San Jose - Hotel Recommendations

[PiruGuy]

Yep, site works, but both hotels are closed. This is Costa Rica. It ain't the first world.

Thanks guys. I always liked the Hotel Royal Dutch. I am now looking at booking the Hotel Mona Lisa for my trip. Appreciate the feedback.

[UsbDawg]

The web site still works, as does the Hotel Europa.

http://www.1costaricalink.com/eng/ho...-royaldu-3.htm

http://www.hoteleuropacr.com/index.php?lang=en

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?h...U.k_URg_hq3Q8E

Yep, site works, but both hotels are closed. This is Costa Rica. It ain't the first world.

[World Travel 69]

The web site still works, as does the Hotel Europa.

http://www.1costaricalink.com/eng/ho...-royaldu-3.htm

http://www.hoteleuropacr.com/index.php?lang=en

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?h...U.k_URg_hq3Q8E

Has this hotel closed? I am planning a trip to San Jose in June. I have tried every hotel website and even tried to book there thru the airline. I keep coming up empty. Their website address now takes you to a blues jean company. I tried calling but the phone rings with no answer. Any update is appreciated.

[UsbDawg]

Has this hotel closed? I am planning a trip to San Jose in June. I have tried every hotel website and even tried to book there thru the airline. I keep coming up empty. Their website address now takes you to a blues jean company. I tried calling but the phone rings with no answer. Any update is appreciated.

I'm pretty sure they were a part of the same hotel group that owned the Hotel Europa. It shut down when the Europa did back in November due to major financial problems.

[PiruGuy]

Has this hotel closed? I am planning a trip to San Jose in June. I have tried every hotel website and even tried to book there thru the airline. I keep coming up empty. Their website address now takes you to a blues jean company. I tried calling but the phone rings with no answer. Any update is appreciated.

[UsbDawg]

Suggest staying at the El Maragato. Located in the back of the Gran Hotel. Five minute walk to HDR. Adjacent to a supermarket.

Very nice staff that speaks English. Big rooms and chica friendly. Available of despegar.com. The only issue is that your credit card is charged immediately unlike other web sites. Ask for a quiet room away from the walking mall.

I've heard this Hotel is really loud. No problem with the street noise even on the back side of the hotel? Price always seems to be around $40 give or take. My regular Hotel, The Hotel Europa, closed down the day I arrived on my last trip in November. Major bummer. Is there a chica fee to bring girls back to your room at the Maragato? Thinking about staying at the Inca Real. Has anyone had any experience staying there. It's in the Gulch near the Mona Lisa and the Dunn Inn.

[Shamester]

Suggest staying at the El Maragato. Located in the back of the Gran Hotel. Five minute walk to HDR. Adjacent to a supermarket.

Very nice staff that speaks English. Big rooms and chica friendly. Available of despegar.com. The only issue is that your credit card is charged immediately unlike other web sites. Ask for a quiet room away from the walking mall.

[Dickhead]

Why would I be embarrassed? I saw the great big sign saying "use the in room safe at your own risk. " I also thought of the risk of using the hotel's safe; they tell someone, "Hey, this guy is carrying a fair amount of cash," and then I get robbed on the way to the airport, or something. I remember several years ago some room service waiter got caught and his method was to rub a little grease from his hair on the keypad and then figure out the code the person had punched in. He got away with it for quite a while. I thought of the quantity of money I had, more than usual but not a fortune. And, I made my decision. Once I did not find a good hiding place, I could have gone back down and put it in the safe. I could have carried half of it with me. I could have done a bunch of things. The thief should be ashamed but I don't feel embarrassed.

Actually, it was kind of weird. I wasn't even really that pissed. Not sure why. But, between getting robbed, having the taxi break down, and then getting to the airport and realizing I had left my sweatshirt, a nice one, in the cab because I was a nice guy and helped him push it off the road, uphill, it wasn't a great day. I have lost lots and lots of sweatshirts, sweaters, and long sleeved shirts but I've never had a taxi break down and never had problems in a hotel.

If you want embarrassing, I once left about $600 worth of Argie pesos in the dowel rod in the closet of an apartment I moved out of in Spain. Didn't realize it for weeks. This hit was about the same magnitude, adjusted for inflation, but I don't think I did anything that stupid. I guarded the key assiduously.

Now, is the ML a "reputable" hotel? Not really, and I would not have characterized it as such even before this happened.

[The Cane]

Unfortunately a pretty fair amount of money was stolen from the safe in my room.

This is the first time I have read about anything like this happening at any supposedly reputable hotel in any destination to which I have traveled. We were just talking about this very thing in one of the Thailand threads. You had some very bad luck there man. But knowing that this has happened, I would never, ever stay at the Mona Lisa. Not ever! But, I still have no hesitation to use the in-room safe in a reputable hotel. I've been traveling and doing that for decades, and I will do it again. Just not at the Mona Lisa Hotel in San Jose, Costa Rica! Thanks for telling us about your misfortune. I think a lot of guys would have been too embarrassed to tell.

[Dickhead]

Unfortunately a pretty fair amount of money was stolen from the safe in my room. Wasn't a chica. Someone with a spare key. I thought about using the hotel safe when I checked in but did not quite have enough money to want to hassle with it. I think this probably happened this morning because they did not take all of it, only about half, and probably hoped I would just stick the envelope in my pocket and not count it. But, it was obviously light, so I counted it. Didn't have much time to do anything about it other than tell management, since I had to go to the airport (and then my driver's clutch failed before we got two blocks, not my lucky day). Also, if I called the cops I am sure they would focus on the two chicas I had in my room but they could not have done it. Talking to a guy who stays there all the time, he says this happened a couple of years ago as well. I usually don't use hotel safes, because somebody has a key, and hide the money in the room, but there really weren't any great hiding places. So kind of a sour ending to the visit.

Brothers, beware!

[Dickhead]

Looking to stay at the Mona Lisa Jan. 16-23 and their website quotes $70 plus tax. It also shows a Dec. Special of $40 a night. Before I send them an e-mail and blow a bunch of smoke up their ass, anybody know a better site or way to book it that might be a bit cheaper? I don't want to join CRT or anything like that. I'm pretty set on the ML but if anyone knows another screaming deal, let me know. Not Scores though. I don't shit where I eat.

Thanks!

[AssMan12]

Stayed three nights in a King bed room, upgraded to room with jacuzzi tub and sauna at no extra cost. Nice accommodations, clean room. Went with all-inclusive for $99 nightly and enjoyed the service, the room and the three meals a day with beers and mixed drinks. Great location for mongers and met some really nice guys. Amistad does not allow chicas to mingle freely at the bar to give its guests some peace away from the groping hands of other places. La Amistad is a safe haven for us mongers. I do wish they'd replace the thinnest towels, but the service, the food and the helpfulness of the staff made up for the towels.

Never a problem with bringing a chica. You can drink or dine with her at the bar (you pay for her meal / drinks) and she leaves her cedula at the front desk. Taxis are almost always readily available there and if you do have to wait, it's a short time. Sportsmans is about a block and a half away.

I will consider going back to Amistad. The one downside. The damn train tracks and blare of the horn in the morning. Cab fares to HDR are ridiculously low. So cabbing is not a big deal at all.

I recommend the la Amistad. Enjoy!

Assman12

[Arjay]

Warning to all on Thomas McDevitt from Jupiter Florida. This guy is bad news. He trashed my apt. In Medellin. Beware! Don't rent to him or trust him! He is a drug addict.

[Qncterra]

I was in San Jose late July. This hotel recently changed owners and some of the old staff is gone now. I believe that the new owners are from Venezuela. They have made some changes, such as remodeled the casino (fewer machines) and remodeled second floor dining area, with an open air section. We were having lunch there around July 25th when a shocks from a small earthquake shook the building. Needlessly, in spite of the nice open air setting, we moved further inside. I understand that nothing else has changed, but guys are monitoring, in case you know of any other recent changes.

[World Travel 69]

I added it to the Hotel Map.

Web site is hard to read.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...9730c0ef44b403

What is the web address for scores hotel in San Jose?