www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Max-----Wow.....guess I've never seen someone rip SL like that!!..(Always thought it was great).....suppose we all have different experiences.....

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There's a prettier girl every day...

For someone who later said you pay close attention to your tab, you didn't notice the $110 charge before you signed the tab?

I don't think you will find another person on this board who will agree with your description of the bartenders at the SL, unless someone has a personal agenda against the bartenders or the SL. On over 200 tabs I have run at the SL, I have never had a padded tab.

How places charge the taxes can vary greatly. Many places will include all the taxes and list one inclusive price on the menu so all you see on the receipt is the total. There is a buffet style place close to my house that does this and knowing some of the workers, they do split 10% each day as the law dictates. Some (Raquel's Soda in Jaco) include the 13% sales tax in the price then add the 10% service charge separately. Some break it down item by item so you can see what you are paying for each tax. Some will list the total price on the menu then break it down line by line on the tab so the c3690 meal you saw on the menu was actually c3000 for the meal + c300 service charge + c390 sales tax.

I can assure you, with the labor laws the way they are in Costa Rica, if a place wasn't charging (or distributing) the 10% service fee to the workers, they would have a problem. I can see some family owned and run businesses that only have family working for them perhaps doing something like this but not a normal restaurant. Just opens them up to too many problems. Many laws don't seem to be enforced here (traffic) but they take labor stuff very seriously and seem quite efficient in protecting the workers or at the least, shutting down any business they find not following the labor laws.

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The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...

I am as surprised as many of us to hear of Max's problem with SL. Bill and Danny have operated SL for many years in a way that has earned a sterling reputation for it. In some other disputes of which I am aware, they have made it "right" for their customer.

Bill is probably too smart to engage in a public "pissing contest" with a former customer, but it would be interesting to hear about his recollection of the events that Max and Chili have experienced. There are usually two sides to every story.

Rule of thumb in my book has been that gringo visitors (not necessarily expats regulars) running a tab in a third world country establishment is a losing proposition!

Just pull some bills out of your pocket and, as annoying as it is, pay for each order cash...you'll avoid any issues with anyone regarding the tab...chicas, bartenders and even business owners.

I caught the bottle of Hennessy and sent it back. The bartender refused a refund because she had already rung it up on my tab (without my permission). I had to get management involved to get a refund. You can ask Chilimike, he was there watching it happen.

He was also the target of the bill padding when we were having lunch with two girls. Chilimike ordered well drinks & clearly stated repeatedly to use the cheapest vodka or whatever liquor it was. The bill came and he was charged top shelf prices for a bunch of drinks. The bartender / waitress lied about it to Bill even though all 4 of us at the table disputed it.

It's great if no one else has issues. Although I know many people in addition to myself and Chilimike with bill padding issues. Rolleratnight saves his receipts & routinely has to argue with charges on his bill. And he does not drink alcohol so he doesn't lose count of drinks as might happen to someone who is drinking heavily.

Glad to hear you haven't had any problems. I would recommend paying each bill in cash & hiding your room key. This can prevent most of the problems I personally experienced.

I agree completely. Excellent advice.

I did not visit SL on my last 2 trips. Reason was drink padding/bartender asking for drinks.
"Baby 1 tequila shot for me? Um ok sure. Baby one more tequila for me? Ok but last one.
Got my bill and she marked down 3 shots of Petron @ 11$ each. LOL
When I approached her about 3 shots instead of the 2 I agree, she says the other bartender took one with her. LOL And why patron?
All these gringo places in SanJose are opportunity for the natives. The language barrier adds into the houses favor as the natives will claim "no intiendo" LOL. My first night at Mona Lisa, I say at bar for drink and bartender ask if I can buy one for her? What ever happened to stealing from the house? Not from the client LOL.


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This is not a flame, just a statement, so keep your dicks in your pants.

While I like SL, I will say that their prices are high. US pricing for a third world country. Caters to the cien boy crowd. Rooms and food are overpriced (the food is good, the bar is great), but this is a niche for the fat, old monger with 100's to throw around. Bill has a good establishment and knows what he's doing. He's catering to the right crowd. Typical itinerary...$100.00 plus room, 6 pack Sammy for a cien, Luna for cien, and then a few drinks. Boy, I love Costa Rica!

I repeat....This is not a flame, just a statement, so keep your dicks in your pants.

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I am NOT a Cien Boy!!

The only part I don't get is.......if the place caters to the 100 dollar crowd..why do you like it and why would you go there???...........seems like this is what you spend most of your time preaching against!.....and this is not a flame..simple question....so keep your dick..wherever you keep it..

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There's a prettier girl every day...

Gentlemen,

I do not recall this issue with Max. Obviously I am disappointed in the fact he felt that SL had padded his bills four years ago. If I had seen his bills and was unable to explain them I have always given the benefit of any doubt to our guests therefore Max too. Again I feel badly about Max`s feelings regarding our hotel. As far as Chilimike he has sent me PM`s and commented on SL many times in the past, I do not remember him mentioning to me that he felt that we overcharged him. I could be suffering from just a very poor memory because I am not casting doubt on Max`s story.

One thing for certain, there has been a Costa Rica Government mandated 10% service tax on all checks since I opened the Lodge October 22nd, 2004. That did not start just a few years ago.

Thanks,
Bill

PS. This thread about the "newly named Taormina Hotel"...I wish them nothing but the best!

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This post is provided purely for entertainment purposes and free of charge on the part of the author. No "Sex tourism or travel" promotion is expressed or implied. The author of this post was not provided any compensation for this hopefully entertaining contribution. Any posts regarding any event or hotel item are just my humble opinions only.

Max---for what it's worth (probably not much). A couple years ago I was sitting at the bar one evening in SL when Chilimike sat down... Don't remember why or what brought it up, but he told me the exact story you wrote about.....I still like to think this isn't the norm---because I really like SL..

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There's a prettier girl every day...

Thanks for the reply Bill. I think most of the issues I encountered related to Ticas & the bartenders. Times may have changed but based on all the PMs I am getting, my experiences on my 4 stays at SL were certainly not the only exceptions.

I would recommend a policy where no girl is allowed to order a drink on a guys tab without the bartender stating the item, price, and # of drinks to the customer for verbal approval.

I was in SL two weeks ago to visit the bar. Had no problems as I was paying cash & only ordered a bottled water for my companion.

I like the SL and continue to go and appreciate the venue. As far as what Bill charges I feel that it is fair, he is entitled to a profit and I know he has expenses that have to be covered and if the establishment is slow he takes it out of his pocket to pay when times are good he gets to re-coupe when he had to pay out. There are a lot of things that are involved with doing business in Costa Rica that most American business owners are not aware of. See how much fun it is to fire an employee in Costa Rica vs the US and that is just one of the issues. Anyway back on topic, I do not run a tab anywhere unless I am friends with the bartender, and there is a level of trust that has been built over time. As for the buy me drinks bartenders, I am happy to buy a beer here and there, but I am not going to get them drunk, and I watch to see if others are buying drinks for them as well. I like to have a good time but getting taken advantage of is something I don't tolerate. I go to a lot of Tico bars that have better prices but you go to those with friends and you go to eat, drink, and dance. Yes you can pick up girls at these places but you need to speak Spanish, and you need to be staying somewhere other than a monger hotel.

Thanks Max!
This is our policy.
"I would recommend a policy where no girl is allowed to order a drink on a guys tab without the bartender stating the item, price, and # of drinks to the customer for verbal approval".

I will personally remind each bartender of the house policy of asking the guest before giving a drink to a girl based on "her just saying that the guest is offering to invite" each and every one of the drinks. I think it`s a very good idea to remind them all. I will also ask Manfred our hotel Manager to post the policy on the bartender bulletin area with "zero tolerance" for not following it.

Again Thanks!
Bill

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This post is provided purely for entertainment purposes and free of charge on the part of the author. No "Sex tourism or travel" promotion is expressed or implied. The author of this post was not provided any compensation for this hopefully entertaining contribution. Any posts regarding any event or hotel item are just my humble opinions only.