www.CostaRicaTicas.com

have not been to the gulch in acouple of years ,always stayed at presidente ,sounds like things have changed ,whats my best option ,want to be close

[quote="Kevinran"]have not been to the gulch in acouple of years ,always stayed at presidente ,sounds like things have changed ,whats my best option ,want to be close[/quote

True, they have -

If you like that part of town (as I do) check the Morazon, the Sleep Inn (be aware they have a $25 guest fee) - I hate it, but some swear by the big pink hotel on the corner

Another option, especially if you don't like/smoke cigars is the Freebird. Forget places like the Balmoral, Holiday Inn, Best Western.

Your "best option" - especially if you want to wean yourself from the pink hotel on the corner (and you really should; there are lots of other options available) - is Sportsmans - or even Hotel Little Havana - both great places

PS you might consider doing 2 things:

Become a VIP member of CRT (discounts, maps, etc)
Take Pops Tour - will open you up to lots of things you never knew about SJO - I think its www.popstours.com

1. Sportsmens
2. La Amistad
3. Castillo - very cheap right now!
4. Hotel Little Havana

+1

_________________
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!

Remember - the OP wants to stay in the area near the Presidente (I suspect he wants to be close to a certain pink hotel )

All of the hotels you guy's mentioned are on the "other side" - now, it could be argued that this is an excellent opportunity to try something different, and the OP should give it a whirl - the Sportsmans today is different from the Sportsmans of 2 years ago regarding....well, you know.

But I don't like HDR for many reasons - the hotel itself nor the BM.

If money is not a big issue, but quiet is (a rare commodity there), Sleep Inn has been my choice. $25 is a smack for the girls, but I've been getting a $75 rate on line. New construction, modern, very nice room, and bathroom, digital safe, iron and board, coffee, wireless in the room (bring your cable, they want to rent you one for $12), free very, very good breakfast. But quiet is the key for me, stay on the side facing the Colonial, 3rd floor, 306 or 308 is best, no taxi or bus or car noise.

Great info; thanks

Scuba1, I have also stayed at the SI a few times, I think it was during 2007 and 2008, usually it was for one or two nights during a long trip mainly because it was available and I wanted to check it out, but one one trip I stayed there exclusively. If I were to stay downtown again it'd be the place I'd use. It is really nice, just like a newer SI here in the US with all the same amenities, so you know what you're getting, which is something I like. It's also one of the few places left with a big breakfast buffet (I do not consider a slice of melon and pineapple to be a "breakfast", I need a heaping plate of scrambled eggs and gallo pinto, along with some pancakes/waffles if possible). The $25 chica fee also doesn't concern me as I only go to MP's (read: ZB/HLH). I did find out one time though that the SI only allows one chica at a time when I attempted to bring in Karen and Laura from ZB for some "after hours" fun. They were denied entry, and so we ended up at Motel Las Arcadas instead (Motel Eden was completely full that night as it was a Friday the 15th (Tico payday on a Friday); as Karen remarked, "Oh baby, fucky fucky Friday!" ). Oh yeah, and the location advantage for me wasn't that it is next door to the HDR, but right across a stop for the Ruta 2 bus that goes to Parque Sabana where I like to do 90-minute power-walks.

thanks guys SleepInn sounds right.

Thanks Tom