www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Fellas,

I am wondering if I can get some clarification on the CRT rates at Castillo. I read a bunch of info after doing some searches and am still confused. I am sending a couple of friends to stay there who are going to be getting their VIP cards soon, before the trip. (doing my best to steer business to this site, since it has been so helpful!) I am staying at the SL, but they are full, so I am sending a few friends to Castillo. I thought our card got us a 25% discount, no? The rate that they offered for CRT VIP was only 5 bucks below the listed price on the website. They were offering kitchen units for 69, and CRT got it down to 64. Does that sound right? I thought the discount was a lot more significant than that? Either way, it's no biggie, as we will make the card worth it's weight in gold at Kamur, ZB, and others, but just wanted to make sure that I shouldn't push the Castillo a bit harder for a better rate...

Any help would be appreciated......thanks.

Frank, I've booked 7 nights there in Sept. for 43 bucks a night, taxes included for a standard room.
That's the cash rate with the discount.
Later, SB

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

ID,

thanks, and that's what I thought, but the rate being only 5 dollars less for us didn't seem like much of a discount, right? The room would be 69 without the card, and 64 with. Kinda short of a 25%discount by my rough math.....

http://www.hotelcastillo.biz/rates.html

Don't forget, you have to add back in the 16.4% tax.

TicaFan,

Thanks, that's the page that I saw, but when I told them about the card and the CRT discount, they only moved the rate down 5 bucks to 64 on a kitchen unit. Isn't it supposed to be 25% off for cash and 10% off for CC?


I mean, I know we're not talking about huge dollars here, but on principles alone, I would rather not get ripped off BEFORE I even get there!! I'll save that for the Colombianas!!

POSTED RATES FOR GREEN SEASON MAY-NOVEMBER

Standard $44 ($51 tax included)
Deluxe $64 ($74 tax included)
Deluxe w/Kitchenette $69 ($80 tax included)
Suite $84 ($97 tax included)

If paid with cash +16.3% Tax

CRT 25% Discount with TaxStandard $44 x.25 x 1.16 = $38 tax included
Deluxe $64 x.25 x 1.16 = $56 tax included
Deluxe w/Kitchenette $69 x.25 x 1.16 = $61 tax included
Suite $84 x.25 x 1.16 = $74 tax included

SAVINGS WITH CRT DISCOUNT

Standard $51-38=$13
Deluxe $74-56=$18
Deluxe w/Kitchenette $80-61=$19
Suite $97-74=$23

That's my fuzzy math and please don't flame I rounded off the numbers and I may be off a few dollars. I'm not a shill for the place, in fact I never stayed there. It is however, a very good discount.

Broadway, your math looks like my math which is the same I would use to arrive at price when staying there. I think Frank's math is wrong or he was misinformed when communicating with Castillo..

How are the rooms in comparison to SL? Everybody seems to have positive reviews about the place. I ask because I will be staying in CR for 10 days over Labor Day and I'm looking for something less expensive than SL. As far as I know SL does not have a weekly rate. At SL, a new wing regular room is $79.99/night so that's $756 for a 9 night stay (with taxes and CRT discount).

As much as I enjoy staying at SL, I'm not paying $750+.

Any suggestions? Thanks for the help.

At this stage in the game, you choices are going to be limited.

Amon may be the same rate, maybe a little cheaper. You might have to go for the lower end places that are not so well known. Unfortunately, I don't know too many of them.

Castillo may be the most reasonable option near the gulch.I have seen the rooms and they look clean and compfortable but may not be to Sportsmans Lodge standards. Outside of that on a budget you have apartment options. Some that come to mind are Vista Linda,Sundamer and Scotland. I know there are some in San Pedro that rent short term but don't recall names.rbc100

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

I went through this a couple of weeks ago with Hotel Castillo. You should only deal with Darren Rutherford, and you should get at least 25% off for your CRT-VIP card and maybe an additional 20% if you pay cash up front by the week.

I telephoned HC 2 weeks ago and spoke to a woman who offered me the $5 discount. I told her I wanted to speak to Darren. She said call between 9 and 10 AM to speak to him.

I later e-mailed Darren Rutherford the following:



He responded:



I took the 10-day booking at Hotel Castillo. That's a good deal for kitchnette.

I couldn't book Hotel Presidente or Hotel Vino. I'm pissed off at Morazan, so I didn't try them.

I wound up booking my first 4 nights at Hotel Europa for $60 per night. I've stayed there before, and it is not worth that much, but I was getting desperate to book something. I used to stay there for $40 tax included when our friend Don Carlos was there.

Anyway, I think Hotel Castillo is a good deal with discounts of 25% to 45%. Speak with or e-mail Darren Rutherford.

Good Luck

Don Giovanni wrote:



That is an absolute outstanding deal. Anyone considering a 10 day or longer stay would be hard pressed to find a better deal unless they settled for sub par accommodations.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I agree, that is a great deal. Since everybody seems to think that "everything is negotiable in CR", has anybody negotiated a better rate at a hotel for a longer stay? This could be an example of one. He gave you a double discount which they normally don't do. How about SL? I'd love to stay there 9 nights but I really don't want to pay almost $800 to do so.

Thanks, Don!! That's what I needed to hear. I will email Darren and straighten this out. I won't be staying that long, as I am headed to Jaco for a big part of the trip, so I won't get that extra 20%, but as long as I get the 25% discount due to us CRT folks, I am cool with that! Thanks for the info......I think Darren needs to straighten this out with his girl who always answers the phone!