in a Gulch hotel is the wealth of information from fellow mongers.
Just strike up a conversation at breakfast and these guys can answer all your questions.

Maybe it should be renamed Gringo Valley

I am really fond of the hotel Beacon in Escazu. The rate is between $99-129 and the place is awesome. The drawback is that it is in escazu and 15-20 minutes to the mongering action.

Peace,

DR

I hear the food is very good there Don Rico.

Food is good sometimes and great sometimes. They are getting a new chef at the beginning of the year - I hope he is a good one.

Peace,

DR