San Jose - Hotel Recommendations

[World Travel 69]

The Chicas will know where they are.

There are a few on the Map.

http://www.latintravelvip.com/san-jo...p-motel-rooms/

Perhaps it would be a good idea to start a list of short stay hotels (like asia by del rey).

I walked to sportmans lounge and found myself with no where I could take someone.

Same thing happened couple years ago at Mona Lisa.

[Bearyc]

I found this short stay while walking.

The older women at the desk spoke little English but wanted to help. Can't remember the rates but they were reasonable.

It is located on calle 3 between Avenue 5 and 7.

[Bearyc]

I found this short stay while walking.

The older women at the desk spoke little English but wanted to help. Can't remember the reset but they were reasonable.

[Bearyc]

Perhaps it would be a good idea to start a list of short stay hotels (like asia by del rey).

I walked to sportmans lounge and found myself with no where I could take someone.

Same thing happened couple years ago at Mona Lisa.

[Dickhead]

I have stayed at the SL four or five times, but not for a couple of years. The rooms near the bar are noisy, but the bar closes early. I like the rooms towards the back, on the ground floor. All the rooms I have stayed in have been fairly comfortable, decent beds, fridge. My take on the SL is that if it were just a hotel, it would be somewhat overpriced. And if it were just a place to pick up hookers, there are better looking hookers on average. But I like the combination of the two. One the one hand, there are a lot of clueless gringos there that kind of mess things up. On the other hand, those people make me look good by comparison. So when the hookers get sick of using their pidgin English to communicate with guys speaking pidgin Spanish, I swoop in with a lowball offer and they tend to be accepted. It's not a bad place to watch sports, the food is okay, and the free breakfast will fill you up if you sit there for a while and keep eating. I don't get to CR much any more, but for the right price, I would stay at SL again. Hope that helps.

[Jbj64]

Hi All.

I have been to SJO before and stayed at the Amistad and went over to SL, but now that I am looking the SL rooms are way cheaper than the Amistad. So who has stayed in the SL rooms?

[Pksyizzle]

Not only are they not Chic Friendly Anymore, But it's dead. It's just dead.

I haven't been to Costa Rica in 5 years, and I caught myself dreaming of my favorite suite at the Dunn Inn, Grabbing a beer and some breakfast from the bar, and Saying Hi to old friends.

Well all that's gone.

Nope.

Nobody's there.

I stayed out of Nostalgia. Even though I knew no chicas we allowed I still wanted my Junior Suite and I got it.

I enjoyed myself.

But the rest of the place is dead.

There is no bar downstairs, no food to order. I think the owner sold / Split the place and gave the restaurant away, resulting in a new / different restaurant and all different staff.

I didn't want to eat at the new restaurant, I wanted to eat at the small bar. But there wasn't any staff there to take my order, just empty bar with tables and chairs.

The new restaurant was decorated way differently, no modern flair, more like clown paint with terrets brush stroke influence.

The place was filled with old backpackers, older couples and older women wearing backpacks and shorts and doing their thing.

I felt like the hotel was empty most of the time. Either the backpackers got up earlier than me, went to bed earlier than me, or were always out on tour.

The staff remembered me from 5 years ago.

I feel like I paid more than I should have for what I got, as the Amistad would have put me in a King Suite with a Jacuzzi + 3 free meals a day + free bar drinks + $40 masseuse on staff daily. And the Sportsman would have hooked me up with a dope king sized room with free breakfast for the same price or less.

How do I know? I stayed in the Sportsman twice myself during my stay at the don't Inn so I could get with a Chica. And some dudes who I met who became buddies Had the King suite in the Amistad and made sure to let me know what I was missing.

I facepalmed, but I really wanted to stay at the don't Inn. That time was Just for me. It was perfectly silent. Which is what I wanted.

I didn't mind the no chica rule at all. As it provided the perfect retreat from the chaos, which is what I was there for, but It was a fortress of serious, serious solitude.

All in all, I missed the place, so I went to experience it again.

If you don't miss the place and you want some girls, don't go, the Taormina across the street has awesome rooms too.

[GDeffer]

Has anyone been successful with Airbnb or is this frowned upon? I'm on a bit of a tight budget and some airbnb locations are outstanding for the same price, if not cheaper as mid tier hotels. Has anyone had this experience?

[Mngr18]

Hi all,

Just wondering if it is impractical to stay at the Sheraton or Aloft hotels? Are they chica friendly? Love using my SPG points.

Thanks all.

[Fun Luvr]

The train that goes by the Amistad is really, really loud, It goes right by the hotel with its foghorn blaring, several times during the night. Count on getting woke up several times every night.

Also, the Amistad is rather run down.

Taormina is rather new and modern. No train. Classy place.

Unless things have changed recently, the train does not blow it's horn between sometime around 11 pm and 6 am.

I never saw any area of the Amistad that is run down. It is an old mansion converted to a hotel, so there are some small rooms and some with only a little outside light, but it has been well maintained.

The Taormina building has been there a long time. I think it was originally a Quality Inn, so it was built as a hotel. The inside has been remodeled recently. I have never stayed there, but recent reports are that the rooms are clean and comfortable, and the staff is now more responsive to customers' complaints and concerns. It changed ownership a year or so ago.

I grade Amistad higher than the Taormina because the Amistad caters to guys in San Jose for the women. The Taormina caters to everyone. Since the Amistad is small, the staff has a more personal relationship with the guests.

[World Travel 69]

Remodeled and re-opened.

Avenida 9 and Calle 9. Rates: US $46-91. Tel: 011 877-260-3027, (506) 2221-5141, Fax: 011 (506) 2223-2357. E-Mail: info@hotelcastillo.biz https://c o s t a r i c a t i c a s....-reservations/. Take out spaces where needed for this web site. Add .com/hotel-castillo-now-open-for-reservations

I am going to San Jose for Halloween. I usually stay at the Sportmens, but they are booked. I have never stayed at Taormina or Amistad, but they seem to be my best options at this point.

I'd be interested in hearing the pros and cons of each spot. I have heard about the train noise issue at the Amistad.

Thanks.

[UltraHappy]

I am going to San Jose for Halloween. I usually stay at the Sportmens, but they are booked. I have never stayed at Taormina or Amistad, but they seem to be my best options at this point.

I'd be interested in hearing the pros and cons of each spot. I have heard about the train noise issue at the Amistad.

Thanks.

The train that goes by the Amistad is really, really loud, It goes right by the hotel with its foghorn blaring, several times during the night. Count on getting woke up several times every night.

Also, the Amistad is rather run down.

Taormina is rather new and modern. No train. Classy place.

[Fun Luvr]

I am going to San Jose for Halloween. I usually stay at the Sportmens, but they are booked. I have never stayed at Taormina or Amistad, but they seem to be my best options at this point.

I'd be interested in hearing the pros and cons of each spot. I have heard about the train noise issue at the Amistad.

Thanks.

IMO, the Amistad scores higher than the Taormina in most areas. Amistad does not have a casino, and there are no chicas there un-escorted. Those are the only areas I give Taormina the advantage. You didn't include Hotel Castillo in your choices, but I would choose it over either of your choices. It is owned and managed by the Amistad, so all amenities are the same. I don't think the bar and kitchen are completed at the Castillo, but they may be by Halloween.

[Mr HC]

I am going to San Jose for Halloween. I usually stay at the Sportmens, but they are booked. I have never stayed at Taormina or Amistad, but they seem to be my best options at this point.

I'd be interested in hearing the pros and cons of each spot. I have heard about the train noise issue at the Amistad.

Thanks.

[Pipe Layer99]

Guys, Is it a coin toss between Dunn and Taomrin hotels in terms of bang for the buck?
Thanks.

Taormina is an ok hotel. No complaints. They have good breakfast and good coffee too.