Tag Archives: hotel

I hate Switching Hotels but I love the Hotel Domus Kahuna

Posted on September 2, 2008 | 1 comment

DomuskahunaI love the Domus Kahuna unfortunately they were full when I came to Tamarindo a few days ago. It’s this small cute place a block from the main strip (it’s behind the Voodoo Lounge?) and we only found it by accident last trip (we pulled into the “driveway” to turn around and thought we’d check). Last time we had this tiny two bedroom with living room/kitchenette, I’ve just got a plain room this time but it’s perfect and it’s more than 1/2 off what I’ve paid the last few days. No view of the ocean but it’s only 150 meters to town and the beach and that’s better. I think it comes with a minimal breakfast (at least it did last time) and the free WiFi leaks into the room.

If you’ve been to / heading to Tamirindo, it’s the last turn before you get to the circle at the end of “the strip”; go up one block and hang a left and it’s shortly on your right (careful, the road is awful as soon as you turn off the strip). Continue reading →

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No Roswell for me :(

Posted on June 15, 2007 | 1 comment

Roswell60ThWell, it doesn’t look like I’m going to get to go to Roswell, New Mexico this year. I can get flights and I actually have the time in my schedule but I can’t find any hotels in the area, and I mean any. I’ve checked with all sorts of travel sites and direct hotel sites but I’m just not finding any on-line (I will call some hotels today, JIC). And if it’s that cRaZy I’m not sure I want to stay a town or two away and commute into the craziness that must be going on.

Unless anyone has some recommendations for somewhere or someplace to call, I’d be thrilled for the info. Leave a comment or send an e-mail.

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The El Sano Banano Hotel – Montezuma , Costa Rica

Posted on January 4, 2007 | Leave a comment

Img 4271So we’re staying at the The El Sano Banano and we keep adding days to our stay. It’s a great hotel in that it’s located right in the center of Montezuma and it’s got all the necessary requirements for a hotel. It’s got air conditioning which to me is a must and not that many hotels have it (and it’s brand new, so it works very well), private bathrooms/showers, the showers have heat and it’s only about $65 US a night. There’s no internet but I just found out that the Ylang Ylang (the sister hotel) has free WiFi but I just found that out so I haven’t tried it yet.

It’s cute but plain vanilla, just beds and a TV in the room, no chairs and no desk. It’s tiny, only 12 rooms, but many of the places are like that. Free breakfast in the morning, it’s delicious(!), I get Huevos Rancheos, which is eggs and salsa on a tortilla but no frijoles (beans). The dinning rooms shows free movies with dinner; I assume the legality of this is questionable, but I haven’t bothered to quiz them on the legalities of international copyright and are they paying the proper fees (my spanish stinks and no one’s English is that good). But pretty much you’re wandering the streets or beech or at a restaurant or people-watching or on the beach.

I’d definitely recommend this place for the price, location, A/C and the rest of what I’ve mentioned above. The A/C really helps the enjoyability of it, the water pressure could be better (sometimes it’s awesome, but sometimes it’s not working). No one we’ve talked to has air conditioning, but they’re staying at places for half the price but we really like the A/C…

The photo is the view out my window.

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Things to look for in a hotel when traveling in a foreign country.

Posted on January 3, 2007 | Leave a comment

As we know standards of living varying from place to place and so must our expectations as we travel. Most of these issues don’t apply when staying at a hugh hotel chain, but it never hurts to ask…

  • Air conditioning – Ceiling fans may sound quaint but if that’s all they’re listing then that’s probably all they have.
  • Private bathrooms – This isn’t anything exotic, it just means you don’t share it with any other hotel guests. This isn’t as bad as it sounds, if it’s a nice place then they they probably kkep it nice.
  • Number of beds – You never know how many unless you ask. And if you ask if it has two beds, they will respond with “no” if it has four beds.
  • Television – This is a luxury, but you can’t assume they have it. You also can’t assume they have cable, some areas just don’t have cable.
  • Telephones – Unless it’s a huge hotel many will not have them in in the rooms Iand if they do, rates are out rageous even to us a calling card).
  • Internet – If they say they have Internet it may only be one computer in the office (and it may be dial-up).
  • Water – If you’ve gone for some of the above “luxuries” you probably have hot water (but you never know). The “hot water” is generally some kind of electrical attachment to the shower head. Sometimes looking kinda scary but it heats the water. You can’t really count on too much water pressure; last night there was no pressure (no water) and this morning was the best shower I’ve had in a long time (even in the states).
  • Washcloths – Don’t assume the hotels will have washcloths. And don’t assume that if you have one that ater housekeeping comes that they’ll replace it (I’ve seen this at several places).
  • Hangers – And while there may be a place to hang clothes, there generally isn’t any hangers :)
  • Stay another night – Don’t assume you can stay another night. They may be full or have a reservation for that room. It seem like many places reserve you a specific room and juggling the rooms aroound later is a difficult concept for some.

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    Settled In.

    Posted on July 22, 2004 | Leave a comment

    london04-642london04-643Hotel is nice, room is tiny. WiFi in lobby!!! Checked out out the neighborhood, got some food, got a waffle toffee crunch ice cream thing for dessert (much more on that later!). Here is a couple of photos from the hotel window (click to enlarge).

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