San Jose - 2003 Reports

[Jaimito Cartero]

Jim - Lots of things to do in San Jose. I'd try to get the family involved in a city tour or such, and if you golf, then you go off and do that yourself. (Plus a little side trip).

Massage places are open during the day, plus 747 and other more Tico places. New Fantasy is very nice. Bar Idem is good, but I don't think they open until 3 or 4pm. I've only seen Karla there, but she was quite nice. It's a wonderful thing to go through the whole line at Idem and meet all the beautiful chicas.

Prices will range from $11 (for 30 min) at 747 to $50 or so at Idem for an hour.

Post what you do on here so you can give other guys ideas. I have to sneak out myself sometimes, so any new ways would be interesting.

[Jaimito Cartero]

Let me preface this by saying I've never stayed at the Del Rey. In all my mongering years I will always shy away from enriching scamming hotels. Whether it's $10 for a 5 minute local call, or $10 for bringing a guest to your room. If it's the difference between booking a single room and a double, it's understandable. Otherwise it's just a rip off.

Downtown I've only stayed at the Balmoral as part of a package on my first trip. There are 2-3 other decent hotels around that don't charge a rip off fee though. Presidente, Morazon and such.

[WilliamWalker]

HackeBeck,
I do not recommend the Presidente. Too much noise from the street and their remodeling. And the service in the cafe takes forever. Every morning some jerk plays annoying music on a flute outside the cafe. Forget it.

Go with the Del Rey.
It is so easy with their on web site reservation system and they will pick you up at the airport. Who else does that?
If you look on the HotelDelRey website they have a live webcam of the bar area. You may have to download some safe software to make it play on your computer.
Just do it.

The Holiday Inn central is nice too and reservations are so easy. Last time someone was there they said it was half empty so rooms should not be a problem to reserve. Ask for the Priority Club discount if you are a member.

Of course you can call the Hotel Morazon and ask the morning guy, Lorenzo, for a discount. That is what I would do. They have new rooms and it is so convenient.

[Dapbas]

Dec 2002

[Baby Huey]

Looking for some help! I am planning a little family vacation and wondering if there is good places to take a family ages 5, 7, 13, 16 and the wife to have family fun in C.R.? Beach and tour stuff? But also is there any day time action that a father can go have some fun on his own? M.P., Bars and Short time house? What are some good places to stay? Any help would be great?

Please contact me via a private message using the WSG Forum's Private Message service.

[Dapbas]

Barbara Dec 2002

[Shamas]

I prefer the Presidente. Only advantage to the DR is you can take multiple girls to your room, with a $10 fee per girl. Pres limits you to one at a time with no fee.

Shamas

[Hacke Beck]

In two weeks I am going to be in C.R.

Where should I stay, Del Rey or Presidente ?

Please let me know your comments.

[Shamas]

Happy Thanksgiving to all, hoping you're all safe and have a drumstick on each ear.

Shamas

[Mule69]

From my experience the cabbies will never start the meter when their fare is a gringo.I go there often and can tell you they will try to get all they can and the difference between fares varies according to the cabbie.It is true the Hotel cabbies (ie Del Rey ) charge more .They even admit to it.My advice hail a cab....say "ponga la maria"(start the meter).They do this automatically for the ticos.........mule

[Jaimito Cartero]

Ace - It's not legal to NOT use the meter (Maria) at night. The only time you should have to negotiate is if you're going a long distance (15 or more kilometers?). After 11pm or midnight there is a surcharge placed one fares. I don't recall the exact amount.

Sometimes if it's a medium distance (7-10 kilometers) and you're going from one city to another (Say Sabana area to Alajuela) you might get hit for a bit more.

If you're stuck in the middle of nowhere and you don't have taxi's coming I guess you may have to go with the flow. Shamas is right about taxi's at most hotels. They want double or triple the money.

[Shamas]

ChiMan

As Ace stated, take a cab. I stayed at the Holiday Inn this trip and took a cab each night back from the gulch. It was three blocks but worth all 400c. I grabbed a metered cab on the street, not one of the cabs that work the hotels.

I just edited my last posting, in error I used Capt Morgans handle, changed it to William Walker, I was tired and realized my oops while in SJO.

I spent Fri, Sat & Sun in SJO (best I could do as I had to give up Thanksgiving so one of my guys could go to Thailand and see his true love). The rest of Dec got taken by the rest of my crew so I took this weekend and made the most of it.

Has "Y" come by Friday evening, she showed up with a friend and the two of them gave me an excellent massage with bbbj/bbns (nut sucking) to finish off. Got her friend paid off and out the door then I took "Y" to eat at the Holiday Inn resturant on the 17th floor, she loved the view. We had some fireworks to watch while dining.

Saturday I went to the Colonial and watched some of the Michigan/Ohio St football game with Tman. Later I hooked up with an old fried of mine. That evening "E" & "R" came by, we went out for "E"s birthday dinner. We went out to Savanna and ate at a Mexican place which was very good.

I rarely do double girls, the night before with "Y" and her friend was not planned, the friend showing up was unexpected but I did it anyways. Well, "E" & "R" well know my single preference so when we got back to the hotel "R" was ready to leave. It took a minute to explaine to them that I had planned on a double session with them. E Gad Zooks, what great fun. I will do the two of them again.

Sunday "A" was supposed to come by for an early morning send off. She couldn't make it due to baby sitter conflicts, deep dark depressions, excessive misery, but I got over it. When I got home last night, I hit my favority massage parlor to make up for missing "A".

I'll be back in SJO 4-10 Feb and will be staying at the Prez. It's superior to the Holiday when you consider all the points. Matter of fact I don't think the HI has anything on the Prez except you can take multiple girls in. I'll make it a point to get "A" to come by on this trip.

Shamas

[Ace00]

ChiMan
As said by Don Gordo of dongordo.com fame, take a cab after dark as you go to a bar or from bar to bar.
They are generally available except real late in the early morning hours.
After dark the taxis are free to turn off the meter and so you should negotiate or expect to pay C500 for a short downtown ride.

[Ace Boxcar]

I'll be making my first visit to Costa Rica SJO, staying at El Presidente, December 7-11. I'm sure to have some questions, but am still about 30 pages away from having read through the posts for the past 18 months, and I'm trying to avoid asking the same questions as everyone else.

I hope some of you will be in town at that time for the breakfasts; after reading all of these posts it seems like I know people there already.

Ace Box

[Jaimito Cartero]

Is that Kazurkistan, Kosher? You seem to overfavor the letter K on your Keyboard. Your posts remind me of a certain Chris Rock (Or is that Kris Rock in your case?) routine I've heard.