www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Are there any cheaper hotels in the $30-$40 price range for the budget minded with A/C instead of having to stay at the Del Rey, Presidente, or Sportmens Lodge? If so can you bring girls there and do they have a website or phone number?

How long are you staying?

Around the corner from SL are the Castillo and Hemingway. I like them both if not at the SL. They will deal with you sometimes. I like the Hemingway because they are really friendly to me, although Castillo is friendly and service oriented enough.


http://www.hotelcastillo.biz/

Talk to Darren

http://www.hemingwayinn.com/

Talk to Victor

PM me about Hemingway if you're interested and I'll give you a little info.

There is another hotel called the Doral and it's in an interesting neighborhood- more downtown 4-5 blocks West of the Gran Hotel/National Theatre. You'd go 8-10 blocks East then two blocks North to get to the Presidente. Skip the breakfast and pay just $24 for the nite. It's the high season so it's possible they raised the rate slightly but it was $24. I found it adequate but a little freaky- very interesting, has hot water. If you can manage there your first couple days at $24 it will free up some cash to stay at one of the other three above for a few days and average your cost down. It does have a $5 chica fee though.

http://www.hoteldoralcr.com/ing/htm/home.htm

BTW, doesn't Presidente have a deal for CRTers at about $49 a nite plus tax?

email Wendy at Presidente- sales@hotel-presidente.com and ask if they can do close to $40 with tax. Tell her you're a CRTer- never know.

Wendy JUST emailed me and said 51+ tax for the high season

The Presidente has studio rooms for $40 + tax for CRT members. I doubt they will deal lower than the $49 + tax for the standard rooms, they are already discounted down from $65.

Spend the $39 for the VIP and you will save more than that on your first trip. Check out all the discounts.

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GG
"Last time I said no......I misunderstood the question!"

Thanks. TicaFan I would be staying around 4 nights. With these prices though it would still make more sense to stay at the Presidente. I was hoping something in the $30 range. I don't need fancy. I would like the location to be near the Blue Marlin area or at least walking distance of it. I do speak enough Spanish to get by. And you still have to pay 16% tax which substantially raises the price. It seems all the hotels have the $10 guest fee as well.

I still think the Presidente studio room at $40 plus tax is a great deal as it includes breakfast as well.Clean,convenient and no chica fee.

BTW it looks like the rates have gone up for 2006 as I was confirmed at $51 for a standard room for Jan as well.

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Y.N.W.A.

Castillo is cheap and not far from the SL. I've heard some not so nice things about the nearby Hemingway, YMMV. The Morazon is $39/nt + tax, has a/c and is less than 100m from the BM. La Gran Via sometimes have specials in your price range, but I'm not sure if they have a/c. Do you really need a/c in SJ anyway? The Hotel Doral is a little further from the Gulch but has rooms in the $25-30 range.

No chica fee at the Presidente, all hotels will add the 16.39% tax unless you negotiate a cash price up front. The Presidente is a block and a half from the BM. Breakfast included!

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GG
"Last time I said no......I misunderstood the question!"

Try this: http://www.hotelnuevojohnson.com/index.html I don't think they have A/C, but in CR, a fan is all you need.

For Cheap, Nuevo Johnson wins the prize at $10 per night.Very basic but better than outher really cheap places and yes I have stayed there.Not exactly the kind of place you would be proud to bring a chica back to and sometimes they hit you with a fee to bring one in.
For several notches better Doral is recomended as a nice decent place for the budget traveler.$24 including taxes if you pay cash with no breakfast with $5 chica fee.Both have AC and fan which is all you need in San Jose.About anything below $35 is not going to be AC.
Also there is a hostal near the Del Rey for $14 with private bath and double room that is basic but decent and you can bring ladies in if discrete so I was told.Has a decent outside pool enclosed in the grounds.Website www.hostelpangea.com.rbc100

Ahh, I forgot about the Morazon. I remember a few months ago they would give a cash price of $40 w/no tax and no chica fee.

Hey RBC, is the New Johnson really a few notches down from Doral? I saw the website and it didn't look so bad. I'd check it out if I could negotiate no chica fee. Do you recall what their chica fee was?

I also looked at the Hostel website. With the pool and everything it looks like fun. I like that area it's in.

Ticafan the hostel is very convienent to the gulch.It is real close to Muses massage and the Dungeon.It is just a room and bed but tidy and clean and they said OK to bring someone in.Mostly younger backpacker crowd and nice facilities.I think I will try it next time I need a place.Nevo Johnson is considerably below Doral and with double room at Johnson $20, Doral isn't much more money.By the way thanks go to Jimmy DR for finding the hostel. rbc100

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

RBC,
Pangea sounds interesting. Where exactly is it? Their website lists only a PO Box but no address.

This sounds like a backpacker type place which would include young gringas. That can be both good and bad. I don't expect I would get very far with most young gringas, particularly if they see me bringing back a different BM girl every night, but it would be nice to have better eye candy at my hotel than to just have to look at the likes of all of you guys . Anyway, the bad comes from the so-called "walk of shame". I know the management said it was okay to bring back chicas and I know I shouldn't care what other guests think, but I'm sorry it often makes me feel uncomfortable if I think other guests are looking down their noses at me. Then again, to the extent I mix with other types of tourists, it tends to be middleaged ecotourists and their stuck-up gringa wives. Maybe young backpackers would see us as dirty old men or maybe they could care less what we old farts do. I'd be curious to hear reports of anyone who tries this place to know what sort of vibe they got when they brought back chicas.