San Jose General Reports

[Pipe Layer99]

something got their attention, wrong or not. in days gone by they wouldn't let anybody in who they thought wasn't a gringo, brown or black. now, a lot more "liberal". a lot of ticos now at the bar at the dr which you would never see 5-215 years ago, and way a lot more at sl, often the majority at the bar there if there is a futbol game or boxing match on tv, no biggie for me. it is cr. isn't going to detract from the avails-the chicas know those guys aren't going to pay gringo prices so they get ignored. my experience is if they can afford the drinks, they're probably are alot better then some drunk jerk newby gringo.

not saying you were in any way shape or form a threat, **** or a problem, but i suspect there's more to this story whether you know it or not. maybe you were in the wrong place at the wrong time? it happens.

if the guy is a gringo (with i'd) there should not have been a problem, period. he is a paying customer looking for a chica.

now if a guy is in there sloppy drunk or grabbing girls on the ass that would be a different story.

aside from that, should not be a problem for a mid 20's guy looking fr some tail.

[Dgfd]

. The Sportsmen in my opinion is still the best place in all of Costa Rica to catch a game. 14 big screen TV's and all of your pals, makes this place feel like a fraternity. .

Sportsmen's is a good gringo hang, I wouldn't call 14 inch screens very good. Bar food, so so and $$$, fraternity is well said. It's a frat house, great place to meet some guys, but not to stay overnight and not to eat.

[One Lucky Dogg]

The Gringo Gulch area is gearing up for Halloween 2013, in San Jose. This past Saturday was a great day to be in the Gulch. Football, costumes and parties galore. The Sportsmen in my opinion is still the best place in all of Costa Rica to catch a game. 14 big screen TV's and all of your pals, makes this place feel like a fraternity. Bill always has the FSU game on for me on at least 1 TV, if not multiple. I had a pleasant conversation with Tommy of the Mona Lisa, about what all was happening over there. There are a lot of positive things to report for you, the traveler. They now have safes for all the rooms, something that has been needed for quite some time. He has addressed the internet issue, contracted with a tech and should have full signal throughout the hotel, in the next few days. He has purchased new T. V. 's for all the rooms that didn't have them before and will be installing them in the next few weeks as well. All changes are sure to make your stay more enjoyable. I am really excited to see the changes.

The FSU vs N. C. State game was over by the end of the 1st quarter (35-0) and the Alabama vs Tennessee game was not far behind. In the 3rd quarter, my regular football pals and I decided to take a trip down to the new Scores and Zona II. They had not been there and wanted to see what all the fuss was about first hand. First stop is Scores (formally HLH) to show my friends the new bar and digital big screen TV's. The place was jumping with a lot of regulars that I know but my biggest surprise was seeing Nela behind the bar working. You might know Nela as the lady who has worked at the Sportsman for years. She and Rebecca were the last two what I consider originals at the Sportsmen. (Longest tenure I should say). Rebecca is still at the Sportsman, still one of my favorites and is a doll. I was somewhat sadden because I spend most of my football and big sporting events at the Sportsman and now she is gone. She is one of my favorite bartenders and servers of all time. Teaming up with Carol is sure to be a great asset for Scores. They are hard combination to beat. Anyways, with her permission, I took a pic of her in her wonder woman outfit and wished her luck. (boy can she sure fill out that costume!) I spent some time in conversation with Kim, the new owner. I took her as a very nice lady who has made so many positive changes to the place since Jason and she took over. It's refreshing to see a Gringa in a guy's world, here in the gulch. I know it's a challenge but I think she and Jason has the right attitude and determination to pull it off. A little bit about the place, it now features very nice granite bar tops, big TV's, and they brought the big chairs back to relax in. However, those seats fill up quick. The kitchen is open and I hear the food is good. Didn't have time for any, but will check it out later. Jeff is still running the day to day operations and is always pleasant to chat with. I posted somewhere earlier that I was not going to comment on Scores until I felt the dust had settled, well I think it has. I see nothing but good things in the future for them. They now have 8 full time rooms and 4 short-time rooms for your enjoyment. Great bar, good food and a party atmosphere, is a hard combination to beat. On this day, the working girls was few but talented, at least what I could see from my point of view. Not as many ladies as I had expected but I feel this is about to change, as they tend to migrate where the guys are. That's why the D. R. And S. L. Has been so successful over the years. Please leave your camera at home or at your hotel because Kim gets pretty upset if you try to snap a photo. I tried with my old IPhone 3 (too dark and no flash) and was asked not to do that. I totally understand and respect it.

Next stop, Big Jimmy and the Zona II, next door and on the corner. I was there on Jimmy opening night but had not been back since because of my hectic work load. Jimmy was there and so were the ladies. They were having a cowboy's night and the ladies did not disappoint. It was something different and nice to see them in those outfits. There seemed to be twice as many ladies at the Zona II as there was at Scores. I think it's a totally different concept. Zona has 4 full time suites and 8 short time rooms. The rooms are all new and the 4 fulltime rooms are spectacular, each with its own stripper poll. The short time rooms are newly remolded as well and each has a shower. The bar staff is very friendly and service is great. Only wish Jimmy had more of a sports bar atmosphere but I think he wants to take if back to more of the original Zona Blue days when Eddie had it. Not everyone likes the sports that I like and a lot of guys are down here for other real live contact sports, if you know what I mean. Wise Ash seems to be doing great in the cigar shop. Best selection in the entire gulch for you stogie smokers. Best of luck brother Jimmy, however, I don't feel like you will need it.

In conclusion, this week is Halloween week. If you were lucky enough to get a room somewhere in the gulch, you are in for the time of your life. If not, you might have to cab it or wish you were here. Parties galore and the ladies really take Halloween seriously. All kinds of sexy costume will fill San Jose bar and clubs in the next coming days. Flashes are sure to be going off and photos will surely be posted on a lot of the websites. Got to love it. The Gringo gulch is alive and the walking dead are sure to arrive. It's the place to be this week. I personally think the gulch is stronger than ever. No way we had this many parties 10 years ago when I first came here. All places are unique and has something to offer for just about everyone. The Gulch is back and very soon word will get around that, contrary to what some have said and posted, this is and for a longest time, has always been, the place to be. Go by and visit the entire local establishment I talked about today and tell the the Bigg Dogg sent you. You'll be glad you did.

[Surf Looker]

Hello,

I posted my experience about CR and enjoyed my short stay. Trying to see should I come back for another visit or try another place.

What are other places you would rank that would be enjoyable. Flying from States and keep Costs in mind.

Been to CR,

Bangkok,

Sao Paulo, BR.

London.

In terms of cost and quality of women. Is CR the cheapest from USA?

Thanks.

[Jonesie]

The Dunn is physically ok, but there's never anyone in there. The Amistad is probably the best overall deal in San Jose. It's one of the nicer places, and the all inclusive deal is hard to beat.

There was a guy selling cigars outside of the hotel, and he offered to hook me up after I told him I was staying at the Sleep Inn. He said something about school girls though, so I got the hell out of there. Don't need a trip to Costa Rican prison.

I guess I will try my luck somewhere else once I am back in San Jose. Is the Dunn Inn a good choice?

[The Dirty Pirate]

There was a guy selling cigars outside of the hotel, and he offered to hook me up after I told him I was staying at the Sleep Inn. He said something about school girls though, so I got the hell out of there. Don't need a trip to Costa Rican prison.

I guess I will try my luck somewhere else once I am back in San Jose. Is the Dunn Inn a good choice?

Get yourself a membership here so you can use the private message system and I will pass on some information to you, Dunn is ok, I would rather stay at La Amistad though.

[Orgasmico]

Last time there, they were even breaking new bartenders who spoke no English.

Sounds good to me!

[New123]

something got their attention, wrong or not. in days gone by they wouldn't let anybody in who they thought wasn't a gringo, brown or black. now, a lot more "liberal". a lot of ticos now at the bar at the dr which you would never see 5-215 years ago, and way a lot more at sl, often the majority at the bar there if there is a futbol game or boxing match on tv, no biggie for me. it is cr. isn't going to detract from the avails-the chicas know those guys aren't going to pay gringo prices so they get ignored. my experience is if they can afford the drinks, they're probably are alot better then some drunk jerk newby gringo.

not saying you were in any way shape or form a threat, **** or a problem, but i suspect there's more to this story whether you know it or not. maybe you were in the wrong place at the wrong time? it happens.

there was a guy selling cigars outside of the hotel, and he offered to hook me up after i told him i was staying at the sleep inn. he said something about school girls though, so i got the hell out of there. don't need a trip to costa rican prison.

i guess i will try my luck somewhere else once i am back in san jose. is the dunn inn a good choice?

[Nixonbd]

something got their attention, wrong or not. in days gone by they wouldn't let anybody in who they thought wasn't a gringo, brown or black. now, a lot more "liberal". a lot of ticos now at the bar at the dr which you would never see 5-215 years ago, and way a lot more at sl, often the majority at the bar there if there is a futbol game or boxing match on tv, no biggie for me. it is cr. isn't going to detract from the avails-the chicas know those guys aren't going to pay gringo prices so they get ignored. my experience is if they can afford the drinks, they're probably are alot better then some drunk jerk newby gringo.

not saying you were in any way shape or form a threat, **** or a problem, but i suspect there's more to this story whether you know it or not. maybe you were in the wrong place at the wrong time? it happens.

have to agree; hdr lets way too many ticos in nowadays, but business is business. last time there, they were even breaking new bartenders who spoke no english. but alas, i'm going to be right back in the fray in about four weeks, for i know they don't have a room at the hdr or enough pesos (sic) to even get on the elevator, lol.

[Dgfd]

you might have saw me at the del ray today. i was in there for about two minutes, but the staff didn't like me because i look young (even though my ids and passport show i am not a minor). the doorman harassed me until i left.

i'm only going to be in san jose for two days on this trip: today and the day before my flight home. mid-20s and never done anything with a girl, was hoping to change that on this trip but it's not looking promising.

something got their attention, wrong or not. in days gone by they wouldn't let anybody in who they thought wasn't a gringo, brown or black. now, a lot more "liberal". a lot of ticos now at the bar at the dr which you would never see 5-215 years ago, and way a lot more at sl, often the majority at the bar there if there is a futbol game or boxing match on tv, no biggie for me. it is cr. isn't going to detract from the avails-the chicas know those guys aren't going to pay gringo prices so they get ignored. my experience is if they can afford the drinks, they're probably are alot better then some drunk jerk newby gringo.

not saying you were in any way shape or form a threat, **** or a problem, but i suspect there's more to this story whether you know it or not. maybe you were in the wrong place at the wrong time? it happens.

[Dgfd]

I've been at the Del Rey before and have been here now for almost a week. I am staying for their Halloween Party, which they have begun to decorate for.

I notice that during the day, and the peak of the day in the late afternoon, almost all the woman are from Costa Rica, and they are a sweet, pretty bunch. At night there is a much more international crowd with many from neighboring countries of Panama and Nicaragua. They are also a sweet and pretty bunch. I think that a lot of the CR women go home in the evening to take care of the kids.

Also, prices are lower. Almost everybody asks for $100 but everybody seems willing to haggle to 70 or 80 and a number will make offers for less. Many, I think particularly during the day, are willing to give a BBBJ, and some with CIM. At the low price.

Some day this will end and these years will be remembered as the glory years, I think. An awful lot of men are walking around the hotel with a "I can't believe this is real" look on their faces.

The day crowd at the DR is a good hunting ground w / many cuties at good prices starting 9-ish and in full swing around 11-12 to about 5. Check out the tables by the front door / small bar for sure. You're right, alot of them have to bail because of their babysitter arrangement. Night crowd is different but much more plentiful.

Whether someday it will end has been an oft debated issue in many venues for years. It did in Puerto Rico, now mainly out of the newspaper in veiled ads from what I've read. Personally, I doubt it will happen in CR, and if it did it would only drive it underground into the mama-san era of days of old. Too engrained in CR and not just the gringo gulch area. The Ticos are big customers and would find a way.

[New123]

You might have saw me at the Del Ray today. I was in there for about two minutes, but the staff didn't like me because I look young (even though my IDs and Passport show I am not a minor). The doorman harassed me until I left.

I'm only going to be in San Jose for two days on this trip: today and the day before my flight home. Mid-20s and never done anything with a girl, was hoping to change that on this trip but it's not looking promising.

[Gravitas2]

I've been at the Del Rey before and have been here now for almost a week. I am staying for their Halloween Party, which they have begun to decorate for.

I notice that during the day, and the peak of the day in the late afternoon, almost all the woman are from Costa Rica, and they are a sweet, pretty bunch. At night there is a much more international crowd with many from neighboring countries of Panama and Nicaragua. They are also a sweet and pretty bunch. I think that a lot of the CR women go home in the evening to take care of the kids.

Also, prices are lower. Almost everybody asks for $100 but everybody seems willing to haggle to 70 or 80 and a number will make offers for less. Many, I think particularly during the day, are willing to give a BBBJ, and some with CIM. At the low price.

Some day this will end and these years will be remembered as the glory years, I think. An awful lot of men are walking around the hotel with a "I can't believe this is real" look on their faces.

[El Lobo Solo]

Thank for the info. I greatly appreciate it. I travel a lot and long distance. Travel isn't much of a concern for me as I am used to it, but I do think Asia is a but further out if I only have 4-5 days to visit. Thailand though is incredible, but I would like to find an alternative that is closer and not too pricey (pricey to me is like 50 euros for CBJ and quickie in AMS which does not provide a GFE). I am not fluent in Spanish so Colombia concerns me a bit. Medellin does get rave reviews but everyone also says Spanish is a must to really have a good time there. Safety also concerns me but having been to Sosua, and walking around late at night I am not greatly worried (even though Sosua is small).

Anyone have thoughts about Rio or Buenos Aires? I hear women from both cities are beautiful and there is loads to do in the daytime. But price wise? Experience wise? GFE possibilities? Safety concerns?

Or is CR better than those options above? With regards to safety, I am a sensible person. I am not flashy, lock things up, do not get drunk and make a scene in public and know by wander into bad areas of town and down questionable alleys in major cities. Knock on wood.

If travel isn't that big of a deal, I suggest you visit all of these places. Then you can decide which is best for you. But if you intend to travel extensively in Latin America, you should learn some Spanish.

What I did, starting in 2004, was to attend Spanish schools in various countries. The best school I found was in San Jose, and I attended classes there five times over a period of two years, for a week or two at a time. Most schools provide "field trips" that get you into places and situations that you wouldn't normally be able to easily access. And they give you perfect cover if you need an excuse to go somewhere. And then you have plenty of time in the evenings to rock and role.

The Costa Rica Language Academy was my favorite because of the quality of the program. It actually has credential agreements with US Universities that allow students to get credit for attending their program. In Guatemala, my "instructors" didn't even have high school diplomas. My second choice would be Simon Bolivar in Quito, Ecuador. But Quito is at 3,000 meters, is a much further trip, and I don't know about the current political environment. I had a private tutor in Bolivia, and that was an interesting experience.

I haven't been to Costa Rica since about 2008, so I can't comment on the current situation regards the P4P scene. As bad as some of the commenters seem to paint the picture, from what I read (between the lines) it still is about 100 times better than anything you can get in the USA for maybe half or a third of the price tag.

Time's a wastin! Get ye hence and report back soon.

[Sammon]

Or is CR better than those options above? With regards to safety, I am a sensible person. I am not flashy, lock things up, do not get drunk and make a scene in public and know by wander into bad areas of town and down questionable alleys in major cities. Knock on wood.

Costa Rica has very good looking women from all over central America. Quality has gone down since authorities started cracking down on girls from other countries coming there for prostitution. I believe it has kept.

Out many of the good looking colombians.

Having said that Costa Rica ticas are a wild bunch themselves. You can find dark to blond varieties with varying shapes. They all have excellent big boobs. I have enjoyed many of the girls and some are real GFE.

I have taken them on trips and they are excellent companions. Costwise they try high amounts in Del ray-BM but once they know you it is a different story. For 4-5 days to a week it is not worth going to SE Asia.

Although I love Philippines women.

Servicewise some give good service in CR. Trick is to find the right one.