Things have gotten worse since the last review in 2008. We stayed on a Monday night so it was quiet and few people were present.

We're Oregonians living in Costa Rica and went to Jaco for the day as it's the nearest beach to us. This place was cheap but it's best to pay more and enjoy your time at the beach.

The foreign owner was rude to his workers and very scolding of a young man who was getting water from a sink on the side of the building.

I was shocked to hear that they would not provide any towels unless I gave a $10 deposit per towel! When I told him about my amazement his answer was "Well, you know this is Costa Rica." I saw this as a most demeaning ethnic slur. We've traveled all over Costa Rica and have never heard such nonsense. He reduced it to $6 per towel!

I had reserved the two-bedroom "suite." It was dingy with a sloppy kitchenette. The old refrigerator door did not close properly. I asked for another room and we settled for two rooms to accommodate five people. We wanted AC but he could only get us one with AC and the other had a ceiling fan. The kitchenette in one had small ants all over the sink and the refrigerator did not work though I plugged it in.

They advertise wi-fi in every room but there was none. I had to go to the small office to plug in our computer. It was uncomfortable and of course had no privacy. I was unable to recharge our computer as all outlets in our rooms were 2-pronged and I needed 3-prongs. This leads me to the electricity question.

The shower heads in both rooms had exposed electrical wires taped together with black tape. A sure electrocution danger that should not pass code anyplace. I advised my family not to use the shower as we would be home in a day.

It was curious to see the owner yelling to my wife and daughter not to stand under a palm tree because a coconut might fall on their head while he left electrical wires exposed in the shower.

The workers were all very nice.

Best to pay a little more and avoid this place.

Tropical Garden Hotel was the most expensive place we stayed at our entire trip. We were not expecting much, as it was one of the cheaper hotels in the area and we knew the cost was due to its location. However, we were expecting at least a clean and moderately comfortable room.

Check-in was difficult, as there was some confusion as to my pre-payment, and the parking was very tight. Our rooms were shabby and did not feel or look clean. Being down at the beach there was quite a bit of humidity and the single ceiling fan in our room was not enough to bring the temperature of the room down for a comfortable sleep. As if the loud band at the bar next door was not enough to keep us awake all night the screaming kids (at midnight or later!) and yelling parents or the howling dog would chime in periodically. It felt like we were smack-dab in the middle of a community fair rather than being in bed at 1am trying to get some rest for the next day.

The receptionist was very helpful when I called for directions, though, as it was down an alley way and very difficult to locate. The rooms were also as advertised: kitchen, large room, bathroom and individual porches with a small swinging chair although the pool was not something I would have ventured into. It was in close proximity to all the night life and beaches in Jaco. Many people looked like they lived in the rooms full time so the place gave a feeling of an apartment complex, but not a very nice one.

I'd recommend paying a bit extra and getting into the best western or some other decent hotel in the area instead of trying to save a buck or two.