I expect to visit Costa Rica later this week. What venues are spreading USD games currently (in San Jose or Escazu) ?

In early August, the Holdem Club at the Barceló Palacio appeared on the brink of extinction. I generally stayed there, because it is a really nice hotel and was, for a number of years, poker-convenient. .

I expect that is no longer the case and will be looking for a new hotel.

So, has a new room opened (again) at the Palma Real (as someone told me was imminent) ? It is a decent hotel, with a really good restaurant next door.

What about the Gringo Gulch stand-bys like the Del Rey, the Horseshoe and the Colonial ? Are they worth checking out, meaning the poker games, not the eye candy ?

Fiesta casinos spreading any USD games ?

Any suggestions ?

I'm not sure either. I am here for a few weeks and looking for a place to play as well.

Here now staying at intercontinental in San Jose

Got a couple guys looking to gamble, need a place to play

The Sheraton casino next door was empty ,.. Bout to explore downtown

Any advice ?

Looking for as big a game as possible

Update: Poker is alive and well in Costa Rica.

San Jose: Hotel Del Rey is your best bet. Stop by during day and ask what time game starts. Usually 7pm. It's a 500-1000 Paseo Colones Game ($2-4NL)and plays fast and loose. Rich locals trying to take down a Gringo American!

The hotel Taormina, formally Mona Lisa, is in walking distance and has a poker game that is run by local expat gringo Dave. More Nitty with Gringo regulars. 1-2nl. Again, stop by during day and ask what time it starts.

Sheraton Escuza has a hotel casino and i have no experience there but they have a website that says they have daily tournaments.

Pacific Ocean/Jaco : there are 3 Casinos and the Casino Cocal game is best in town. Upstairs on second floor the game goes all weekends. Just ask casino person for directions to poker room. This is the "good game" as you get all the old drunk and tired gringo vacationers down for the week and fishing all day and hitting on the girls and drinking having a great time. They are gambling. Tight is right here.

Finally... The Hotel Del Rey and Also the Cocal Casino in Jaco have some of the prettiest working girls available in the world. It's Disneyland for men and it's all legal baby!

Liquor in the front, poker in the rear!

ya but whats the rake

A couple of updates: both Del Rey and Taormina have 10% rake with a cap (not positive how much the cap is). Taormina also frequently runs a 1-2 PLO game (ok action, but not great), and several tournaments a week.

I won't go back to Del Rey for poker because they lied and told me there were no other games in town. I may or may not, however, return to play "Rummy" (their form of blackjack) for the eye candy....

You can also get an actual game of blackjack at various Costa Rican casinos if you ask.

Does Dewey Tomko still own a casino down there?

What is the rake cap in Costa Rica... I had heard unlimited; can that be right???

I'm curious about this, too. Can anyone confirm?