Sad news indeed. Tomorrow will be the last day of operations. From what I read on another board, the ladies will be granted access to the Sportsmens Lodge.
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Sad news indeed. Tomorrow will be the last day of operations. From what I read on another board, the ladies will be granted access to the Sportsmens Lodge.
[QUOTE=MrJetsetter;1963325]Sad news indeed. Tomorrow will be the last day of operations. From what I read on another board, the ladies will be granted access to the Sportsmens Lodge.[/QUOTE]I will be in the Sportsmen in a couple days. I'm guessing it might be more busy than usual. What coincidental timing. Anyways, if anyone is in town from Saturday and going on for a week let me know. I am thinking I will drive from San Jose to Jaco on Monday and stay there 2 or 3 nights. I have to decide on my last night, if I actually want to drive to the airport from Jaco, or stay in San Jose on my last night.
[QUOTE=Gagoo;1963293]I stayed there many years ago, and I'm going back this Saturday for 2 nights, then I think I'll have a rental car and drive myself to Jaco 2 or 3 nights.[/QUOTE]Instead of going through the hassle of renting a car and driving to Jaco, you may want to take a look at some of the van shuttle services for tourists. They are fairly reasonable in price, they may cost a little more than standard intercity buses. I think it may be around $35 to $45 one way. Last time I went the van driver dropped me off right in front of my hotel in Jaco. Van shuttles are provided by Gray Line (graylinecostarica), Easy Ride (easyridecr), Monkey Ride (monkeyridecr) and Interbus (interbusonline). (web site addresses).
[QUOTE=FlaFun;1963603]Instead of going through the hassle of renting a car and driving to Jaco, you may want to take a look at some of the van shuttle services for tourists. They are fairly reasonable in price, they may cost a little more than standard intercity buses. I think it may be around $35 to $45 one way. Last time I went the van driver dropped me off right in front of my hotel in Jaco. Van shuttles are provided by Gray Line (graylinecostarica), Easy Ride (easyridecr), Monkey Ride (monkeyridecr) and Interbus (interbusonline). (web site addresses).[/QUOTE]I'll have a look in to those. I have been traveling non-stop for a long time now and I like to drive once in awhile. The drive to Jaco and back doesn't seem to bad. The rental prices don't seem too bad either. But I understand most people don't want to bother renting a car or worry about the driving somewhere, or people trying to cheat or rob you, scam you etc. So far, for renting a car in other countries I've done it in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Antigua, Brasil, Saint Martin, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Guam, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Greece, Suriname, Uruguay, and Ecuador. And I owned and drove cars in Bahrain and Japan. I'm probably missing a few of the countries. But if I haven't drove a car in a couple months it sure is nice to take a long drive. Also, I have found several unreported spots by accidentally driving past them. Not so nice to drive in a crowded city with no parking though. I figure the drive from San Jose to Jaco should be a decent drive and might take a drive to see one of the volcanoes or Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio. But I might be trying to do too much in 6 nights.
I was in San Jose last weekend, for 3 nights. I stayed at a hotel near the Del Rey. I use to frequent San Jose quite a bit 10 to 15 years ago. It was always fun seeing the show at the Blue Marlin, the variety and abundant number of ladies was fantastic, almost every single night. I have not been to SJO in 3 years or so. I wish I could say it was just as good. However, it was probably the worst I have seen that place in 20 years. Saturday night was the busiest, and it wasn't even half as full as I used to remember. Also, I noticed very few colombianas.
Bartenders use to be hot. They had a calendar consisting of the hottie bartenders. I only saw one hot one, and its the same cute colombian gal who has been working there for the last 8 or 9 years.
Maybe it was just the luck of the draw this past weekend, but it sucked compared to my previous experiences. The MP around town are still pretty decent, so that was a positive. If I return to San Jose, I would still revisit the Del Rey, and hopefully it will be better. Again, there were still some options, but nothing as compared to all of my visits, as far as quality and numbers. I will just assume it was one of those odd situations in which things were slow.
Pura Vida!
I'll be there next week.
What are some good MPs? Should we just let a cab driver take us around or are there specific ones good for gringo mongers?
Per the owner of Zona II:
Yes ZONA II was bought.
The new owners take over this upcoming week.
I do not know what is their reopening date.
Look for a future announcement.
Jim.
Most of what you want to know is in this thread.
It takes a little reading though.
[URL]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showthread.php?2643-San-Jose-Club-Bars-and-Massage-Parlors-List[/URL]
[QUOTE=HumanBeing1;1964643]I'll be there next week.
What are some good MPs? Should we just let a cab driver take us around or are there specific ones good for gringo mongers?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=MrJetsetter;1964823]Per the owner of Zona II:
Yes ZONA II was bought.
The new owners take over this upcoming week.
I do not know what is their reopening date.
Look for a future announcement.
Jim.[/QUOTE]Jimmy took the only deal on the table, and my prediction is, as soon as they get a closer look at the actual numbers, they'll realize they've been had.
The truth is, that place hasn't been profitable by the conventional definition since Eddie ran the place. Nice and simple, working girls and booze. He had a little cart in the corner with booze, and it sold very well. Eddie focused on pretty talent, and it served him well. Everyone since has concentrated on sound systems, TV's, kitchens, and a list too long to count. Eddie was the only guy that put it together. That we'll sit in a barn on bails of hay and sip home made beer out of dirty jars if there's enough quality pussy around.
If Jimmy were making $10 k a month net, they would have to wheel his body out of there before he handed it over. I'm guessing he's treading water and dealing with tons of ho-related headaches. Add his drinking and crappy health, and he'd love nothing more than for someone with stars in their eyes to hand him an envelope so he can get out from under it. As I said, as soon as the new guys go in and get a real look at the math, it will be too late.
Just an informed opinion.
Thanks for the help guys.
One last question. How safe is the area around del Ray at night? I've read some horror stories but it seems sensationalist to me. Will me and my friend be able to walk around to bars in that area after dark safely or should we stick to daytime stuff?
[QUOTE=HumanBeing1;1965215]Thanks for the help guys.
One last question. How safe is the area around del Ray at night? I've read some horror stories but it seems sensationalist to me. Will me and my friend be able to walk around to bars in that area after dark safely or should we stick to daytime stuff?[/QUOTE]You are not going to find many bars in that area. Key Largo and Chubb's are the only gringo friendly bars I can think of, and they are within one block. If it is after 8 pm and you are going more than two blocks, take a taxi; but not one that is sitting in front of the Del Rey.
[QUOTE=Jonesie;1965051]Jimmy took the only deal on the table, and my prediction is, as soon as they get a closer look at the actual numbers, they'll realize they've been had.
The truth is, that place hasn't been profitable by the conventional definition since Eddie ran the place. Nice and simple, working girls and booze. He had a little cart in the corner with booze, and it sold very well. Eddie focused on pretty talent, and it served him well. Everyone since has concentrated on sound systems, TV's, kitchens, and a list too long to count. Eddie was the only guy that put it together. That we'll sit in a barn on bails of hay and sip home made beer out of dirty jars if there's enough quality pussy around.[/QUOTE]I think maybe you haven't been to Zona II for a while, if ever. It does not have food service. It has some TV's but it's not a sports bar. The primary business is the girls and the hotel rooms, and it has some of the best girls of any place. For the record, Jimmy was the first and only owner of Zona II, until he sold it. It is not HLH. It only occupies part of the space that used to be HLH.
The latest news is that Zona II will re-open tomorrow or Monday.
The girls were elegant. Dressed to the teeth. I will never forget seeing a Natalie Wood look alike. That is about the highest level there is. Now? Why does anyone bother with San Jose when there is Medellin or Bogota (where I live). I have never found the 80's level of chica but you don't have to spend SJ money for a nice looking girl. I have a girl in a massage place on Ave 15 in the safest area of the city and the top price quoted at the door is 100,000 pesos (/3100 = $32.00 !massage, BJ, intercourse. Take her for dinner after work and you will be very hard pressed to spend more than $15 for her food. You might? Spend $2. 50 for a taxi. Fly to Cartagena for another $35 or so bucks. Why would anyone want San Jose, Costa Rica? (ask Dave)
[QUOTE=PirateMorgan;1966459]The girls were elegant. Dressed to the teeth. I will never forget seeing a Natalie Wood look alike. That is about the highest level there is. Now? Why does anyone bother with San Jose when there is Medellin or Bogota (where I live). I have never found the 80's level of chica but you don't have to spend SJ money for a nice looking girl. I have a girl in a massage place on Ave 15 in the safest area of the city and the top price quoted at the door is 100,000 pesos (/3100 = $32.00 !massage, BJ, intercourse. Take her for dinner after work and you will be very hard pressed to spend more than $15 for her food. You MIGHT? Spend $2. 50 for a taxi. Fly to Cartagena for another $35 or so bucks. Why would anyone want San Jose, Costa Rica? (ask Dave)[/QUOTE]I live in Denver. I can fly to San Jose for half the price of a trip to Medellin, without normally being forced to stay overnight in the USA on the trip down or take a brutal red-eye flight. For me, San Jose is a superior destination for a short, 3-5 day getaway, or for vacations including quick and easy trips to the beach or the countryside (e.g., the Osa Peninsula). It is also safer. That's why!
Having said this, I have been to Colombia on multiple occasions and freely admit it is a superior mongering destination. Heading back to Medellin in May, BTW. Not all of us are lucky enough to live in Colombia!
[QUOTE=Mangera;1963985]I was in San Jose last weekend, for 3 nights. I stayed at a hotel near the Del Rey. I use to frequent San Jose quite a bit 10 to 15 years ago. It was always fun seeing the show at the Blue Marlin, the variety and abundant number of ladies was fantastic, almost every single night. I have not been to SJO in 3 years or so. I wish I could say it was just as good. However, it was probably the worst I have seen that place in 20 years. Saturday night was the busiest, and it wasn't even half as full as I used to remember. Also, I noticed very few colombianas.
Bartenders use to be hot. They had a calendar consisting of the hottie bartenders. I only saw one hot one, and its the same cute colombian gal who has been working there for the last 8 or 9 years.
Maybe it was just the luck of the draw this past weekend, but it sucked compared to my previous experiences. The MP around town are still pretty decent, so that was a positive. If I return to San Jose, I would still revisit the Del Rey, and hopefully it will be better. Again, there were still some options, but nothing as compared to all of my visits, as far as quality and numbers. I will just assume it was one of those odd situations in which things were slow.
Pura Vida![/QUOTE]The Del Rey has sold out to the locals; has been going down hill the past 10 years. It's still fun at times, some gems can still be found. The bartenders now just stand there with their arms crossed or are busy looking at themselves in the mirror.