San Jose General Reports

[Soft Bob]

I think all 3 of you (Madisonguy, Dirty Pirate and Chilimike) are right in your own way.

If you are a seasoned monger especially in Latin America then you will not need the advice or hand holding provided by membership in CRT. But most people who have never left home before and have little or no knowledge of Spanish can greatly benefit from a place like CRT. For instance the discounts at hotels. It does not occur to Newbies to even ask for that nor do they realize that they get a better rate when they pay cash. They are so geared to paying with credit cards and not negotiating for any thing. This is why the girls at the DR love the newbies who find their price of 'cien' a good deal and go for it.

To me membership has been a boon and even though I do not need it now I have found it very helpful.

[The Dirty Pirate]

I don't know the Pissed off Pirate (Dirty Pirate) but maybe he has some reason not to care for crt but that's his problem..

You're the only one who thinks I am pissed. I suppose we can all agree to disagree but my opinion will always stand, a membership to CRT is not needed to save a couple bucks while in Costa Rica. However I am not quite sure how this is a problem for me? Maybe you can enlighten me Mike.

[MadisonGuy]

Ok. I am not a cheerleader or a troll for crt. I like the ISG for other places I might visit DR or Thailand. But the facts are. ISG has become little to very weak on the on goings in san jose.

Now what you will get with the crt card. If staying at the sportmens for the next few months, you will receive a 20% discount on rooms and anything bought in the bar and restaurant. If you stay more than 4 nights. All other times of the year its 10%

If you are going for the 1st time or go 5 times a year (like myself) why would you not have it. Keeps you up dated on everything going on. Photos and trip reports of girls and the members.

I look and read the site everyday and would truly miss it, trolls and good old boys. Yes they are on there (I might be one of the people the Pirate is writing about. Who cares!

Trust me some of the friendships I have are due to this site and the crt. As they have kept me in contact with guys I have met on my trips.

I am not one that pisses away money but the crt membership is money well spent. The owner of the site reads the posts and posts himself. Hell I even met him once and we went to srtip clubs together. Nice guy. Just like the other 99% of the members you will meet

I don't know the Pissed off Pirate (Dirty Pirate) but maybe he has some reason not to care for crt but that's his problem.

Facts are. If your going to san jose. Join CRT you will have a better trip. I am "chilimike" on that site as well. You can ask me any question and I will answer it. Either here or on crt. After 35 trips I know the area and girls pretty well.

Facts are? That's a huge opinion, one I highly disagree with. You will have a worst trip if you join CRT and listen in my opinion. You might even spend more. Now if you don't like to negotiate and don't like to search for the fountain of youth, then yeah go to the same old places and get a 10-20% discount. But if you want to pay half and find hidden little gems, well CRT and ISG are not going to help you. Go to Del Rey, Beatle Bar, HLH, Sporstmen Lounge all the normal places, but explore! CRT will tell you exploration will get you killed or mugged, which you probably have a great chance of that happening in Chicago or New York than in San Jose. If I go to a hotel and they only give me 20% off I walk out, but I don't look for hotels I look for house rentals on the beach or something. Everything in Costa Rica is negotiable except maybe Hotel Del Rey which I myself have never and will never stay in just because I do look for that fountain of youth, that pot of gold. My best times have been at the places everyone told me not to go to. I have literally sat down with the owner of an establishment that is signed up with CRT for a discount and we laughed at the fact that anyone who asks will get a discount if it's possible at that time. This particular owner was not a big fan of CRT either and he was a member atleast when I was a member on CRT. I won't say all CRT members are wack jobs, but there are a high number of wack jobs on that site. I think in my trips there I met maybe 1 out of 15 guys from that site that didn't seem a little odd to me. I go alone and every trip I make friends and even on one trip I had some loaded guys pay for everything just to have me hang around with them, this included hotel, girls, drinks and flight back to US. I get along with most people, but if I have a weird feeling about someone then I normally just go with that gut reaction. For instance one CRT member I met took a bite out of some tica's pussy after sniffin a little too much coke, although I find it hilarious it is still really screwed up. At the end of the day my belief is that forums are great for chit chat, but you really aren't going to learn that much on a forum. Maybe pre select a girl to screw or something but if you really want to have an amazing trip scouting new places is the best way and has always worked for me on every trip. You don't need a forum to tell you Del Rey is the place in San Jose, or Beatle bar is in jaco, you could read that all over the internet. In my eyes CRT is more like a really screwed up fraternity that likes to take mass walk abouts with large groups, which to me seems very dumb because I'd rather have the number of guys low and girls high if I go somewhere to get a better deal. Fact, you will save money if you do not join CRT and have no problem asking a hotel or person in general if they can give you a better rate. If you don't speak spanish use the $30 on a translator, you walk in with a CRT card and they will say we got this gringo monger now. Walk in with a local and you will get local prices.

[ChiliMike]

Ok. I am not a cheerleader or a troll for crt. I like the ISG for other places I might visit DR or Thailand. But the facts are. ISG has become little to very weak on the on goings in san jose.

Now what you will get with the crt card. If staying at the sportmens for the next few months, you will receive a 20% discount on rooms and anything bought in the bar and restaurant. If you stay more than 4 nights. All other times of the year its 10%

If you are going for the 1st time or go 5 times a year (like myself) why would you not have it. Keeps you up dated on everything going on. Photos and trip reports of girls and the members.

I look and read the site everyday and would truly miss it, trolls and good old boys. Yes they are on there (I might be one of the people the Pirate is writing about. Who cares!

Trust me some of the friendships I have are due to this site and the crt. As they have kept me in contact with guys I have met on my trips.

I am not one that pisses away money but the crt membership is money well spent. The owner of the site reads the posts and posts himself. Hell I even met him once and we went to srtip clubs together. Nice guy. Just like the other 99% of the members you will meet

I don't know the Pissed off Pirate (Dirty Pirate) but maybe he has some reason not to care for crt but that's his problem.

Facts are. If your going to san jose. Join CRT you will have a better trip. I am "chilimike" on that site as well. You can ask me any question and I will answer it. Either here or on crt. After 35 trips I know the area and girls pretty well.

[The Dirty Pirate]

It is a normal lifestyle in CR to get discounts

Trust in the Tico way, LOL. There is no need for a CRT membership in Costa Rica.

[Toadtamer2]

2nd that. Let my CRT expire, no need. Too many knuckle head,"know it alls" over there at that site.

[MadisonGuy]

I'm not exactly sure why this is a re-occuring theme here talking about CRT discounts. Every place discounts, you do not need a wonder club badge to get a discount. It is a normal lifestyle in CR to get discounts, that's why taxis recommend places and when they drop you off they stick around to try to get a kick back for dropping you off. Not to mention the best places to go are the ones off the beat and path that aren't included on CRT discounts. With a little bit of research and exploring you can wonder into some pretty amazing things at amazing rates. Or you can get gringo fucked and live in gringo town. If you want to know a good way to spend the $30 or so money it would cost to sign up for CRT. Hire a translator, for 30 you could probably get someone for close to 2 full days. I speak enough spanish now to get around but on my first trip didn't speak a lick and luckily met up with a guy who lived there and showed me around and got me super discounts. There more than enough info in this forum don't waste your money going to another more expensive one. These forums should be free, the money they make of advertising would probably astonish some. I own a forum and I'm quite happy with the ad dollars.

[Kitie Carson]

You mean if you stay at Sportsmens Lodge, you will make up the cost and that's about it.

CRT discounts are everywhere in San Jose. Even a few in Jaco which I have used. Pays for itself in a day if you research where to go.

[Mr Jetsetter]

You mean if you stay at Sportsmens Lodge, you will make up the cost and that's about it.

Dude, CRT membership offers discounts at La Amistad, Hotel Castillo, the Freebird, Dunn Inn, Inca Real, and Hotel Little Havana (on room rates and sessions) , not to mention a couple of other hotels in the San Jose area and in Jaco and Arenal. Not saying you are supposed to be a fan of this board, but you at least ought to get your "facts" straight.

[The Dirty Pirate]

Depending on where you stay, you can easily make up the cost of CRT membership on just one visit, with the offered discounts. I'm a huge fan of the ISG, but CRT is a superior resource when it comes to Costa Rica.

You mean if you stay at Sportsmens Lodge, you will make up the cost and that's about it.

[Mr Jetsetter]

It's also filled with more immature trolling, a group of "cool guys", and the membership only saves you money if you visit Costa Rica frequently. You can easily find anything provided on their map, free, here and by doing a bit of googling.

Save your money, keep reading. Feel free to PM me with any questions as well.

Depending on where you stay, you can easily make up the cost of CRT membership on just one visit, with the offered discounts. I'm a huge fan of the ISG, but CRT is a superior resource when it comes to Costa Rica.

[The Dirty Pirate]

It's not a club but simply another site that focuses only on CR. I joined and the few bucks I spent paid back dividends on the info and discounts at hotels. The info there is deeper than on other sites.

It's also filled with more immature trolling, a group of "cool guys", and the membership only saves you money if you visit Costa Rica frequently. You can easily find anything provided on their map, free, here and by doing a bit of googling.

Save your money, keep reading. Feel free to PM me with any questions as well.

[Sammon]

Where do you find rooms at SL for $50. 00 unless there is a special discount that you get? Their website shows $59. 00 a night as the cheapest room and that's the small room next to the bar that's really noisy. The next cheapest room is $69. 00 a night. Where do you find the $50. 00 price that you stated? Just asking for future reference. Thanks.

Many a time if you call the hotels and ask them for a lower price it works. These are cash prices only.

I had done it at Presidente hotel a while back same way. Depending on the occupancy rate or reservations they will do it.

Generally I never book online. Always call the hotel directly and talk to whoever in charge. Most important is to tell them you had stayed there frequently and always got a good deal.

If you are going with friends and need more than one room it is good also.

You need to pretend as big gambler for the hotels with connected casinoes. They usually lower the price.

[Cubfan1963]

Appreciate the information. I'm not big on joining clubs but it sounds like something to look into. Thanks again.

It's not a club but simply another site that focuses only on CR. I joined and the few bucks I spent paid back dividends on the info and discounts at hotels. The info there is deeper than on other sites.

[Dickhead]

You can also join Costa Rica Ticas and that will get you I believe it is a 15% discount which turns $59 into $50. You then get 15% (I think) off your food and bar tab there too.