Bachelor Party Questions - staying in San Jose & Jaco

Kiddelicious · **Posted:** Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:55 pm

Okay -

One of my best friends is getting married and we're going on a 7 day bachelor party to Costa Rica. There's 20 of us going, we're all in our mid to late 20's, and we love to party heavily.

So, some questions:

What are the best hotels/casinos in San Jose?

What are the best hotels/casinos in Jaco?

We'd like to spend between $50-$75US per night, but if a place is really awesome we'll go higher.

Any advise is much appreciated - we've got to send our boy off w/ a bang!

Orange · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:20 pm **Posts:** 12640

K*D,
First, welcome to the board.

We have a very neat search feature here that allows you to pull up posts related to the topic of interest. I suggest you try that first because some of other CRT members may somewhat harsh towards you if you don't search before posting a question that has been addressed in the past.

I would not ever recommend anybody to go to Jaco over SJ... I've been to both and as far as girls go, no contest. San Jose hands down.
Plus, the heat in Jaco is unbearable for me.

-Orange

Nucknfuts · **Posted:** Fri Aug 05, 2005 8:02 pm

Jaco is HOT but if you like the beach scene and surfing
you will like Jaco.
I know I do. And there is still plenty of Chica's to go around.
And a party every night.

My suggestion is for you to take some time and Read, read, and read some more.
The Nuck

Kiddelicious · **Posted:** Fri Aug 05, 2005 8:34 pm

I didn't see the search feature before - I'll try that.

I spent a month in Jaco when I was twenty and had a blast surfing every day and found plenty of girls @ the bars - and it looks like the town has gotten considerably larger since I was there 6 years ago. I know we'll spend 3 nights in SJ but we really are planning on fishing & surfing in Jaco, so we'll definitely want at least 3 nights there.

Again - thanks for the heads up, I'll use the search feature...

Orange · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:20 pm **Posts:** 12640

Don't get me wrong, Jaco isn't bad, but the question was which town would be better for a bachelor party. I still think it's San Jose hands down. As far as Jaco goes though, the climate there didn't agree with me for the most part, but I still had fun. During the day, when there is little chica action, you can do some cool and interesting touristy things. I personally did two that were really fun: the canopy tour (zip lines) in the rainforest and riding ATV's through the mountains. There are tons of other tours you can try. They are not expensive ($50-70/person) but can add up. And you can swim and surf in the mornings too.

PM me if you have any questions about the tours that I did.

-Orange

El Ciego · **Posted:** Fri Aug 05, 2005 9:44 pm

Kiddelicious wrote:

Okay -

One of my best friends is getting married and we're going on a 7 day bachelor party to Costa Rica. There's 20 of us going, we're all in our mid to late 20's, and we love to party heavily.

So, some questions:

What are the best hotels/casinos in San Jose?

Any hotel where I'm not staying.

Twenty 20-somethings on a bachelor party...potential for disaster, bad interaction with the cops, I smell disaster!

Regardless of where you stay, you might want to see if you can get a group rate with that many guys. Presumably, you'll be bunking no more than 2 to a room? This means you might actually qualify for a free room or a big discount. That's the good news.

In my limited experience but extensive research, there are some hotels which simply won't tolerate juvenile, uncultured or drunken behavior times 20... but YMMV

The Europa isn't the best, but at your price range and considering their discount policy for groups, you might like it. The Del Rey of course is accustomed to handling the needs of bad boys on the prowl, and with the BM right in the building, it's a 24/7 smorgasbord of sex. It's right in the belly of the beast, with numerous casinos, bars, and even strip clubs (gasp!) within easy walking distance.

I would avoid the Sportsmen's Lodge. Please.

(just kidding... it's awesome, but it may be a bit far from the Gulch for your convenience). Contact Bill or Ray and tell them your plans; they may be able to accomodate you, and it's a great hotel.

What are the best hotels/casinos in Jaco?

No idea. I don't surf, I don't much like the beach...
We'd like to spend between $50-$75US per night, but if a place is really awesome we'll go higher.

Uh, define "awesome." What do you want for amenities? A smokin' pool where you can babe-watch? A lively casino where you can play like high rollers? Hot and cold running women? Be more specific. If you're bunking two to a room, your price range can get you some top-shelf accomodations in Costa Rica, depending on what you need to be comfortable and entertained. Even going one guy per room, you'll be able to find something very decent. Don't forget that hotels have to charge an additional 16.39% tax, and the prices shown on websites etc. do not include this tax.

I'd say do the HDR (Hotel Del Rey) and live large. No pool, but what the hell? It's too cold in San Jose to really enjoy an outdoor pool anyway.

You might, with a little advance planning be able to get an entire floor, which you can make your own party central!

Another CRT favorite is The Presidente which I would classify as "awesome," with a rooftop jacuzzi and its chica-friendly policy. Plus, it's less than a two-block walk to the Blue Marlin and has a pretty good restaurant, a casino and a terrific new sports bar.

Be careful what you book, as many hotels have a no-female-guest (i.e. no hookers) policy. Remember, San Jose is not a whorehouse; it's a city where most of the population are very conservative and proud of their country; make sure the hotel is friendly to the kind of partying you have in mind. Hotels that I know are chica-friendly include the aforementioned Del Rey and Presidente, the Sportsmen's Lodge, the Hotel gran Via, the Hotel-Casino Morazan, the Europa and if you're cool and can behave yourselves when you have to, the Amon Plaza. There are certainly many others; some charge a fee for bringing a female guest to your room, some do not.

Any advise is much appreciated - we've got to send our boy off w/ a bang!

Eric, I wish i was 20-something again. I know you and your crew will have a blast.

Please, please, please... Do your homework by reading everything you can on this web site. Numerous guys have already done the hard research for you, so all you need to do is some fun reading. Join the VIP if you haven't already, because the discounts are great, you'll have another level of access to information, and you'll be supporting the best info source on playing for pay in Costa Rica...

Gopher · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2005 12:51 am

Kiddel,
El Ciego sent you good advice. I'll just add a little. First, questions, in order to craft advice more succintly to your request:

Does anyone speak spanish?
Are you the only one with experience traveling in the country?
What is the approximate date of your trip?

In general, from the tone of your post, my guess is that the Hotel Del Rey would be right up your alley. They have a thriving business, and you must book quite a bit in advance, especially for such a large party.

You're not going to find anything really awesome for 75 a night. Regular rooms at the DR will run about $65 with tax. Hotel tax is about 16% in Costa Rica. The really fancy hotels in San Jose would be likely to toss you out on the second day.

Stay away from the Sportsmen's Lodge, unless you book the entire hotel... which may be worth inquiring about if you have a lot of lead time. Its where many of us stay, and we are generally going to be a little more sedate group than what I perceive your party to be.

The only really fancy hotel in Jaco is the Best Western. I don't think this would be the best choice for you. Its more family oriented. They tolerate chicas, but your group of 20 might be stretching the limits of their toleration. I'm told the Copacabana is a good place, check it out on the board with the search engine. Also the Paradiso. Both are CRT sponsors.
In that area, stay in Jaco, surf at Hermosa. For surfing advice, pm to our member "Surfdog." The Beatle Bar is the center of night life/chica action.

Hopefully you are the co-ordinating person for your group's trip. If at all possible, send out a communication to the group with the information you glean from research here, and include something like this:

Costa Rica welcomes tourists and is a friendly and beautiful country. The people are proud of their heritage and generally conservative. Their friendliness and tolerence will disapear if foreigners are loud and disruptive. Show respect to them, and they will reciprocate. In general, shorts and beachwear are worn at the beach. Dress is a bit more formal in the city. Don't scream at each other in hotel hallways after 10pm. Learn how to say please and thank you in spanish. Remember, we are a guest in their country. You will be rewarded if you treat the working girls like a queen.

Undoubtedly you should stay in the gulch in San Jose. There are 7-8 casinos packed together. The largest and nicest is the Colonial, next door to the Hotel Del Rey. All of the casinos are tiny by usa standards. If you use local currency you can play for lower minimum stakes. Be aware that blackjack rules are different, and less advantageous to the player. The game is called "rommy" there.

Kiddelicious · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2005 1:08 am

I think I'm starting to get a good idea of what we'll do. It sounds as though we need to stay @ either Hotel del Rey or El Presidente when we're in San Jose...I looked @ the master suite @ El Presidente and I think we might try to book that if it's still available. As far as Jaco is concerned, I'm still a little unclear.

So...to answer the previous poster's questions --

1) I'm not the only traveler w/ CR experience - the bachelor & his brothers own have been to San Jose a few times on business.
2) I'm not fluent in Spanish, but I can get by. I know of one other traveler that is fairly good w/ the language.
3) Our dates of travel are 9/18 - 9/25

Since I've spent some time in Jaco, I can remember where all the bars were - I think they've added a few, and I've read about the Beatle Bar on this site a # of times, so we'll definitely hit that - I remember the disco in the middle of town had a pretty good scene on the weekend. When I was there 6 years ago, there was a place called La Hacienda that was really cool, but I did some research and it looks like it's turned into something else.

Quick question that I haven't found on the forum -- Does anyone know anything about Cocal Hotel & Casino in Jaco? From the research I've done it looks like it would be good for our group.

Also -- does anyone have any suggestions for casinos or strip clubs in Jaco or nearby? I remember that there was one when I was there, I just wasn't into going to strip clubs when I was 20 - I was on a budget and surfing every day.

Thanks for any advice...

Prolijo · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2005 1:37 am

Eric,
I got 14 matches when I did a search for "cocal". Try this thread: http://www.costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=42614&highlight=cocal#42614. What month was it when you were in Jaco last time? Orange is right that the heat and humidity can be really brutal there in September. Whereever you stay be sure you get rooms with a/c as thats not universal there.

Gopher · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2005 2:11 am

If you want to stay at the Del Rey or the Prez, you'd better get your reservation requests in very soon. Especially if your dates cover weekends there.

Do searches on Kamur, Tango India for strip clubs. There's also one right by the DR, used to be called Tentaciones, but believe there's a new name which escapes me at the moment.

Teach your men the meaning of "no cien."

Prolijo · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:06 am

Gopher wrote:

There's also one right by the DR, used to be called Tentaciones, but believe there's a new name which escapes me at the moment.

That would be Casablanca. It used to be good, but has lost favor considerably. Everytime I've been by there recently, the place was dead. If you do decide to go there, you'll probably have the entire place to yourselves for the bachelor party. Do a search on "casablanca" for more info. Personally, I would say, if strip clubs are your thing, you would be better advised to take a cab to either Kamur, Tango India or D'Pelufo's while you're in SJ. If there are any strip clubs in Jaco, that is news to me. There are also many cheaper Tico joints if you and your guys are feeling adventurous.

If you want to know where all these various places are, I recommend you check out the map I created at my website http://www.whorticulture.info. You'll need to become a member though in order to access the full version. If you click on the CRT banner ad at my site to join CRT you will be supporting both sites. Even if you're not interested in my site, I still highly recommend you join CRT for all the VIP discounts if nothing else. http://www.costaricaticas.com/join.php

Kiddelicious · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:44 am

I ran a search on the Cocal and got a sort of mixed review - I think we'll probably stay there...I'll let everyone know how it went for us. I also ran a few more searches on Jaco and found some more info - I was searching in the hotels section when I needed to look in the strip club/mp section. I found a posting that surfdog left that pretty much summed up Jaco - with some follow up that provided a lot of insite.

I'm really looking forward to this trip - And don't worry, I know a group of 20-somethings this large will be hard-pressed to avoid the "ugly American" cliche, but I'll keep everyone in line.

Thanks again!!!

Right Hand Man · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2005 12:27 pm

Hope your soon to be married friend enjoys his last trip to CR for awhile. He'll be back in ten to fifteen years after he's accumulated a nice house, nice cars, nice retirement nest egg, 2.3 k*ds...

and then gives it all up to his wonderful ex-bride who's living the gringa dream/gringo nightmare.

Friends don't let friends drive married.

Just a thought... :twisted:

Gopher · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2005 4:11 pm

They would be doing the guy a favor to kidnap him on this journey. Keep him in captivity for at least one year until the brain returned to the body. Hummm... lets see: what you have to look forward to: YOU work all your life; she sits on her ass; She gets the majority of your assets. Ahhh... gringas... HOW I MISS THEM! Not.

Ace · **Posted:** Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:29 pm

I stayed at the Cocal in Jaco and liked it.

For your San Jose stay I would advise the Hotel Del Rey. Action central, with 24 hour room service, booze anytime at the bar 24 hours a day, for the young at heart and no gringa tourists hanging around to give you bad looks like at the Presidente. No hassles about what your "guest" is wearing when she tries to walk in either, like at the Presidente.

www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Bachelor Party Questions - staying in San Jose & Jaco

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