GOOD HOTEL, GREAT BAR, FRANTIC FOOTBALL FANS, BEST WESTERN IRAZU, SAN JOSE COSTA RICA
Written: Aug 25 '03 (Updated May 09 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good location, great lobby bar
Cons: Poor breakfast, stay away during soccer season
The Bottom Line: Not a bad place to use as a base in San Jose and/or while taking day trips in the surrounding area.
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| JAMES23's Full Review: Best Western Irazu, San Jose Costa Rica |
The plane was almost an hour behind schedule when we landed at San Jose Airport. Mind I should have known better because I was once more flying Canada 3000. Actually I guess I should count my blessings, considering the things I've said about them in the past, I'm surprised that they didn't refuse to board me the minute they saw my name on the passenger manifest. Either that or worse turf me out somewhere over the Caribbean.
That delay and another over some fellow passengers recovering their baggage and/or clearing customs, meant that the hotel shuttle pulled into the hotel a good five minutes after happy hour ended. That may not sound serious to some, but at this hotel during my three nights there it was a serious matter.
Somehow one doesn't usually associate the name Best Western with a vacation resort. To me, and I'm sure to most it's one of those chains of mid range, mid price business hotels. You know the sort you find just off the highway on the outskirts of major cities. The ones you pull into for a nights sleep on the way to visit Aunt Edna with the wife and kids.
Best Western however was the place I stayed at in Costa Rica. Actually I stayed in two of them, part of a package deal I bought through Conquest Tours in Toronto. I've already reviewed elsewhere here the Best Western Beach Resort at Jaco Beach. I stayed there for four nights. The other three nights were at the Best Western Irazu just outside San Jose.
The hotel is a medium size low rise with 327 rooms. While I was there (March 2001) there were some slight upgrades and a renovation going on, mainly to the lobby area, and one of the two bars was shut down. The buildings are grouped in a "U" shape with the lobby and admin. areas at the base and the rooms forming the two wings which face inwards around a landscaped pool area. At the top of the "U" are two tennis courts, both with lights for night time use. There is also small exercise room available for guests and I remember seeing a sign advertising the services of a masseuse.
The rooms had recently been upgraded and contained all the expected conveniences. There was satellite TV with a fair selection of North American (HBO CNN etc.) Stations as well as local ones. There were in room safes available for a nominal fee. All the rooms had either small balconies or patios for those on the ground floor.
Each room also contained a small desk with plugs ins for laptops and a coffee maker. The brochures I've seen state that each room is equipped with either one king sized or two double beds. This was not the case in the room I was given as it had one double and one single bed. A small point as the extra bed was only used to lay my luggage on. All the doors use the more modern card key system although the safes still require the old fashioned conventional key.
The lobby provides a currency exchange service, although as in most hotels the rates are not favourable. There is a ATM in the lobby which does dispense Costa Rican Colones and is a better bet. There is also a small Internet kiosk available which accepts US dollar bills. Free coffee is available in the lobby 24 hours per day.
Also in the lobby is a tour desk operated by Grayline Fantasy Tours, one of the largest operators in Costa Rica. Day trips to local attractions such as Volcanoes, canopy tours and/or white water rafting can be booked here. I compared their prices and selection to various operators downtown and found them favourable.
They also offer a shopping shuttle to downtown. This is not a good value, and consists of trips to "selected" stores where I'm sure one would be subjected to the inevitable hard sell. Usually by the tour desk operator, or driver's cousin.
The hotel offers a free continental breakfast in a small dining room above the lobby. To be honest it's not much aside from the coffee. There is a Denny's restaurant located in the back of the hotel and it is open 24 hours. Beside this is the hotel's casino, listed as the largest in San Jose. I question this, as I'm sure I saw at least one downtown that looked larger. This one however seems to have everything for the guest who feels a little lucky and doesn't want to venture too far a field.
The hotel is not located downtown, or among the strip of hotels out near the airport. Rather it is located mid way between the two, in a nice suburban area about a twenty-minute drive to downtown. This is not as inconvenient as it may sound. There are plenty of taxis available at the main entrance 24 hours a day.
One word of warning, a couple of rather unscrupulous drivers will try and charge you exorbitant prices for a run down town, in the neighbourhood of $10.00-15.00 US. Check with the front desk first, the trip should be more in the range of $4.00-5.00. The hotel offers a free airport shuttle for guests and a once a day shuttle to it's sister property in Jaco Beach.
Right behind the hotel, actually just across the parking lot, is a medium sized shopping centre. Here one can pick up just about any item one needs. Among the stores in the mall are a dry cleaner, cigar shop, a travel agency, several gift shops, high-end clothing shops, and even a large grocery store. There are also a couple of different restaurants including a steak house and a Chinese restaurant which offer an alternative to Denny's without having to go downtown.
As I noted one bar was closed during my visit, but the main lobby bar was not. This one offers something a little different in the way of "happy hours" compared to most places, and this was why I was hoping to get there in time that first night. Most places may offer reduced prices or two for one special. Other places often throw in free food with the drinks for and hour or two each evening.
At the Best Western Irazu they go one better. Every night for one hour the drinks, or at least the beer is free for guests. Snacks are also available at this time, or anytime else for a nominal charge.
I missed it the first night, and the second night the place was a little more crowded than normal. While at the airport that first night, our driver had pointed out a large, and I mean several hundred, group of rather rowdy individuals. They were all Honduran soccer fans in town for an important pre world cup match against Costa Rica the following night. James' first rule of travel naturally applied. They were all staying at the same hotel as I was.
The next morning the lobby was crowded with throngs of hyper Hondurans all dressed in blue and white their national colours. From almost every balcony overlooking the pool hung the Honduran flag. In fact the whole building had suddenly taken on a blue and white hue. Some brave soul had hung a solitary Costa Rican flag from their balcony. Some even braver and probably misguided soul had hung a Canadian Flag from another balcony.
I spent most of the day on a day trip to the nearby Irazu Volcano and the town of Cartago. I did however get back in time for happy hour. After a quick shower I rather tentatively approached the bar. It was even worse than the lobby at breakfast time. There was a veritable sea of blue and white clad Honduran soccer fans screaming at the top of their lungs, singing, waving flags, and pounding back beers like there was no tomorrow.
One of those large men that they employ on the Tokyo subway system to cram people into the cars at rush hour would have hard pressed to force their way to the bar. However there was still twenty minutes of free beer time available and I persevered. Perched at the bar with a cold one in my hand, I watched the floor show.
The Hondurans were working themselves into a frenzy before getting on the buses that would take them to the nearby stadium. Naturally the only Ticos anywhere near the place were the bar staff who had to be there. They were taking the full brunt of the Honduran's good-natured jibes and abuse.
Now you have to remember that Honduras actually went to war with another Central American country, El Salvador, over a football/soccer match. This thought came to me as I sipped the really cold Pilsen handed me by the bar tender. I also remembered how the tour guide had proudly pointed out earlier that day that Costa Rica did not have an Army.
Eventually the crowd at the bar petered out as they boarded buses for the stadium. I had another free beer, or two, or three, and grabbed a taxi out front. Later I grabbed a great meal downtown and strolled into a local bar to watch the game.
Honduras was I said the favourites. Costa Rica only had to tie to advance to the next level. With less than a minute to go the score stood at Honduras leading two to one. Like most of the Ticos in the bar I tried to hide my disappointment. I left and was strolling down the street when I heard the shouts.
Ducking into another bar my eyes, along with half the country's, were glued to the screen. With literally seconds to spare a Costa Rican player had a breakaway. While we all held our breath he shot.… and scored. The whole city went wild that night.
Next morning the Best Western lobby was full of very quiet, very disgruntled Hondurans waiting for the shuttle back to the airport.
Best Western Irazu San Jose Costa Rica,
Room rates $67.00-77.00 Cdn per night double per person.
http://www.bestwesterncostarica.com/locations_irazu.html
Tel: (506) 232-4811, Fax: (506) 232-4549
NOTE: I originally wrote and posted this review on December 26, 2002 in the Costa Rica category. Later after much badgering of the CLs by moi, they managed to get this great little place added to the database. After waiting over 6 months and with more than one e-mail sent in, epinions has yet to transfer it over. I didn’t want to delete and repost it, but it appears that is the only option. As comments are the icing on the cake on a good review, or conversely one I’ve penned, for your retro amusement I have included all the original comments below.
Finally FYI there were 48 member hits (all VH) and 243 total hits with a whopping 27 cents in income share earned at time of deletion.
COMMENTS:
Another Good One.... by tombarnes Dec 26'01 3:39 pm PST
You must remind me to get myself down there for that free beer.....chalk up another great review!
Tom Barnes
Yeesh! by badkittyM Dec 27 '01 7:38 am PST
I dunno...for me, there's just something deeply and intrinsically wrong about flying to Costa Rica, then staying in a Best Western, and eating at Denny's, or a Chinese restaurant.
I had to re-read, just to be certain you were indeed still in Costa Rica, and not Anytown USA!
Weird.
Oh well; just goes to show that Capitalism spreads like the flu, leaving McDonalds, Denny's and Pepsi in its wake.
Meow
Re: Yeesh! by JAMES23 Dec 27'01 11:30 pm PST
FYI Kitty kat, I personally never even went into the Denny's, and while I did hit the Chinese restaurant it was only to grab a beer while waiting for my taxi to take me downtown where I both ate and drank in local dives where the only Gringos ever to venture have been Mark S. and moi.
How dare you even think such thoughts. I've almost lost all faith in you. Mind a new racey pic on your profile page would restore my trust.
James
Re: Re: Yeesh! by badkittyM Dec 28'01 9:11 am PST
Hey, bay-bee...just to let you know, the link you sent was done while logged into your account; lucky you that I'm a nice kitty, and didn't go pillaging! (The link "assumed" I was you)
Now...my obvious sweetness and light in the face of temptation deserves some sucking up, wouldn't you say? Hmmm? We can start with a back rub and some cat-nip...
Meow
Re: Re: Re: Yeesh! by JAMES23 Dec 28'01 11:05 am PST
Pillage away sweety. I'm $19.00 away from cashing in and at the rate IS is being issued now, it'll take another year to reach that. Wanna bet the site dies before that.
Cat nip on its way to you. The other thing you have to come and collect in person.
James
Re: Re: Re: Re: Yeesh! by badkittyM Dec 28'01 11;10 am PST
Yeah...it was an empty threat; I made a whole forty-three cents in income share last month. Then again, if I actually wrote stuff on a regular basis, that might actually go up...or maybe not.
Stay tuned for chapter deux, due sometime next week (I like how that rolls off the tongue, don't you? "Deux-due")
What's your address again?
Meow
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Yeesh! by JAMES23 Dec 28'01 11:14 am PST
No it wouldn't. I've gone from over $30.00 a month in IS to under $3.00 and that happened at the same time as the loss of eroyalties. Coincidence I'm sure.
You have my email address.
James
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Yeesh! by badkittyM Dec 28'01 12:19 pm PST
How the Hell am I supposed to get a f*ckin' massage via email???
Magic cyber-fingers?
LOL!
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Yeesh! by JAMES23 Dec 28 '01
7:52 pm PST
Well what was I supposed to do cut off my fingers and Fed Ex them to you.
James
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JAMES23
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Member: James Smith
Location: Toronto Ontario CANADA
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