San Jose Hotels $15-$30

Hotel Alameda
Hotel Cacts Includes breakfast
Pension Costa Rica Inn
Hotel Diplomat
Hotel Galilea
Hotel Musoc
Hotel Talamanca casino

La Posada de Don Tobías
550m North from the "Parque de la Merced", San Jose, Costa Rica
Tel (506) 258-3162 Fax (506) 233-8754
E-mail: hptobias@racsa.co.cr (please mention MonteverdeINFO)
Services : Beaches, mountains, ecological reserves, typical destinations are just at the palm of your hand because weare located between the most important bus stops in town. Tourist and car rental information, maps, brochures, and everything you need for making each day amemorable experience.
Laundry
International Fax Service
Local and International Phone calls
Our hotel has 23 comfortable rooms with all facilities.
Private bathroom
Hot water
TV with remote control
privacy and safety
LOW SEASON RATES during the whole year...
Single $ 15
Double$ 18

Venezia Hotel
Ave 9, Calles 0-2, 300 m from Fischel drugstore, San José
Tel(506) 222-4767 / 222-9438
$10.00 per person per night taxes included, 25 rooms, close to central San José, nightlife, free parking area, restaurant, laundry
service, private bath, hot water, all major Credit cards accepted.

Hotel Ritz
8th and 10th Avenue in San José province.
San José Costa Rica.Tel(506) 233-1731
25 rooms with private and shared bath with hot water in all rooms, private parking lot.

Hotel Bella Vista
$19.50 per day with no add-ons. 800-637-0899
$30 for a double $35 for a triple w/tax & breakfeast included on A/centreal between C/9&21

Hi,

I can comment on Hotel Bella Vista, as I stayed there in late June of 2000. Everyone there was very nice to me at first, and although my Spanish is decent it was nice that the staff there all spoke perfect English. For the first two days I did not bring any chicas back with me, as I was busy meeting up with some "non-working" friends, etc. On the second night, however, I did bring a chica back with me w/o any problem from the guy working at night (Eddie was his name, I think?) Anyway, he was cool and all but my chica ended up sleeping with me that night and, after she left the next morning, the two ladies working at the front desk in the daytime (the darker-skinned woman from Puerto Limon in particular) started treating me like a dog (which I guess I am, but that's not the point!). They made me very uncomfortable and so I ended up leaving and checking into the Presidente for the rest of my stay, which for $23.00 more per night was totally worth it. Also, there is a space in between the ceiling and the top of the wall in each room which is filled in with a mesh-like material, the consequence being that everyone there can pretty much hear what is going on in every other room.

Maybe this is my fault, but another problem I had there was when I paid for my room with my Visa. When I made the reservation for the room, the owner (a guy from Louisiana) recommended that I pay w/ a credit card because, he told me, my U.S. bank would give me a good exchange rate. The part that he didn't tell me, of course, is that there would be a 10% surcharge for using a credit card. So much for the exchange rate savings!

The other thing I didn't really care for but totally understand is that you have to ring the doorbell every time you want to get in b/c they keep the front door locked. Yeah, the security is a good thing but I started to feel like a pest by coming in and out several times per day. So, when it came down to it, my stay at the Hotel Bella Vista left me feeling like a pest and a dog, which wasn't really my idea of a good vacation. I guess you get what you pay for and, when you think about the average hotel price in the US, the $40.00 TSM rate at the Presidente is really a great deal.

La Muerte

Two quick notes:

1. The Presidente raised it's TSM rate last week. The new base rate is $45. Those of you who are actually TSM members will find the new rates posted in a letter from the hotel manager on the TSM message board.

2. A gringo friend of mine owns a house in San Jose on Calle 3, three blocks south of the Grand Hotel, and has rooms and apartments for rent by the day, week, or month. There are only 7 or 8 rooms and he doesn't have a lot of vacancies. Most of the guests are regulars and he doesn't advertize anywhere. The rates are very reasonable, $10 to $15 per night. If you are seriously interested, send me an e-mail with a little personal background information, and I'll give you his contact information. Since it is a small place, I don't want to flood him with casual inquiries. In particular, I don't want to recommend anyone to him who is going to be a problem. All of the guests are given their own set of keys and can come and go as they please. There's no problem bringing girls to your room, but you need to use good judgement and respect the privacy of the other guests.

Grand Hotel Costa Rica
Rooms can be gotten for $40.00 a night.
Ask for tony and tell him your a friend of Mike from California.
granhcr@sol.racsa.co.cr

Hello,
I have been to San Jose a few times and will be there again in January. I have stayed at the Hotel Bienvenido once and thought it a plain but comfortable and safe place, however if anyone has information on this hotel as to if it is monger freindly or not I would appreciate it. I think the rack rate was $18 a night, and though there was no AC I was quite comfortable. The hot water worked well when I was there, and they will let you lock up your valubles in a lobby safe that takes two seperate keys to open. It is a bit of a walk to Gringo Gulch from there but I had no problem getting around town walking and using the taxis.

I stayed at the Royal Duth my last trip. I asked for the $29 rate. They said ok. Very nice room, with 27in TV. The shower was like a hurrican. I mean great. It blew me away. I was very happy with it. They did not charge me any extra for guest. Ask for room 332. It was great.