Santo Domingo

[JonJon1716]

Here is a quick comprehensive list of the best in Santo Domingo from my perspective.

Please note everyone's opinions are subjective and may vary widely based on numerous factors.

This resource can be used for newbies, so.

Please fellow members, contribute and add to the list the

Bests in your opinions, per category, so we all have more vast options.

Pizza Cappucino avenida Maximo Gomez.

Best Steak Davey Crocketts Naco more Moderate

Best Italian food cafe Milano Naco.

Best Hamburger H and H real Angus in Naco.

Best Chinese wok restaurant *multiple locations.

Best European restaraunt Pat'e Palo Brasserie.

Best Seafood Sullys an institution located next to Price Smart.

Best trendy restaurant Sophias Restaurant Piantini

Best bakery Elysee French bakery.

Best department store La Sirena has the largest selection although prices vary

Best beer stick to Presidente or Presidente light while in the Dr

Best breakfast buffet, Courtyard Marriot.

Best Sushi I do not do it anymore, be careful.

Best ice cream Haagen daz avenida Lincoln.

Best Ribs Tony Romas avenida George Washington or sarasota.

Best wings, Hooters, Fridays, Tony Romas or champions in Hotel Jaragua.

Best grocery store Supermercado Nacional *multiple locations.

Best Lrge quantity, Costco BJ's type store, Pricesmart.

Best location for cheapest accessories, furniture, Villa Consuelo.

Best Pharmacy Carol pharmacy, best location on Winston Churchill across from the Blue Mall *multiple locations.

Best Night life avenida Venezuela tons of bars and discos usually at least 1 or 2 have permission until 4am everyday of the week.

Best Liquor store Drinks to go *multiple locations.

Best Hotel high end Hilton, moderate Hotel Alcaldeza.

Best girl friendly higher end hotel Hotel BQ

Best cabana Si o No excellent unbelievable two floor suites, check in after 12am only 30 bucks until 11am the next day

Best ATM most reliable Scotia Bank.

Best money exchange rates avenida Independencia and corner of maximo gomez outside banco reservas.

Best nightclub Euphoria

Best Mobile service Claro or Orange *multiple locations.

Best Internet Claro *multiple locations.

Best day tour Zona Colonial.

Best red light district Avenida Pasteur next to the new Crowne Plaza.

Best gentlemens cliub Dollhouse pricey and most of the ladies are Colombian.

Best girls house Venecia ans 305 a close 2nd

Best day time restaurant for action Pacos en conde

Best 24 hr diner Manolos behind Hotel Jaragua avenida independencia.

Barrio with most putas per capita Los Minas Santo domingo este.

Best Casino dreams in Malecon avenida george washington

Best high end disco Gold on Avenida 27 hotel princess also a nice casino on premises.

Best Taxi company Apollo taxi 809 537 0000.

Best gymnasium Golds gym *multiple locations.

Best dancing and date Monday night Jet Set avenida Independencia.

Best hi end model agency with hotties, that's my secret pm me if you are interested.

Best pickup place Anywhere!

Truly yours,

Jon Jon.

Willing to help anyone out, the best I can.

Over 20 years of experience in the Dominican Republic

Pm me with any questions.

[Relaxedinmd]

Hi everyone! I'm going to be in Santo Domingo for a few days in May. Primarily there to dive the wrecks off the south coast of the island, but will certainly want to sample some monger delights! I've been reading through this thread (up to page 55 so far) and there is a ton of useful information! There are a few things I'm having trouble with though.

I speak next to no Spanish. Sounds like that's going to hinder me a bit, but I was wondering if its going to be a near show stopper at some of the casas, with girls in the casinos, or even with some of the streetwalkers. I have no interest in trying to pull non-pros or semi-pros. I'm not there long enough and quite frankly, don't want to put in the effort (and I don't speak Spanish). I realize I'll wind up paying more at casas and the like, but for the convenience I don't really mind. I've managed to navigate the scene in China (Shanghai, Xi'an, Beijing, etc) and Play Del Carmen / Cozumel without any real difficulty. Not sure how that compares and could use some insight.

Is it worth it to take a trip out to Boca Chica for an afternoon / evening? Can't get a sense of if its really worth the effort. If I decide to scrap diving for a day would probably go up to Sosua, so Boca Chica would really be an evening trip (and back to Santo Domingo in the same night if possible)

Hotels. I've narrowed my list down to the following:

Jaguar Apartment Studios. Love the proximity to a few casinos and seems I'd be in a good place relative to monger destinations.

Hotel Palacio. Close proximity to El Conde.

Hotel la Morada. Cheap, close proximity to Pasteur.

Anyone have any other suggestions with regards to where to stay?

Again, this forum has been very helpful so thank you all for that! Any advice you guys could throw my way would be greatly appreciated!

[Tempoecorto]

My #1 chica sent me this once.

Sorry! Saludos, paya. Dr. Pan (or is it par?) to de sus gemelitas. Muah? So other than saludos, reference to the other breast and muah, I can't make out the message. Help!

Very creative woman though. No wonder she is your numero uno.

[Jaosousa]

My #1 chica sent me this once.

Gemelas=Twins. Gemelitas=cute twins. Aguacate=Avocado. Aguakate Dominican band,"Herculito"; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9PmiKIJDBQ.

Pecho=Breast, Pechos=Breasts.

[BoricuaOnline]

Pechurinas from the pechugas (Breast man), LOL.

My #1 chica sent me this once.

[Jaosousa]

Is this hotel chica friendly? I like that it has a gym.

Crowne Plaza, former V Centenario, is not multiple chica friendly. http://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/sant...ha/hoteldetail, book a double or triple occupancy room and you might be able to enter with up to two female guests. Some guys on this site have done that. There is no guarantee they will get in.

Hotel Plaza Naco gives free entrance to the Body Shop Athletic Club, which looks like a nice gym with a pool, machines, classes, heavy bag for boxing etc (I have not used that gym yet); http://www.clubbodyshop.com/app/new/bsnaco.aspx.

Crowne Plaza is on the Malecon, one block over from the Sheraton and two blocks over from the Marriott Jaragua. Ten minute walk to zona colonial.

Photos from the pool deck of the Crowne Plaza (former V Centenario).

[Brother P]

Melia is becoming the Sheraton. Seems IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has renamed the Intercontinental V Centenario the Crowne Plaza,

http://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/sant...a/hoteldetail.

Meet me at the V (pronounced keen-tay) Centenario. Friendly Colombian bartender works at the bar in the lobby.

Is this hotel chica friendly? I like that it has a gym.

[Jaosousa]

So last week I made reservation for my D. R. Trip for early May. I purchased the flight + hotel package through Orbitz. Plane tickets were very reasonable, and the hotel even more so. I reserved 4 nights at Barceló Capella in Juan Dolio, which I stayed before (and easier to "disguise" the true mongering purpose of my trip: Hey, I'm just taking an all-inclusive beach vacation!)

With the $70 off package discount, per night rate for the hotel comes out to barely over $50, for an all-inclusive! The only regret is, I cannot book single passenger flight ticket and simultaneously book the hotel room for double occupancy. So I may have to pay more locally to add-on if I were to bring a female in. I do have cupid chicas lined up, but given their fickle nature (to show up or not show up) , this may actually be better.

Http://www.retailmenot.com/view/orbitz.com good site with coupon and promo codes for lots of businesses.

For Orbitz: "Coupon Code: RMNORBITZ50, Orbitz: RetailMeNot Exclusive! Save $50 Off Your Qualifying Hotel Booking When You Spend A Minimum Of $350. Apply Promo Code At Checkout. Travel Valid Through 06/30/13. Terms & Conditions Apply. Offer Ends 5/15/13."

"Coupon Code: RMNAPR16, Orbitz: RetailMeNot Exclusive! Save Up To 55% On All-Inclusive Hotels Plus An Extra 15% Off With Promo Code! Book A Qualifying Hotel For 1 Or More Nights. Travel Valid Through 6/30/13. Terms & Conditions Apply. Offer Expires 4/22/13."

Orbitz oftentimes has 15% off promo codes, which could make the above not necessary (but when Orbitz isn't offering a code from their website, good to know other places where you might find a code that could save you some money).

[Jaosousa]

Melia is becoming the Sheraton. Seems IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has renamed the Intercontinental V Centenario the Crowne Plaza, http://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/sant...a/hoteldetail.

Meet me at the V (pronounced keen-tay) Centenario. Friendly Colombian bartender works at the bar in the lobby.

[Jaosousa]

So last week I made reservation for my D. R. Trip for early May. I purchased the flight + hotel package through Orbitz. Plane tickets were very reasonable, and the hotel even more so. I reserved 4 nights at Barceló Capella in Juan Dolio, which I stayed before (and easier to "disguise" the true mongering purpose of my trip: Hey, I'm just taking an all-inclusive beach vacation!)

With the $70 off package discount, per night rate for the hotel comes out to barely over $50, for an all-inclusive! The only regret is, I cannot book single passenger flight ticket and simultaneously book the hotel room for double occupancy. So I may have to pay more locally to add-on if I were to bring a female in. I do have cupid chicas lined up, but given their fickle nature (to show up or not show up) , this may actually be better.

Http://caribeparaisojuandolio.com/prices.html has two buildings on the beach near restaurants and bars, prices from $35US. 5 minutes from the Capella. I shared a room with a wingman years ago at the Capella and I brought in an amiga who wasn't on the reservation, the Capella requested $50US to allow her to sleep over night (and eat and drink).

Caribe Paraiso is 5 minutes from the Capella.

[Parkinsons]

So last week I made reservation for my D. R. Trip for early May. I purchased the flight + hotel package through Orbitz. Plane tickets were very reasonable, and the hotel even more so. I reserved 4 nights at Barceló Capella in Juan Dolio, which I stayed before (and easier to "disguise" the true mongering purpose of my trip: Hey, I'm just taking an all-inclusive beach vacation!)

With the $70 off package discount, per night rate for the hotel comes out to barely over $50, for an all-inclusive! The only regret is, I cannot book single passenger flight ticket and simultaneously book the hotel room for double occupancy. So I may have to pay more locally to add-on if I were to bring a female in. I do have cupid chicas lined up, but given their fickle nature (to show up or not show up) , this may actually be better.

[Jaosousa]

Hotel BQ has private jacuzzis in some rooms.

Maybe a bottle of Lindemans's Merlot for the luggage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pbc_vloYRk), http://www.lindemans.com/. Hershey's Miniatures in the freezer, frozen when put into the luggage. Small bags of Sun Chips (about 35 cents a bag). I may drive directly to Barahona the day I arrive.

[BoricuaOnline]

Looks like a nice place with at least one room in a tree house, Rancho Platóand;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jRIUJQM410

And.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-CgNyC4ZhU

Maybe I'll check it out next week,

http://www.ranchoplaton.com/

There are hotels directly on the beach in Barahona Province.

Or maybe the BQ Hotel on Ave. Sarasota in the Bella Vista neighborhood, rooftop pool, rates under $100,

http://www.bqhoteles.com/en/bq-santo-domingo-hotel.html

I have not yet stayed at either the Hotel Plaza Naco or the BQ Hotel (El Embajador is a nice hotel, chica friendly, near the BQ Hotel).

Barcelo Santo Domingo Hotel is always good for early check-in on early morning arrivals into SDQ.

Hotel BQ has private jacuzzis in some rooms.

[Jaosousa]

Looks like a nice place with at least one room in a tree house, Rancho Platón; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jRIUJQM410 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-CgNyC4ZhU. Maybe I'll check it out next week, http://www.ranchoplaton.com/.

There are hotels directly on the beach in Barahona Province.

For Santo Domingo, I have not decided which hotel I will use. Hotel Alcaldeza is one of my favorite small hotels (friendly owner who speaks English, family from Santiago), secure parking, friendly workers, rate about $50US. One block from the malecon, near the Intercontinental Hotel.

Maybe one weekend night at the Hotel Plaza Naco (weekend rates are cheaper for some Santo Domingo hotels), http://www.hotelplazanaco.com/. Rooms are large at this hotel, newly renovated. Free admission to the Club Athletic gym a few blocks away (I have only seen that gym from the outside) included in the room rate. Or maybe the BQ Hotel on Ave. Sarasota in the Bella Vista neighborhood, rooftop pool, rates under $100, http://www.bqhoteles.com/en/bq-santo-domingo-hotel.html. I have not yet stayed at either the Hotel Plaza Naco or the BQ Hotel (El Embajador is a nice hotel, chica friendly, near the BQ Hotel).


Barcelo Santo Domingo Hotel is always good for early check-in on early morning arrivals into SDQ.

[Jaosousa]

From Moon Travel: "Santo Domingo is the result of many failed attempts at settlement. (Columbus) Finally, with the help of his governor, he founded Santo Domingo de Guzmán (the city's official name), an 11-block area on the western bank of the Río Ozama. And it began to thrive. At the same time, the brutalization of the Taíno natives raged on with forced labor.

Santo Domingo began to weaken, and pirates were catching wind of its vulnerability. In 1586, Sir Francis Drake, the English buccaneer, came to town and seized it for a month until he finally got the Spanish to pay him a ransom to get it back.

He wasn't the last to try to take Santo Domingo, either. William Penn of England tried, and former slave François Dominique Toussaint L'Ouverture of Haiti succeeded until February 27, 1844, when Juan Pablo Duarte finally won independence for the Dominican Republic after a series of rapid-succession occupations by the French (1802 and 1804), the British (1803 and 1809), the Spanish (1809), and finally the Haitians in 1822—all of which happened in the Ciudad Colonial." http://www.moon.com/destinations/dom...omingo/history