Credit Card or Cash??

[soph]

I imagine that the most favorable exchange rate is when you use your credit card. So the question is do the more upscale massage parlors (Zona Blue I believe fits that bill) accept credit cards or is it all strictly on a cash basis?

 

[Aline]

Piroca wrote:

I imagine that the most favorable exchange rate is when you use your credit card. So the question is do the more upscale massage parlors (Zona Blue I believe fits that bill) accept credit cards or is it all strictly on a cash basis?

Zona Blue DOES accept credit cards not sure about NF.

You may be correct on best rate of exchange but I am not sure. I withdraw money from US bank account at ATM's in San Jose in colones. My bank does not charge me a fee and using Red Total machines there is no fee charged by them. The conversion rate used by my US bank is excellent, not sure my credit card rate would be better.

Make sure you tell the banks who issued your cards that you will be using them in Costa Rica. Some banks anti fraud program is automatically triggered when the card is used outside the US>

 

[Suzi]

AMEX waxed me on back in Sep. Exchange rate with them sucked. $179 owed to Presidente ended up being $186 on AMEX so I wouldn't call that a good exchange rate.

 

[Eri-mac]

Idem accepts credit cards as well. The house tacks on a 2000 colone service charge per transaction which is just under $5.00US.

Papa Nut

 

[great gig in the sky]

Red total?

Where are these red total machines? I've always paid about $1.50, which beats dealing with traveller's checks.

 

[Prosfux]

Red Total machines are spread around San Jose, they are the machines of BAC San Jose. They are also in AM-PM stores and some gas stations. The newest location in the gulch is in the new arcade/food court on Avenida Central, 50 meters east of the Presidente(directly across from restaurante Marisicar). there is also an entrance on Calle 9 almost across from the New York Bar.
I also use the ATM's at the Del Rey without a fee.