www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I know that there are many posts about hotels in Jaco, and I have read many, many of them, but still haven't found what I am looking for.

Clearly, Cocal and it's next-door neighbor Mango Mar have been mentioned the most. But I have also read repeatedly that the rooms at Cocal are small and a dump and not worth what is being charged, and while Mango Mar is more reasonably priced, it's rooms are no better. I have not stayed at either property, so I am going only on what I have read.

I am hoping to find a room that is more appealing, close-by, and still chica-friendly. I would like to be able to relax in a fairly safe, clean, comfortable room, besides just using it for horizontal exercises. I am not opposed to paying for quality, but not as much as most condos are charging. (A condo would be overkill for me.)

For those of you familiar with Cocal, I am wondering if there are differences in room quality depending on whether you are in a pool-facing, parking lot-facing, or beach-facing room? And if there are any differences on which floor? Where are the highest quality rooms in Cocal? Or are they all the same? (I tend away from the pool-facing ones for reasons of noise.)

Are there any other recommended nearby, chica-friendly hotels of higher quality? I would like to stay within a few minutes walk of the action at Cocal if possible. If not, then a short taxi ride away. I have heard Poseidon (Trident) mentioned, but there is question of its chica-friendliness under new ownership and little mention of its room quality.

Having spent considerable time in Europe I would never call the rooms at Cocal small. They are a typical hotel room you would find in a mid-level American hotel. There is room for two queen beds, dresser, armoire, and reasonable sized bathroom. I don’t think the rooms are small.

All the rooms are very similar, just different location. I would never classify it as a dump. Overpriced perhaps. If you don’t freak out at a Marriott Courtyard hotel, you would be fine. Keep in mind many members trash anything in Jaco because they don’t like what chicas ask for in pricing at Cocal.

Mango Mar is less expensive and the quality of furnishings are a small step down. I’m totally fine with the rooms there. Have current reservation, will arrive there May 2.

I stayed at Hotel Poseidon about 5 years ago. Easy walk to Cocal. Chicas will want to taxi back. At the time I would rate furnishing between Mango Mar and Cocal. As you mentioned, new ownership and reported higher rates. Don’t know if that goes along with upgrades to rooms? Still Chica Friendly?

I am not aware of any higher quality chica friendly hotels within easy walking distance of Cocal.

Thanks for the feedback, Bulldog10. Good to hear directly from someone who has stayed there and is not bashing Jaco or the hotels in it.

If Cocal is truly comparable to a Marriott Courtyard, it will be just fine for me. I agree about the smallness of the rooms in Europe, and I've stayed in much smaller rooms in places like Tokyo as well. Just to be extra safe on the room size, for $18 a day more (with discounts), I am opting for a Junior Suite at the Cocal. I liked the second story location facing the beach with a private balcony, too. I decided to give it a try, and I now hold reservations for several days at the Cocal for the action, interspersed with a couple of quiet days of R&R at the Marriott Los Suenos Resort (where I can recover and get my luxury fix )

I'll be there during low season, so the prices are actually about the same for a Junior Suite at the Cocal that I would pay for a Mansion Wing room at Sportsmens Lodge in San Jose where I'll be for several days before and several days after Jaco.

Cocal does give a CRT discount on the room. You have to mention it and have your card at check in. Sportsmans front desk will usually ask if you are CRT, Cocal you have to be the proactive one to get the discount.

Yes, thanks for the reminder to be proactive in requesting the discount at check-in. I am factoring in the CRT discount in my plans.

When asked about the CRT discount, the reservations agent at Cocal did tell me to be sure to show my CRT card at check-in to receive the discount. They would not print a confirmation at the discounted rate, only at the full rate. The risk is that if, for some reason, they decide to stop honoring the discount before I check-in, then I would be on the hook for the full quoted price. I am assuming that risk is low.

BTW, for anyone else reading this thread who is trying to make reservations at Cocal: I did see this posted elsewhere here on the forums but it bears repeating. Cocal does not currently take reservations through the web. If you try to use their website for reservations at the hotel, it will try to entice you into renting a condo. I also found that none of the typical hotel booking companies on the web (hotels.com, expedia, etc.) showed any availability at the hotel. (If they showed Cocal, they showed it as having no availability.) But when I called by phone, I had no problem finding availability for any room type. So the moral of the story is call them to make reservations.

Stayed at cocal in October for first time in 3 years rooms have been upgraded/remodeled and are now very nice. Poolside room's are ok but I recommend the 1 jr. Suite they have or ocean view at slightly higher price.

How about the wi-fi?

Wi-fi about the same ..late night early morning fine but then very slow

Slows down about the time all the chicas show up?

I have found the rooms at the Cocal to be very nice by Costa Rica standards. Relatively modern furnishings, kept very clean, good water pressure and most importantly for Jaco, the AC is strong.

My only recommendation would be to avoid the poolside rooms unless you are a late night partier. The music from the poolside bar can make the bed shake.

Either the beach front (most expensive) or the parking lot view (least expensive) would be my choice.

One thing about the parking lot view rooms is that you can sit outside your rooms and scope out the ladies as they arrive (or leave). Grab a winner before she even hits the bar.

[quote="Harddrive43228"]

One thing about the parking lot view rooms is that you can sit outside your rooms and scope out the ladies as they arrive (or leave). Grab a winner before she even hits the bar.[/quote

On my last night in a parking lot room, I sat outside and watched the chicas leave. I invited 4 chicas seperatley into my room and each one immediately stuck there hand out and said pay me. When I said I would pay when finished they all left as fast as they walked in. Finally a chica from the Limon provence came in and I told her I would pay when finished and she said okay. So I got in one nice session before early morning departure.

I just recently booked a room at the Cocal ocean front my 1st trip to Jaco and being outside SJ after reading many many posts on here it sounds like the Ocean front Room it’s furthest away from the pool area and the quietest which I prefer but I also like a nice view so all in all it sounds like it’s the best deal I have read some comments about critters getting in under the door on the 1st floor any advice on how to avoid this problem or is at problem at all ?

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Stay Humble Amigos !

I paid $175 for an ocean view room with a full size bed. The room had a dressor with TV on it but no chairs or room for anything else. Smallest $175 room I ever stayed at with very poor wi-fi. However the chicas were awesome

Thanks for the info Hank, Not concerned about Wifi in room I will go to lobby if I need a good signal and won't be in room much anyways, but I do hear the Chicas are plentiful as I made plans to be there Friday and Saturday nights for the biggest selection, I also tried for a JR suite but nothing available so just rolled with the Ocean View as long as views are decent and it's quiet I can make do with a smaller room.

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Stay Humble Amigos !

Don't be hestitant to send a chica back to the bar if she gives out a let's hurry up and get this over with vibe. I was sending back about 25% of the chicas back if they cop an attitude in the room. You don't have to worry about taxi money. But it is a great time and you can find some very attractive and nice willing chicas.