Santo Domingo

I just booked my flight to SD and the anticipation is rising. Not the best flight times but i guess it will have to do. Here is my prelim itinerary:

Long Beach 7/15/10 9:22am arrives in SDQ 7/16/10 3:24am OUCH!! i know its a long flight (with 2 stops in TX and Fl) but that's all i could get will a free round trip fare.

I will be staying at the Hotel Riazor for 4 nights at a price of $58.00 per night. My only issue is, arriving this early in the morning i wont be able to check in till early to mid afternoon. Any suggestions on a short stay hotel close by? Or should i just book that Thursday i depart from Long B?

Friday, if im not to jet jagged i plan on hitting up a couple of sports bars in the area (Five Star International Sports Bar,La Base, Eagle bar in the Zona Oriental) and walk around a bit just to get a feel of SD. Later in the night i will start at the Jaragua Casino for some adult beverages and check out the trim roaming around and see if i cant pick up a chica or two. Also, i want to make a visit to Girls House and Sky House but i don't think i will pick up on chicas due to the cheaper prices on the streets n casinos.

Saturday, i definitely want to do some site seeing which i haven't gotten around to searching much on, but i hear (Botanical Gardens,Tres Ojos, Faro, Colonial Zone) are some good spots to start. If you guys have any other suggestions please feel free to enlighten me. Later in the night i will do the usual boozing in bars trying to find a date for the night, maybe La Prada Bar, Aurora and Tabu Bar to name a few. Again suggestions are welcome .

Sunday, a trip to Boca Chica (if the weather is nice) is on my list of "Things I Must Do". Quick question: Is boozes ok to bring to the beach or is that a no no? Then back to the SD nightlife, possibly Casa Teresa or Pasture 56.

Monday, just take it easy from the bender of a weekend and do some shopping and maybe more site seeing before i leave Tuesday 10:30am to come home.

Let me know what you guys think. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Watnow78

[QUOTE=Watnow78]I just booked my flight to SD and the anticipation is rising...............

Watnow78[/QUOTE]
Is this your first trip to Santo Domingo? If so you really did your homework!

[QUOTE=Watnow78] Is boozes ok to bring to the beach or is that a no no?
Watnow78[/QUOTE]

People would probably look at you funny if you didn't have a Presidente or a Cuba Libre in your hand while at the playa at Boca Chica. Lol.

The beach is loaded with bars and restaurants. You'll have plenty of places to get a cerveza or a trago.

Doesn't look like you are renting a car. I have arrived into SDQ at around 5am a few times. You have to fill out some custom forms for the Dom Rep, they usually give them to you on airplane, have a pen with you. When you exit the airplane, you will walk down some stairs and then through a long hallway. You will get to the customs area, before you go through customs you will have to buy a $10 tourist card. After that you will get your passport stamped and then wait about 40 minutes for your luggage to arrive. There is a duty free shop near the baggage carousel where you can buy bottles of liquor and other duty free items.

After you have your luggage, you will walk past the rental car counters along a hallway, at 4:30am, I believe those counters will have no workers. If you are renting a car, there is an outside building that has workers for the rental car companies throughout the night.

You will eventually walk through some doors and you will see the exit for the outside of the airport, that area is the food court, with some metal barriers blocking part of the walkway for passengers getting ready to leave the airport. If you walk towards your right on the food court, you will see a bon ice cream shop, located adjacent to that shop are about 6 ATM machines. I usually always withdraw some pesos from a machine there, so that I have Dominican money from the get go. If you have a problem receiving money from the machines, start over and choose Spanish as your language, some machines keep your card until the transaction is finished, so try not to walk away while your card is still in the machine.

It will probably be close to 5am when you will be ready to leave the airport. There will probably be taxi guys there asking if you need a taxi. Confirm the price before you choose any taxi.

Without a car at 5am, with all your luggage, not sure where you can hang out. When I have arrived very early, (I always rent a car), sometimes I would head over to juan dolio and hang out there till 12pm, then head to santo domingo to my hotel. Other times, I drove to a casino, where a friend works, and then took her to a cabana at 6am, after she got off at work.

Your best bet might be to head over to a less expensive hotel in gazcue and rent a room. Hotel Navarro is 1500 pesos. Maison Gatreux about $45. If you pay 1500 pesos at the navarro, you could leave your luggage in the room and check out the street action, at 5am there may be a few street chicas still out. Bar 305 is 1/2 block from Navarro and you can enter bar 305 late.

Some of your info is dated. Sky house no longer exists, the owner of sky house opened Satin Club, which is in a house next door to where sky house used to be. I believe Tabu no longer exists.

Best deal in town is GBP. Bar 305 has the most chicas.

Jaragua Casino is expensive for drinks and the past 4 times I have been in there at night, no great chicas. The Jaragua is ok for a walk through, but I wouldn't drink there.

Eagle and La Base are fun, to see sexy waitresses. If you go there alone, you may be bored. Not sure on short trip, if it is really worth it to head over to those bars. If you want to see non-pro chicas, Acropolis Mall is good. Acropolis Mall has Hooters with sexy waitresses and other bars where non-pro chicas hang out. Plus there will be chicas who are justing visiting the mall to go shopping.

Baby Dolls and Foxys are near one another on the malecon, worth a stop in to see what chicas they have.

When you stay at Hotel Riazor you will be two blocks from Coppa Discoteca in the hotel melia, on the malecon. Coppa gets going late, but just about always there is some eye candy in coppa. Drinks in Coppa are cheaper than Jaragua Casino bar. Pros and Non-pros hang out in Coppa, as well as in the casino in the hotel melia at night.

Try not use the so called guides that will approach when you walk around SDQ. Never change money in the street in SDQ.

If you want to visit some place that is not close to hotel riazor, try to plan it so that you are not traveling during rush hour. Traffic in Santo Domingo during rush hour can be brutal.

There are numerous places near Riazor for chicas, the piano bar on Pasteur and a happy ending massage place on cervantes that is open during the day, as well as street chicas, bar 305, girl's house and satin club, coppa disco, hotel jaragua casino and la parada.

Any questions just ask.

[QUOTE=Watnow78]I just booked my flight to SD and the anticipation is rising. Not the best flight times but i guess it will have to do. Here is my prelim itinerary:

Long Beach 7/15/10 9:22am arrives in SDQ 7/16/10 3:24am OUCH!! i know its a long flight (with 2 stops in TX and Fl) but that's all i could get will a free round trip fare.

I will be staying at the Hotel Riazor for 4 nights at a price of $58.00 per night. My only issue is, arriving this early in the morning i wont be able to check in till early to mid afternoon. Any suggestions on a short stay hotel close by? Or should i just book that Thursday i depart from Long B?

Friday, if im not to jet jagged i plan on hitting up a couple of sports bars in the area (Five Star International Sports Bar,La Base, Eagle bar in the Zona Oriental) and walk around a bit just to get a feel of SD. Later in the night i will start at the Jaragua Casino for some adult beverages and check out the trim roaming around and see if i cant pick up a chica or two. Also, i want to make a visit to Girls House and Sky House but i don't think i will pick up on chicas due to the cheaper prices on the streets n casinos.

Saturday, i definitely want to do some site seeing which i haven't gotten around to searching much on, but i hear (Botanical Gardens,Tres Ojos, Faro, Colonial Zone) are some good spots to start. If you guys have any other suggestions please feel free to enlighten me. Later in the night i will do the usual boozing in bars trying to find a date for the night, maybe La Prada Bar, Aurora and Tabu Bar to name a few. Again suggestions are welcome .

Sunday, a trip to Boca Chica (if the weather is nice) is on my list of "Things I Must Do". Quick question: Is boozes ok to bring to the beach or is that a no no? Then back to the SD nightlife, possibly Casa Teresa or Pasture 56.

Monday, just take it easy from the bender of a weekend and do some shopping and maybe more site seeing before i leave Tuesday 10:30am to come home.

Let me know what you guys think. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Watnow78[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=BoricuaOnline]Ouch! we paid almost the same, when I checked Jetblue page yesterday the 28.50 tax was not included, so it became effective today, at least from Puerto Rico.[/QUOTE]My last trip I got a jetblue ticket from New York to Santo Domingo for $49, one way. On that $49 ticket, the taxes and fees were $56 dollars. Usually the taxes and fees on a round-trip ticket are about $130 dollars. I knew a chica whose father was a colonel in the air force, that guy was driving around in a brand new Mitsubishi Montero. Part of the fees on airline tickets, goes to the Dominican Air Force.

From Dominican Today: "Dominican Republic is one of the region’s nations were an airfare to anywhere in the world cuts a deep hole in passengers’ pockets, as the tax slapped on a ticket’s real cost is as high as 52%. In the purchase of each ticket the flyer pays a tax for the Tourism Ministry, the Civil Aviation Institute, the Airport Security Corp, the Air Force, the Airports Department and the airports management company Aerodom. In addition to those fees collected by decree, each airfare also pays 16% ITBIS Tax and another levy for issuing the ticket."

And for all those fees paid, stuff still gets stolen from checked luggage at Dominican airports.

[QUOTE=Watnow78]I just booked my flight to SD and the anticipation is rising. Not the best flight times but i guess it will have to do. Here is my prelim itinerary:

I will be staying at the Hotel Riazor for 4 nights at a price of $58.00 per night. My only issue is, arriving this early in the morning i wont be able to check in till early to mid afternoon. Any suggestions on a short stay hotel close by? Or should i just book that Thursday i depart from Long B?

Friday, if im not to jet jagged i plan on hitting up a couple of sports bars in the area (Five Star International Sports Bar,La Base, Eagle bar in the Zona Oriental) and walk around a bit just to get a feel of SD. Later in the night i will start at the Jaragua Casino for some adult beverages and check out the trim roaming around and see if i cant pick up a chica or two. Also, i want to make a visit to Girls House and Sky House but i don't think i will pick up on chicas due to the cheaper prices on the streets n casinos.

Saturday, i definitely want to do some site seeing which i haven't gotten around to searching much on, but i hear (Botanical Gardens,Tres Ojos, Faro, Colonial Zone) are some good spots to start. If you guys have any other suggestions please feel free to enlighten me. Later in the night i will do the usual boozing in bars trying to find a date for the night, maybe La Prada Bar, Aurora and Tabu Bar to name a few. Again suggestions are welcome .

Sunday, a trip to Boca Chica (if the weather is nice) is on my list of "Things I Must Do". Quick question: Is boozes ok to bring to the beach or is that a no no? Then back to the SD nightlife, possibly Casa Teresa or Pasture 56.

Monday, just take it easy from the bender of a weekend and do some shopping and maybe more site seeing before i leave Tuesday 10:30am to come home.

Let me know what you guys think. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Watnow78[/QUOTE]

July is a good month to visit Santo Domingo, it is highly possible that Festival del merengue is celebrated the same date you travel, good chance to meet non pros in malecon area. I,ll be there from 15 to 19.

I never had problems checking in early in Santo Domingo if a room is available. If they do not early check in ,which I doubt, walk to hotel Navarro (see my map posted in this forum) and ask for a short term, 700 or 800 pesos.

You can drink on the streets,on the beach, on almost every place except monuments, churches.

Jaragua casino girls are pros but fun to negotiate with. Never pay upfront, have your room organized to have valuables protected before you take a chica to the room. Never drink somethink you left unattended for at least one second. Visit GBP. Visit Gran Paradise on your way to the beach, or visit Gran Paradise on your way from airport to the city will be a g0od start to your vacation to spend time before check in. Have fun.

[QUOTE=BoricuaOnline]July is a good month to visit Santo Domingo, it is highly possible that Festival del merengue is celebrated the same date you travel,...............[/QUOTE]
Merengue Festival in Santo Domingo will be July 29 - August 1............

Menu/Events
[url]http://www.godominicanrepublic.com/[/url]

[QUOTE=Watnow78]Not to familiar with GBP, is this a Hotel/Bar?

If so. where in relevance to the Riazor is this place?[/QUOTE]

It is a bar with chicas, one hour specials: 1 chica 1000 pesos, 2 chicas 1500 pesos, it is $27 and $41 dollars respectively.

You have to hire a taxi or use your car from any hotel, not far from malecon area but as Jaosousa stated will be a pain to go in rush hour. Taxi should cost 150 pesos, always ask for price before even opening the taxi door.

You can be more productive Sunday by going to Acropolis Mall where eyecandy abounds. Non pro girls that are all approachable. Also on the ground level is a Hooters that have all friendly girls. About 6 blocks past Acropolis Mall on the opposite side of the street is a SuperMercado that is a target rich environment as well. I even found a bottle of Amarula in the liquor section WTF? My novia never had Amarula before and shes hooked on it (and on me as well)

There is also Monte Cristo which is a great club with plenty of non pro girls that are friendly and good to hang out with.

To me Boca Chica is a dump and better places exist to monger. Plus I like the paths less traveled for meeting chicas.

[QUOTE=Watnow78]I just booked my flight to SD and the anticipation is rising. Not the best flight times but i guess it will have to do. Here is my prelim itinerary:

Long Beach 7/15/10 9:22am arrives in SDQ 7/16/10 3:24am OUCH!! i know its a long flight (with 2 stops in TX and Fl) but that's all i could get will a free round trip fare.

I will be staying at the Hotel Riazor for 4 nights at a price of $58.00 per night. My only issue is, arriving this early in the morning i wont be able to check in till early to mid afternoon. Any suggestions on a short stay hotel close by? Or should i just book that Thursday i depart from Long B?

Friday, if im not to jet jagged i plan on hitting up a couple of sports bars in the area (Five Star International Sports Bar,La Base, Eagle bar in the Zona Oriental) and walk around a bit just to get a feel of SD. Later in the night i will start at the Jaragua Casino for some adult beverages and check out the trim roaming around and see if i cant pick up a chica or two. Also, i want to make a visit to Girls House and Sky House but i don't think i will pick up on chicas due to the cheaper prices on the streets n casinos.

Saturday, i definitely want to do some site seeing which i haven't gotten around to searching much on, but i hear (Botanical Gardens,Tres Ojos, Faro, Colonial Zone) are some good spots to start. If you guys have any other suggestions please feel free to enlighten me. Later in the night i will do the usual boozing in bars trying to find a date for the night, maybe La Prada Bar, Aurora and Tabu Bar to name a few. Again suggestions are welcome .

Sunday, a trip to Boca Chica (if the weather is nice) is on my list of "Things I Must Do". Quick question: Is boozes ok to bring to the beach or is that a no no? Then back to the SD nightlife, possibly Casa Teresa or Pasture 56.

Monday, just take it easy from the bender of a weekend and do some shopping and maybe more site seeing before i leave Tuesday 10:30am to come home.

Let me know what you guys think. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Watnow78[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Watnow78]Not to familiar with GBP, is this a Hotel/Bar?

If so. where in relevance to the Riazor is this place?[/QUOTE]If you will be traveling with a laptop, it might be a good idea to save this link in your laptop (in an email or as a favorite/bookmark in a firefox, internet explorer or google chrome browser): [url]http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ie=UTF8&msid=106767774275556555984.00046d685b11334063b43&ll=18.467703,-69.898582&spn=0.009891,0.019248&z=16&mid=1246396605[/url]

Boricua Online has constructed this google map, with pin locations and descriptions of many points of interest for Santo Domingo, you can zoom in and out. You can look at the map before heading to SDQ, so that you have idea where the different venues are located.

I have given a detailed description of how to find GBP within the last five pages of this thread.

GBP is on the south side of Ave. 27 de Febrero, between Avenida Lincoln and Avenida Tiradentes. Take Avenida Lincoln to Avenida 27 de Febrero and make a right onto Avenida 27 de Febrero. GBP is in a building after Arismendy Motors, the building is called something Guidry, with round cutouts in the exterior wall, GBP is on the second floor, above the glass entrance door, there are neon lights saying "GBP", they open at 2pm and close around 10 or 11 pm.

Boricua Online offers good advice, some hotels allow early check in, if you have reservations at the hotel riazor, you can call them or send them an email asking them if you can check in early. Some hotels will allow you to drop off your luggage at the hotel and the hotel will put your luggage in a secure location, until the time that your room is ready. A small tip is usually always appreciated when workers bend the rules to accommodate a client.

If hotel riazor is unwilling to help you with early check in, again boricua online's advice is good, you can ask for a short term room at the hotel Navarro and pay about 800 pesos.

36 pesos to $1 US dollar. 800 pesos is about $22 US. 1000 pesos is $27 US. 2500 pesos is $69. Street chica prices are 1000 pesos and up. Casa chica prices are 2500 pesos and up.

[QUOTE=Watnow78]Guys, thanks so much for the info you posted here. This is a huge help and with this being my first trip to DR I feel very comfortable about my surroundings. If anyone will be in Santo Domingo from July 15th-20th I will be more than happy to buy you a Cervesa in gratitude for the Intel.

Watnow78[/QUOTE]On a Friday or Saturday night, you may want to head over to Avenida Venezuela, on the other side of the river and just north of Las Americas. Avenida Venezuela has about 6 bars located within 4 blocks. Cool Bar, House Drink, La Barrica and Wao, among others. Probably not many tourists will be there.

From what I understand is that Taxi's get paid a fee for driving you to a Chica bar, which will inflate your fare higher than usual. I've read some where to have the taxi drop you off at an establishment close by then walk in. What's my best bet on keeping a reasonable taxi fare?

Watnow78

[QUOTE=Don Davidson]Never been to Santo Domingo, Boca Chica area, but will arrive Thursday. Looking for someone that might know the ropes (wingman). Let me know.

Also haven't seen many pix or reports on DATY or 69 with chicas down there. What's the consensus. Dive or not?

Don[/QUOTE]Daty - strange question. That's up to you and the chica. Can't give you a blanket answer for this. Like any place in the world some girls like it, some don't. Some are clean and some are not. Some smell good and some smell bad. Some are hairy and some are not. so on and so far. That's up to you and the chica. Good luck!

[QUOTE=Watnow78]From what I understand is that Taxi's get paid a fee for driving you to a Chica bar, which will inflate your fare higher than usual. I've read some where to have the taxi drop you off at an establishment close by then walk in. What's my best bet on keeping a reasonable taxi fare?

Watnow78[/QUOTE]From Hotel Riazor, you will not need to take a taxi to many casas. For GBP you will need to take a taxi, ask the taxi driver to take you to Arismendy Motors on Avenida 27 de Febrero, between Lincoln and Tiradentes. The building where GBP is located, is right across the street from Arismendy Motors (a car dealer). When you are ready to exit GBP ask one of the chicas or the bartender to call a taxi for you.

You can walk to zona colonial from Riazor and you can walk to Baby Dolls and Foxy's from the Riazor.

The other casas where you would need to take a taxi are casa azul and casa theresa, which are located near to one another. Cats and Pink Pony you would need to take a taxi. Some taxi drivers have a relationship with some casas and they will try to take you to those casas, when that happens it usually means the taxi driver is getting some money from the casa.

When you are at hotel riazor and you want to take a taxi to some place, ask the people at the front desk to call a taxi for you and then tell the taxi driver where you want to go, usually in such a situation that taxi driver will not expect a payment form the casa where he drops you off.

[QUOTE=Don Davidson]Anybody know of commuter airline that has decently priced flights to Puerto Plata from SDQ?[/QUOTE]No nonstop commercial flights btw the 2 cities. Only charters available like [url]http://www.aircharterguide.com/Operator_Info/SERVICIOS_AEREOS_PROFESIONALES_S.A./904/SANTO_DOMINGO/979[/url]. Try Helidosa Helicopters [url]http://touristic.helidosa.com/[/url] if you want to absolutely fly. Otherwise you have the option of rent a car, bus ride, or rent a driver.