Best Lounge at SJO?
Feb 4, 2016, 7:09 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: ORD
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 659
Feb 4, 2016, 1:28 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SJO
Programs: TA Platinum (Now LifeMiles Diamond), CO/CM Platinum. (Now UA Premier 1K) AMEX Platinum
Posts: 379
The exclusive lounge off of the Avianca Lounge is limited to "credomatic" branded credit cards. In the past a Platinum AMEX could do the trick, but I believe now only BAC/Credomatic branded cards will get you in.
Feb 13, 2016, 2:47 pm
#18
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 11
Avoid the lounge downstairs, IMO.
Mar 27, 2016, 10:46 am
#19
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: BFE
Posts: 92
Yep, found this out today. Could only access the Avianca General lounge which provides one complimentary alcoholic drink, or a panini. The VIP lounge upstairs (self pour) seems to only be for the local branded Amex platinum (my Canadian Amex plat did not work).
Avoid the lounge downstairs, IMO.
Avoid the lounge downstairs, IMO.
I thought the lounge was fine; lots of space (at 5:30am), the usual coffee/juice/fruit plus snacks. Wifi connectivity was good and fast. Workspace available, altho at that hour on a Saturday the lights were off in that section.
May 13, 2016, 6:19 am
#20
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
I was able to access the VIP lounge upstairs on Saturday with my (U.S.) Amex platinum with no problem. I was charged $1 on my Amex-- not sure why and I didn't question it. I've encountered $1 "lifetime membership" in private clubs in the past so that may have been it. My wife was admitted for free.
I thought the lounge was fine; lots of space (at 5:30am), the usual coffee/juice/fruit plus snacks. Wifi connectivity was good and fast. Workspace available, altho at that hour on a Saturday the lights were off in that section.
I thought the lounge was fine; lots of space (at 5:30am), the usual coffee/juice/fruit plus snacks. Wifi connectivity was good and fast. Workspace available, altho at that hour on a Saturday the lights were off in that section.
Definitely none of the usual crumbs-in-seat, musky, damp, dusty feeling that seems somewhat standard with Central and South American lounges. A lot of comfortable seating, plenty of windows and natural light.
May 13, 2016, 7:48 pm
#21
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,564
Aug 24, 2016, 4:15 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Epsom, Surrey
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 104
Hi there
Travelling with BA and have access to the VIP Santamaria lounge. What's the drink situation? Through a bit of googling and searching on here it appears I may have to pay for drinks, which kind of defeats the point of lounge access IMO.
TIA
Sean
Travelling with BA and have access to the VIP Santamaria lounge. What's the drink situation? Through a bit of googling and searching on here it appears I may have to pay for drinks, which kind of defeats the point of lounge access IMO.
TIA
Sean
Sep 4, 2016, 1:43 pm
#23
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: TLV now - formerly LAS
Programs: King of Rental Cars, BA Gold, Virgin Gold, AA MM Gold, A3 Gold, SK Gold, Hotel SuperElite
Posts: 7,356
With Star Gold and Amex Plat NL, I have only been granted access to the left side of the Aviance lounge on both of my visits here, but no drink chits.
My USAirways now AA Mastercard does grant access to the MC Black section downstairs next to the VIP Club/Copa Club, but trust me it isn't much better than the rest of the CM club downstairs. There is a few extra food itens and grab and go non-alcoholic beverages in the black section. Literally the only benefit to downstairs clubs is 1 free alcoholic beverage per visit. Otherwise, go upstairs
My USAirways now AA Mastercard does grant access to the MC Black section downstairs next to the VIP Club/Copa Club, but trust me it isn't much better than the rest of the CM club downstairs. There is a few extra food itens and grab and go non-alcoholic beverages in the black section. Literally the only benefit to downstairs clubs is 1 free alcoholic beverage per visit. Otherwise, go upstairs
Sep 5, 2016, 12:27 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: somewhere north of London, UK
Programs: HH Gold, BA Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 15,245
Just as a comparison, I was flying out of SJO last month with the family. We were on Jet Blue so no lounge access - couldn't find much consensus over paid-for lounges so we just hunkered down in Restaurant Malinche by our gate (no. 10)
Fed and watered the five of us for US$60, which seemed like pretty good value for Costa Rica, never mind in the airport!
Fed and watered the five of us for US$60, which seemed like pretty good value for Costa Rica, never mind in the airport!
Sep 23, 2016, 3:01 pm
#26
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Epsom, Surrey
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 104
Thought I should update;
We were given BP's stamped for the SantaMaria lounge, and on showing these to the staff beer was free. We only had a couple of beers, so cannot comment on other alcoholic drinks.
Didn't sample any of the food.
It was very busy until the Iberia flight before us departed, then thinned out a lot.
We were given BP's stamped for the SantaMaria lounge, and on showing these to the staff beer was free. We only had a couple of beers, so cannot comment on other alcoholic drinks.
Didn't sample any of the food.
It was very busy until the Iberia flight before us departed, then thinned out a lot.
Oct 3, 2016, 3:03 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SEA, ORD, SFO
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, AA PLT, DL GM, SPG GLD, Hyatt GLD, SPG GLD
Posts: 202
Hey @Ariel_SJO:
I'm a little confused by your post, since the Priority Pass website only lists the SJO-VIP lounge as a benefit for my PP Select membership via my Plat AMEX.
Are you saying we can access the Santamaría VIP lounge just by showing our Platinum AMEX, á-la Centurion Lounge? It seems like that's what @corncob was indicating as well back in May, but I just want to confirm since I can't find any listing of this lounge associated with my [USA-issued, personal] AMEX.
ty!
I'm a little confused by your post, since the Priority Pass website only lists the SJO-VIP lounge as a benefit for my PP Select membership via my Plat AMEX.
Are you saying we can access the Santamaría VIP lounge just by showing our Platinum AMEX, á-la Centurion Lounge? It seems like that's what @corncob was indicating as well back in May, but I just want to confirm since I can't find any listing of this lounge associated with my [USA-issued, personal] AMEX.
ty!
Oct 8, 2016, 12:13 am
#28
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: SJO
Programs: Avianca LifeMiles. Hilton (G), Meliá (G), Radisson (G). National Car (EE), Hertz (PC), Avis (PC)
Posts: 188
Hey @Ariel_SJO:
I'm a little confused by your post, since the Priority Pass website only lists the SJO-VIP lounge as a benefit for my PP Select membership via my Plat AMEX.
Are you saying we can access the Santamaría VIP lounge just by showing our Platinum AMEX, á-la Centurion Lounge? It seems like that's what @corncob was indicating as well back in May, but I just want to confirm since I can't find any listing of this lounge associated with my [USA-issued, personal] AMEX.
ty!
I'm a little confused by your post, since the Priority Pass website only lists the SJO-VIP lounge as a benefit for my PP Select membership via my Plat AMEX.
Are you saying we can access the Santamaría VIP lounge just by showing our Platinum AMEX, á-la Centurion Lounge? It seems like that's what @corncob was indicating as well back in May, but I just want to confirm since I can't find any listing of this lounge associated with my [USA-issued, personal] AMEX.
ty!
Nov 14, 2016, 11:20 am
#29
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: OKC
Programs: DL DM/2.768MM, Global Entry, Titanium_Marriott, GHertz
Posts: 6,748
I am not sure if an US-issued AMEX Platinum entitles you to access the Avianca/Credomatic (Santamaria VIP) Lounge, either the general lounge or the Platinum lounge. But it is definitely true for Credomatic (Costa Rica) Issued AMEX Platinum Cards. I'm sorry for not helping you on this one. But I'll ask the next time I visit that lounge.
I will be flying DL business but may have a guest which might send me to the PP lounge rather than whatever DL uses at SJO.
Nov 23, 2016, 10:14 pm
#30
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: SJO
Programs: Avianca LifeMiles. Hilton (G), Meliá (G), Radisson (G). National Car (EE), Hertz (PC), Avis (PC)
Posts: 188
It is correct, PP guests can only access the VIP Lounge (Copa Airlines/MasterCard) on the lower level.