www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Hello Gents, I've been reading this forum for some weeks now deciding whether or not to make the trip
to CR. Firstly, let me say what an informative supportive and friendly forum this is - well done to the owner,
admin and contributors, it's because of this forum and real sense of community I'm going to pull the trigger and hit CR,
so thanks you to all.

Have been to Panama City a couple of times and Cali,Colombia, both places were good times. Well it's been a year since I've traveled south,
it's almost winter here (Ireland) and the days are short and cold.
I need to migrate south to the sun. I'm thinking of 4 or 5 nights in SJ at the SL, I've read a lot about the HDR and it sounds
no different to the Veneto or Habanos in Panama City (transaction focused) - The SL sounds more 'stable' - Did I say I was 40?, maybe that's why the SL
sounds more appealing. Thinking about a few nights in Jaco also, just for the beach environment and some sunshine to counteract
the SAD (Canadians will know what I'm on about) then back to SJ for a couple of nights... debating a skip down to Panama City also, but
they don't have a Southwest or Ryanair in CR so the flight prices are running at $500... ouch. (Is there a bus service?)

Anyways, I'm aiming for end of this month to arrive in CR. Just a few of questions - I know it's a pain in the ass to get asked
so many of the same questions by newbies, so your answers can be just one word if you have the time. Many Thanks.

HDR - Yes or No?
If yes to HDR, how many nights recommended?
SL - Best rooms to get some sleep.
SL Bar closing time? ( I like my booze)
Jaco - Worth it? Yes or No
Best place to stay in Jaco (chica friendly of course )
Taxi from airport - What/Who to avoid.
CR Colones, best place to buy.
VIP card - worth it? Y/N

Thanks again for a great site.

HDR - Yes or No? Best to just visit I think

If yes to HDR, how many nights recommended? Best nights to visit are fri/sat nights in my opinion

SL - Best rooms to get some sleep. I have not stayed, no comment

SL Bar closing time? ( I like my booze) Closes about midnight

Jaco - Worth it? Yes or No If you like to visit beach places, yes but it is not the nicest beach. Nice break from San Jose though

Best place to stay in Jaco (chica friendly of course ) Cocal Casino/Hotel has most of the action

Taxi from airport - What/Who to avoid. If it is your first trip I would recommend using PVT

CR Colones, best place to buy. Overall best would be at a bank in town, or the upstairs bank of the airport

VIP card - worth it? 10000% Yes

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Not banned yet...

Thanks a lot Seawub.

For what it's worth, I would add to Seawub's post as follows.....

HDR--Never stay there. Only visit and shop there.

SL Rooms--avoid the courtyard and entry hall rooms if you want to sleep.

Jaco--it's kinda dirty in the town and a very dirty and polluted beach. Playa Hermosa, about 4 miles ( $8 taxi ) south of Jaco, is a very nice beach with clean water and BIG surf. The chicas will be in Jaco at night, not at Playa Hermosa. You'll get A LOT more chica value and selection in San Jose than in Jaco.

RAC

If you make a reservation at the SL, specifically mention that noise is an issue. Rac is right, avoid the courtyard and entry hall rooms at all costs if you sleep light. I learned the hard way.

SL bar closes by midnight most nights but I believe there are other nights they close at 11pm. If that's too early, consider it the pre-party and then cab it somewhere else. There are also fridges in the rooms that come pre-stocked (not complimentary!) or buy your own and fill it.

My VIP card paid for itself on my first trip and then some. Get one.

Just from my walk through tours, I agree with not staying at the Del Rey. Ever.

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I aim to misbehave. -Capt. Malcolm Reynolds

All good advice, the DR is loud from the casino and from traffic noise--those diesel busses and trucks start early--and it has other negatives discussed ad nauseum already. Best playgound, but hotel wise has earned a really bad rep with guys that go alot. I think they make so much money downstairs they just don't give a Phuck about the hotel part--though they still get a considerable hotel biz from newbies.

But, almost all of the chica friendly holels in the gulch are loud, either from interior noise or outside traffic noise or mostly both. If you are a light sleeper, and 6-7 hours sleep is important to you, slim pickings in the gulch. Some guys can sleep no matter what. I am making a point about guys that are used to quiet at night, or at least as any hotel can reasonably be.

Sleep Inn is quiet (3rd floor center rooms like, #'s 306-312 if I remember right, the ones facing the Colonial) are quiet. Turn on the air and you won't hear a thing. Newer hotel, way better construction, modern windows, located kind of off the street, set back aways, except the north side, you don't want those rooms. Problem is $30 chica fee. So take a pick, an older, cheaper hotel that is going to be somewhat loud with a low or no chica fee, or Sleep INN, about $80-100 per with big rooms, wireless (bring your own cable), coffeemaker, iron, free breakfast, free parking, I'd say an American 3.75 stars. If noise is not an issue, then Amistad, Sportsmen's, Dunn In, HLH, Castillo if it's still in biz, a few others near them who's names I can't think of are all perfect for what you need.

Ticabus will get you to Panama City for $42 but it is a 16 hour ride.
http://www.ticabus.com/eng/rutas_mapa_d ... =2&mapa=27

Enjoy

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My English teacher said "I before E except after C". Then she told me to go to science class!

Post Deleted by author

I find the Dunn Inn nice and quiet.....chica friendly.

cheers,
Attila

which rooms? I'm here now and the street noise started really early, in 26 under the stairs

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"I'd pork her. Or, if her religion forbade pork, I'd beef her. If it turned out she was a vegetarian, I'd give her an extra firm slab of tofu."

Sorry to hear the noise is bothering you. I find the rooms on the 2nd floor, south side , is a lot better...noise wise.

cheers,
Attila

Cheers guys, all great information there. I don't mind missing a bit of sleep, but after 3 or 4 days with only
a few hrs sleep a night I tend to end up like I've had a lobotomy, Then it stops being a vacation.

Just another question on ATM's/Scams. My last trip to Panama I was stung twice where I put my card (regular debit)
into ATM, Machine goes through it's motions and fails to give out cash, but the transaction goes through
and my account was debited. This happened in a main Casino there. All complaints to the management fell on deaf ears and the bank failed to
respond to my emails when I got home. The second issue was 3 days after arriving, my credit card was skimmed/number used, my bank shut it down of course. The only time I had used it was for check in at said casino for the room - All in all I felt Panama was out to f*ck me back.
Is there much of this kind of thing in CR?

many thanks,JM

I only use bank atm's. You have lots of option...bcr, scotia, citi, hsbc, etc... Any problems call your card issuer.

cheers,
Attila

Jerry_mac..you're Irish..and you like your booze? I don't believe you one minute..jejeje.

The further to the back of SL the quieter..generally speaking. I like 2d floor of HLH, but like all places, hoooker heels and tile floors make for a noisy madrugada.

As for ATMs, I always use the ATM on the 2d floor of the INS building. I've never had an issue there, and have never been charged a withdrawl fee. Good thing is that you can use it out of the public eye, but only M-F 9am-5pm. INS has ATMs out front, but I don't use them. INS is a short (5min) stroll from all gulch hotels.

Orange taxis from the airport are usually OK. You should never pay over $30 for a ride to the gulch..usually its about $20-25

In 9 years of living here and using my debit card more times then I could possibly count I have had 2 incidents one at Banco Costa Rica and one at Banco National. Both times the machine did not dispense any money but charged my account. Each time I called my bank in the U.S. and they immediately put the money back provisionally in my account while they investigated. In both cases they later notified me that the banks in Costa Rica acknowledge the problem and the removed the provisional designation.

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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