Here is my review of the Hotel Poseidon in Jaco, Costa Rica. This was my second visit to this hotel, and I have to say that the second visit was a drastic change from the first.

I remembered this place fondly, and had looked forward to going back, and wanted to include it in a report I'm writing on the country. However, on our first night at Hotel Poseidon, a few nights ago, my friend and I were sitting in the open air restaurant in front of the hotel--which does have good food--and noticed group after group of prostitutes walking by. We commented that this was the most prostitutes that we'd seen in any one area in Costa Rica.

Much to our dismay, one of the guests at the hotel, a man in his 50s, shortly thereafter walked into the restaurant with one of the ladies of the evening we'd just seen go by. She looked all of 16. And they sat at a table not far from us discussing her price while they ate. Moments later, they walked back to the room area. I suppose the transaction had been agreed upon. I was a little shocked but… didn't say anything.

The next evening, the same thing occurred. A different guest at the hotel, also a man in his 50's brought another scantily clad hooker into the restaurant. Keep in mind that families with children were also staying at the Poseidon and what was going on was certainly not being hidden.

The "couples" walked right past the clerk on their way to the rooms. One prostitute even said hello to him.

On the last night, I was sitting by the pool area reading, after 10 PM, when a prostitute came to the side gate and knocked. Not only did the night guard let her in, but he then went and got the elderly gentlemen, who was using a cane, to greet her, and the "John" and the hooker went back to his room, walking right past me. Moments later, another "lady" finished with her work came out of another room, and the guard greeted her and let her out.

I asked the guard if he spoke English. He did. I asked him if Prostitution was legal in Costa Rica. He said it was. I asked him what he thought about it, and he said "Well, if the girls are willing..." I asked him how he'd feel about it if his daughter were to be a prostitute?" and he didn't answer. I asked him if the hotel knew that it's premises was being used as a brothel, and again he didn't answer.

The next day, I had the same conversation with the hotel manager, Harold Castro-- a young man roughly in his early 30's and polite, who told me it was a shame, but prostitution had increased in Jaco in the last year and there was nothing they could do about it. When I asked him if that meant the hotel had no control over letting prostitutes into the hotel, which is gated at night, he didn't answer. When I asked him if he didn't feel that letting hookers into a small hotel didn't present some safety issues to "non-ordering" guests, he said he didn't think so. That "The Guard asks them for their ID's to make sure that they are over age." When I told him that I saw the guard let in at least 4 woman over the course of 2 nights, and not once did he ask them for an ID, he replied "Really? He should have. Maybe he already knows them well." I also asked him if the owner of the hotel, a man named Tim Oedom, knew that his hotel was being used for prostitution, he said "Yes." And finally, I asked him if the hotel intended to do anything about allowing prostitutes onto their grounds, and he just shrugged. He also acknowledged that there were was now a steady stream of "Johns" staying at the hotel, probably due to "word of mouth" in that community.

He finished by saying that all the hotels in Jaco allowed prostitutes, so they were not doing anything different. I told him I wasn't concerned about the other hotels, only about his, since I was staying there, and writing an article. He said that other cities along the coast, like Tamarindo are the same. I rebutted that by saying that I had been in Tamarindo 2 weeks before and did not see a guard letting one single hooker into the building. He had nothing to say.

Granted, the Hotel Poseidon is in a good location, not far from the ocean. The food is good as well. Travel companies like Group 1 use it often. However, the linen in the rooms is suspect. Especially the stained bed covers that never seem to be washed, and considering the Hotel Posiden's new line of clientele and their guests, that is a big concern. The rooms could use more cleaning to be sure. The walls are also very thin, and you can hear everything going on in the rooms, I grant you.

Of course, there is a risk that by my posting this, more "Johns" are going to frequent this place, which is already taking on a sleazy patina, but I feel I must warn those coming to Costa Rica because they think it's a beautiful and peaceful place...If you are traveling with children, or people who think that under age prostitutes coming in and out of your hotel in full view is something you don't really want to see, I wouldn't suggest staying here.

I intend to write a longer piece on this hotel, and the things I encountered there.