I've seen a lot of references to visiting Tabacon in the evening without dinner. We're thinking about going there versus Eco Termales due to the waterslide (young kids), but all of the options for day passes on the Tabacon site include a meal. Am I missing something?

You can't purchase a day pass without the obligatory meal. I think it's their way of limiting the number of outside visitors and keeping things a little more private for guests who stay there. Lunch and/or dinner is included in the price of a day pass. Not that you have have to eat there, but you'll pay for the meal no matter what.

Thanks, Jeff. This is a change I wasn't aware of. Last time we went (2007) to spend a day, we opted not to get the meal. Of course, we had sandwiches at the bar (and drinks) and the prices were sky high. I have long thought Tabacon has intentionally jacked up their prices to limit outside visitors, but also to encourage more people to stay at the hotel, which for so long has had such mixed reviews.

By the way, Happy New Year to you. Hope all is well with you and your family. Pura vida.

Thank you, Jeff. Guess we'll be going to Eco Termales.

Thank you, shillmac. All is well on the homefront. Happy 2010 to you too.

For a long time that was exactly the complaint of people who stayed at Tabacon, that they felt like the place was overrun with non-guests and that they had to fight for space with them. In the past, I've been to the springs at Tabacon without staying there or paying for a meal too. That's all changed.

That's a change since we've been there too. We just ate food at the swim-up bar - I think it was hot dogs or something along those lines. They used to have a rep for bad food - does anyone know if the quality has improved?

I have to call their office this week for a project I'm working on. Let me ask then if they really, really, really let visitors in only with the meal option.

have done cheap night admission with them last year.

best to contact www.tabacon.com there may have been

a change...

It looks like Desafio now goest to the Springs

but not Tabacon any more for the Liquid Lava tour.

They had gotten 2 new chefs last year food had improved.

Just checking in to see if Jeff had a chance to verify there is no longer a "no dinner" option.