You could go in on a waterslide or down a little pool ladder, and at the end, you could swing up to the bar. The bar stools were underwater. All you had to do was get over there, sit down, and then order some drinks, to be charged to your tab. You'd think that drinking like that, with a tab, would be extremely dangerous. We also got lunch.
Locals get a special cheaper rate.
But we didn't see any locals there. If definitely felt weird to be in Costa Rica in a place with no Costa Ricans. But what the hell. We spend most of our days on the road, waving to them and talking to them and eating at their sodas and really experiencing the place, so we figure an occasional splurge isn't so bad. Of course we paid the price for that.