San Jose General Reports

[Nixonbd]

I am headed to San Jose in a couple of days. I got on the Hotel Del Rey website and it appeared that I could book a room. Is the hotel open and is it back to business as usual?

With no casino or girls of any quality; I wouldn't stay there for free. With the casino gone, so is the currency exchange. In the last two years I've stopped in the HDR to see how the Blue Marlin Bar was doing on occasion and was not overly surprised to see some of the same girls that were regulars in there 10 - 15 years ago still there holding up the bar. All the good looking bartenders have aged and been forced out. For anyone who has been to the HDR the past 20 years; the good looking bartenders were well worth visiting the bar. I still have a couple of the yearly calendars of the HDR bartenders. Over the years the overall quality of the HDR has been in decline; from the letting Ticos into the bar, the decline of the sister property the Key Largo Bar, the contracting out of the casino, etc. The HDR will likely die a long slow death until the loans disappear and lack of maintenance accelerates. A sad but fitting ending.

[Sammon]

The Morazan was shuttered when Covid hit. It was a " cheap Charlie" hotel for those who didn't want to pay Hotel Del Rey prices. No big loss; it was a dump. Though it did provide "short time" rooms.

There are decent rooms at Morazon when I stayed. Room included breakfast. Not any star level hotel. Casino downstairs was decent. Plenty of people at the bar in the evening. Mostly locals. I did hook up with couple of them. There were no chica fees like at Del Ray. I guess the place died along with Del Ray. I used to stay at Hotel Presidente around the corner till they got strict and would not allow any lady visitors. Initially they would allow anyone as long as they kept the cedula. Afterwards they allowed only one girl per day but I used to sneak in many because on the second level there was a way from their casino to the elevator bypassing security.

[Huacho]

I am headed to San Jose in a couple of days. I got on the Hotel Del Rey website and it appeared that I could book a room. Is the hotel open and is it back to business as usual?

When considered just as a hotel or place to stay, the Del Rey was never a good value and I can't imagine it is now either.

[Zeos1]

I am headed to San Jose in a couple of days. I got on the Hotel Del Rey website and it appeared that I could book a room. Is the hotel open and is it back to business as usual?

Wow. You can book a room, but the Del Rey is nothing like the past. No women on site, no casino, nada. But on the 15th there is a concert of some kind introducing the new era for the Del Rey which is as a cultural centre.

[Pulled Pork]

I am headed to San Jose in a couple of days. I got on the Hotel Del Rey website and it appeared that I could book a room. Is the hotel open and is it back to business as usual?

[Huacho]

I eliminated Columbia from possible countries based on the fact I couldn't even spell it so I was way scared

Fixed that one for you.

[Nixonbd]

When I say it's on the other side of the street, I don't mean literally. My bad on explaining. If you exit del Reys main larger entrance where all the hookers and blackjack tables were and walk left, you would go down that street a few blocks and it was on the right side. Street lights were minimum at the time. Dark area at that time. This was probably 15 years ago. BTW, what happened to morazon.

The Morazan was shuttered when Covid hit. It was a " cheap Charlie" hotel for those who didn't want to pay Hotel Del Rey prices. No big loss; it was a dump. Though it did provide "short time" rooms.

[Nixonbd]

Thank you for the information. Safety proves essential when traveling, so that comes first. I eliminated Columbia from possible countries based on all the safety concern expressed in ISG and other travel forums. I am familiar with inner cities in the US, but it seems like the inner city of San Jose might be more challenging based upon what others mention. Hopefully the inner city of San Jose improves during the day for things like finding restaurants, etc.

I am too old for the bar scene and never really go to it in the DR or even Thailand when visiting there. I really don't care much for the massage scene, so it may be best to find another location to visit other than Costa Rica. The great thing about this forum is forum members and reports help eliminate things one doesn't like.

I looked at Cuba, but it's in the midst of a huge crisis, so back to the drawing board.

If Brazil wasn't four times the price of Costa Rica for tickets and twice as far, it would be an easy choice.

For me from the USA; the trip to Pattaya is well worth the long flights. I've been going to Pattaya twice a year for the past 10 years. That place puts most all others to shame.

[TjBrazil]

Have no idea what you are referring to. Calle or Avenida? Anyway, nothing there. Only thing close was Morazan and it is long gone, closed.

When I say it's on the other side of the street, I don't mean literally. My bad on explaining. If you exit del Reys main larger entrance where all the hookers and blackjack tables were and walk left, you would go down that street a few blocks and it was on the right side. Street lights were minimum at the time. Dark area at that time. This was probably 15 years ago. BTW, what happened to morazon.

[Eric Boynton]

Yep. Starting to look like it was not just the Del Rey giving the Key Largo property back to the government, but something more that involves the Del Rey as well. Have no idea in reality, and I've heard all the stories. But reality is that there is art on display on the walls where the casino once was, and the bars have no one in them, and unaccompanied chicas are not allowed in, and there is a cultural event in the "ballroom" next weekend. So the Del Rey of the past is gone, and it seems very unlikely that it will ever be back.

Balerom is the name of a Tico music artist.

https://instagram.com/balerom_insta

Kind of a weirdo, some say gas been, who travels around the country. There was a bit of notoriety a while back with the griup / album Evolution. He is the artistic headliner for the evening before an announcement about a "game changing" development plan by someone hosting the event.

[Zeos1]

Then that makes it the more interesting that events to be held at the Del Rey are announced on the Key Largo Facebook page. Also the pictures of girls and casino games have been removed from the Del Rey website. The connection between the two is very difficult to deny.

https://www.facebook.com/KeyLargoCultural

https://hoteldelreycasino.com/photo-gallery/

Yep. Starting to look like it was not just the Del Rey giving the Key Largo property back to the government, but something more that involves the Del Rey as well. Have no idea in reality, and I've heard all the stories. But reality is that there is art on display on the walls where the casino once was, and the bars have no one in them, and unaccompanied chicas are not allowed in, and there is a cultural event in the "ballroom" next weekend. So the Del Rey of the past is gone, and it seems very unlikely that it will ever be back.

[Zeos1]

Can someone refresh my memory of the name of this house slash hotel. It was owned or run by a couple brothers. Is it still open as a hotel. It's on the same street the del Rey is on but on the opposite side of the street.

Have no idea what you are referring to. Calle or Avenida? Anyway, nothing there. Only thing close was Morazan and it is long gone, closed.

[TjBrazil]

Can someone refresh my memory of the name of this house slash hotel. It was owned or run by a couple brothers. Is it still open as a hotel. It's on the same street the del Rey is on but on the opposite side of the street.

[WanderingMan]

Having been to both the DR and CR; I find CR generally safer and more girls in CR speak at least minimal English. The CR doesn't have the bar scene that the DR has; at least not bars that gringos would be safe going to. The CR doesn't have "casas" that you'll find in the DR, but the CR has a thriving massage environment. The DR is more of a beach environment, unless you're staying inland. San Jose is strictly urban; with the nearest beach about 90 minutes away (Jaco).

"Housing where guests are allowed" is hard to find in CR and is expensive as well. DR has the dark girls; CR has lighter skinned girls. DR is probably cheaper overall.

Last, with the Del Rey in the toilet, there are fewer places a gringo can go to get P4P ladies. The Taormina and Cocal are the two largest venues in CR.

Thank you for the information. Safety proves essential when traveling, so that comes first. I eliminated Columbia from possible countries based on all the safety concern expressed in ISG and other travel forums. I am familiar with inner cities in the US, but it seems like the inner city of San Jose might be more challenging based upon what others mention. Hopefully the inner city of San Jose improves during the day for things like finding restaurants, etc.

I am too old for the bar scene and never really go to it in the DR or even Thailand when visiting there. I really don't care much for the massage scene, so it may be best to find another location to visit other than Costa Rica. The great thing about this forum is forum members and reports help eliminate things one doesn't like.

I looked at Cuba, but it's in the midst of a huge crisis, so back to the drawing board.

If Brazil wasn't four times the price of Costa Rica for tickets and twice as far, it would be an easy choice.

[Paulie97]

The "Key Largo" is no longer owned or run by the Hotel Del Rey; the city controls it now.

Then that makes it the more interesting that events to be held at the Del Rey are announced on the Key Largo Facebook page. Also the pictures of girls and casino games have been removed from the Del Rey website. The connection between the two is very difficult to deny.

https://www.facebook.com/KeyLargoCultural

https://hoteldelreycasino.com/photo-gallery/