I registered a large group for a weekend stay. It took 4 weeks for the hotel to provide me with a final bill reconciliation that was thousands of dollars less than what they initially claimed the group owed. The hotel management refuses to communicate with me, nor will they correct their few remaining bookkeeping errors to reduce the charges. I don't know if this is a cultural difference or if the hotel management is inept. The hotel is no better than 2-stars but their customer service needs improvement.

The very fact that they charge as much as they do for this hotel is insulting. It's a little misleading too, because it gives you the impression that they might utilize that extra cash for hotel maintenance, buying carpet that isn't 20 years old, creating a decent fitness center, etc.

My first annoyance was that high speed internet is not free in your room. It is only free in the lobby using their WiFi. Ok, that's not so bad and hey, the bar's right next to the lobby so I can have a drink too. Now if I could just get the waiter to ask me if I wanted another drink when my first drink is done. I usually have to track him/her down to get another.

The hotel inside is ugly. Carpet that is obviously old and needs to be replaced. The bed linens and pillows are cheap and old. The plumbing and bathroom are poorly maintained. My first room's Jacuzzi broke and wouldn't shut off.

My second room smelled strongly of mildew and was a little less clean. Small bugs seemed to have established a habitat on my bathroom sink and counters.

When I called the front desk to complain about these issues they really didn't seem to give a (--) and said that the hotel was full.

Well, the next morning, while dressing I found that a roach had taken residence in my dresser. This was the last straw. I sent all of my clothes away to be laundered and found a cheaper, better hotel during the day. I returned in the evening and packed my belongings, vowing never to return to another Ramada.

We ended up at the Ramada when U.S. Airways bumped us from our morning flight. Its main virtue I think is that they easily let people check into about 20 rooms at 8am, even though check in is usually after noon.

In case anyone wonders whether the place has improved in the year since the last review, no. We think of it as an American-style hotel with a staff that either does not have the desire or the skills to run it properly. Every question required at least three tries before getting an answer. There was no service directory in the room, so we had no idea whether the place had room service, internet, a spa, restaurants, or cable without exploring ourselves (it has all those things). Although there was a map available at the front desk, it was almost entirely in Spanish lettering too small to have survived photocopying and thus illegible. I tried to spend money by booking a massage appointment, but no one was staffing the spa desk, and the phone was answered by a rapid Spanish voice on an answering machine. The hotel was "nice" enough to prepare a buffet dinner for the cost of our airline dinner reimbursement (otherwise insufficient for anything but a $9 burger at either restaurant), but it was bar none the worst meal of our two weeks in Costa Rica.

We did venture across the street to the mall for lunch and found a pretty good Mexican place. There is (now?) a pedestrian bridge and it was a short, though ugly, walk.

Overall, the pools were pleasant and the cable options comprehensive, thus it was not a bad place to snooze the day away and recover from our vacation. But it was such a stark contrast to the smaller and more charming places we booked ourselves for the way in and out that it suffers even more in comparison and I have to recommend against anyone voluntarily booking there. (Las Orquideas was our definite favorite for the curious.)

This is a place to stay while you are waiting for a plane, not a place to stay more than 1 night. It's got fine pools, it's pretty quiet too. Service is generally slow and disinterested, but usually friendly. Food (breakfast is okay) is not good at all and overpriced so bring your own or take a cab ($2 one way) to the mall across the street. There is an Italian restaurant in walking distance too. Rooms are fine - clean updated baths w/jacuzzi, t.v. and comfortable new mattresses.