Santo Domingo

[QUOTE=Rudy Ray Moore; 1147898]Will someone help me out with what to expect, please? I'll be making my first trip about the first couple weeks of June. I guess I'll start with the south coast. Boca, Chica, San Cristobal, Bani. Then I suppose bus up north. Is it a get hammered all day, every day type of thing, like in Thailand, you think? Or maby just like a couple hours shower in the afternoon? That's going to suck if I'm trying to find my way around a new place and its pouring all day.

Thanks in advance for your info.[/QUOTE]90% of the time the weather is hot and sunny. Recently there was a bit of drought along the south coast. Yesterday I was told it was very hot on the south coast. Sometimes in the early evening it may rain for less than an hour.

If a storm develops and stays over parts of the island it is possible to have rain everyday, overall you would to have really bad luck for that to happen exactly the days you are there. Only one trip out of 30 did it it rain everyday for 5 days, a trip to Sosoua and even then, the weather was warm and the rain was not 24 hours.

Even if it rains you can still have fun. Driving a rental car during a heavy rain is not recommended.

They have thrown the book at the Casas and Hotels. Some may not be back at all. The assertions range from no permit, bribery and not paying taxes.

[QUOTE=Alex Deuce;1148049]They have thrown the book at the Casas and Hotels. Some may not be back at all. The assertions range from no permit, bribery and not paying taxes.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the info! Any other information on the hotels and is there a list of which hotels are targeted?

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs;1148050]Thanks for the info! Any other information on the hotels and is there a list of which hotels are targeted?[/QUOTE]All are targeted to stop acting as Brothels. There is going to be some heavy bribery going on in the next few days...

[QUOTE=Alex Deuce;1148492]All are targeted to stop acting as Brothels. There is going to be some heavy bribery going on in the next few days...[/QUOTE]I think with some guys, at least with me, is the use of the word brothel. I take it brothel in the DR simply describes a "chica friendly" hotel?

The original report mentioned 20 hotels and that sure seems a lot. I know some are more obviously chica friendly than others. I guess we just have to wait it out and see.

Thanks again for your reports as they are much more valuable than hearsay or useless opinions.

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs; 1148504]I think with some guys, at least with me, is the use of the word brothel. I take it brothel in the DR simply describes a "chica friendly" hotel?

The original report mentioned 20 hotels and that sure seems a lot. I know some are more obviously chica friendly than others. I guess we just have to wait it out and see.

Thanks again for your reports as they are much more valuable than hearsay or useless opinions. [/QUOTE]I spoke with the owner of the Jaguar yesterday he told me the casas de putas are targeted not legal hotels such as his and for instance the Riazor. Perhaps the newspaper report was incorrect or misread.

[QUOTE=Enricos;1148531]I spoke with the owner of the Jaguar yesterday he told me the casas de putas are targeted not legal hotels such as his and for instance the Riazor. Perhaps the newspaper report was incorrect or misread.[/QUOTE]OK, I went back and read some of the previous posts. The 20 hotels getting shut down was just one person's opionion which distorted my vision of what was truly going on. The actual printed newpaper article only mentions the five main casas in Gascue. So all this talk about regular chica friendly hotels getting shut down was BS. As a matter of fact Enricos you responded to the post where someone mentioned the next move would be to shut down Jaguar. That is just another reason why hearsay and useless opinions need not be posted.

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs;1148603]OK, I went back and read some of the previous posts. The 20 hotels getting shut down was just one person's opionion which distorted my vision of what was truly going on. The actual printed newpaper article only mentions the five main casas in Gascue. So all this talk about regular chica friendly hotels getting shut down was BS. As a matter of fact Enricos you responded to the post where someone mentioned the next move would be to shut down Jaguar. That is just another reason why hearsay and useless opinions need not be posted.[/QUOTE]No, it really just the Mystik Hotel thats in trouble for allowing girls in the bar and then renting rooms (acting as brothel). The Casas are occupancy,liquor permit and basically loudly flashing that they are a working girl house. Its sorting itself out in the next 4 hours.

[QUOTE=Alex Deuce;1148783]No, it really just the Mystik Hotel thats in trouble for allowing girls in the bar and then renting rooms (acting as brothel). The Casas are occupancy,liquor permit and basically loudly flashing that they are a working girl house. Its sorting itself out in the next 4 hours.[/QUOTE]A smaller number will re-open and they will operate more quietly. Greed usually leads the owners to "pump up the volume" and that's when the trouble starts for them. By the way, Casa de Modelos has closed an opened sevveral times over the years. There is a certain level that the community tolerates. Once the business owners cross that line, they get "corrected." It's an unnecessary version of cat and mouse.

For those of you who have been through this before I would pose this question.

Do many of the working chica's wind up going to other spots? I am particularly interested in Boca, I wanted to go there in a month or two.

Thank you.

[QUOTE=Knowledge;1148866]A smaller number will re-open and they will operate more quietly. Greed usually leads the owners to "pump up the volume" and that's when the trouble starts for them. By the way, Casa de Modelos has closed an opened sevveral times over the years. There is a certain level that the community tolerates. Once the business owners cross that line, they get "corrected." It's an unnecessary version of cat and mouse.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Knowledge;1148866]A smaller number will re-open and they will operate more quietly. Greed usually leads the owners to "pump up the volume" and that's when the trouble starts for them. By the way, Casa de Modelos has closed an opened sevveral times over the years. There is a certain level that the community tolerates. Once the business owners cross that line, they get "corrected." It's an unnecessary version of cat and mouse.[/QUOTE]As long as it is a correction we may be fine. I used to live in Detroit in the 90's and the strip clubs were heaven in the Detroit / Windsor area. Then came a new mayor and the correction, for a long time it was "no touch" policy. Now its back as strong as ever. The economy had to do a lot with it. You can get FS with BBBJ for $100 or less in quite a few of them. I was amazed during my last trip.

Anyways, I found SD to be pretty lame compared to Sosua, though I have been to SD only once. Maybe Santiago is the only place that survives this downturn untouched.

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs;1148603]OK, I went back and read some of the previous posts. The 20 hotels getting shut down was just one person's opionion which distorted my vision of what was truly going on. The actual printed newpaper article only mentions the five main casas in Gascue. So all this talk about regular chica friendly hotels getting shut down was BS. As a matter of fact Enricos you responded to the post where someone mentioned the next move would be to shut down Jaguar. That is just another reason why hearsay and useless opinions need not be posted.[/QUOTE]I guess we can close the book on this issue regarding the Jaguar. I'm sure over time there will be others.

Hopefully these are not completely stupid newbie questions:

1) Already made trip reservation at the end of last month to come. Will be on a place Thursday night after work and down in Santo Domingo through Monday evening. I did my research and picked the Napalitano Hotel from recommendations here and elsewhere. Doesn't seem that hotel was mentioned as having an issue? (if someone knows it was shut down please mention it.)

2) Little panicked that Pastuer and 305 are shut. It seems from comments that GPB and Australia are still up and running. Has the new political situation affected freelancer pickup in discos? I understand the Napalitano has a disco. Is that or La Parada still a viable place to meet ladies?

3) I play Poker, in the Jaragua or any of the surrounding casinos does anyone know what stakes are the cash games, are there tournaments? Any poker info is greatly appreciated since it appears they may be the nuts that get the most play this weekend.

[QUOTE=Knowledge;1144796]By the way, one of the hotels described as a brothel in the Diario Libre piece is the Jaguar, the Mystik is another.[/QUOTE][QUOTE=Enricos;1146405]Twenty small hotels? I hope the Jaguar is not one of them.[/QUOTE][QUOTE=Jaosousa;1146427]Jaguar from what I have read on the ISG, was one of the small hotels, that supposedly Diario Libre wrote was a brothel.[/QUOTE][QUOTE=Bq Ribs;1148050]Thanks for the info! Any other information on the hotels and is there a list of which hotels are targeted?[/QUOTE][QUOTE=Alex Deuce;1148492]All are targeted to stop acting as Brothels. There is going to be some heavy bribery going on in the next few days...[/QUOTE][QUOTE=Enricos;1148991]I guess we can close the book on this issue regarding the Jaguar. I'm sure over time there will be others.[/QUOTE]Brothels are illegal in Dom Rep.

Jaguar has gotten some bad reviews, regarding a worker at night who is not very nice to some clients of that hotel. I have never stayed at the Jaguar and I doubt very much I would ever stay there.

[QUOTE=darklurker; 1149150]Hopefully these are not completely stupid newbie questions:

1) Already made trip reservation at the end of last month to come. Will be on a place Thursday night after work and down in Santo Domingo through Monday evening. I did my research and picked the Napalitano Hotel from recommendations here and elsewhere. Doesn't seem that hotel was mentioned as having an issue? (if someone knows it was shut down please mention it.)

2) Little panicked that Pastuer and 305 are shut. It seems from comments that GPB and Australia are still up and running. Has the new political situation affected freelancer pickup in discos? I understand the Napalitano has a disco. Is that or La Parada still a viable place to meet ladies?

3) I play Poker, in the Jaragua or any of the surrounding casinos does anyone know what stakes are the cash games, are there tournaments? Any poker info is greatly appreciated since it appears they may be the nuts that get the most play this weekend. [/QUOTE]Prostitution is legal in DR.

I would recommend staying away from Casa Australia for a variety of reasons.

Napolitano a few years ago did a rehab, so it should be nicer now. Napolitano has a pool deck, on about the second floor that faces the sea. The disco inside the Napolitano is called Mint. Medium size place, on some nights it gets crowded late, other nights no one there.

From the Napolitano you will be closer to the baby dolls and foxys. One monger I know took two chicas out of baby dolls in the span of 5 hours and paid 3500 pesos each for a total of 7000 pesos.

D'Luis Parrilada on the Malecon is a sea front restaurant near Foxys. I ate there one time and had drinks there one time. In my opinion the food was good at D'Luis Parrilada, cost for dinner for one person about $15US, not super cheap, but not expensive.

Lots of Asians gamble at the Jaragua. Melia has a busy casino, mostly Dominicans gambling at the Melia. Napolitano has a small casino that seems to be busy. For betting on American Sports you can go to 4 star, which is supposedly near the Hilton, I have never found 4 star international sports betting place, from what I have read it is a nice place with lots of flat screen televisions showing sports.

The police have the freelance chicas spooked, but in my recent trip last February, I saw numerous freelance chicas, in Pacos (now called Grands) el conde in zona colonial, freelance chicas walking on el conde, also some streetwalkers on Independencia near the Hilton and on Independencia between Pasteur and Park Independence, also on the Malecon near Princess Cabana and on Ave Jimenez Moya (a / k/a avenida churchill) near its intersection with the Malecon.

GBP is always recommended. Playboy Palace in zona colonial has three rooms with air conditioning units, I was told playboy palace (it is a small place) is open from from 2pm to 2am.

Try to find an honest taxi driver who will not try to overcharge you. If you venture to some casa in a taxi, when you are ready to exit the casa, you can ask a chica or a worker in the casa to call a taxi for you. Boricua Online got good rates by calling Apolo taxi; [url]http://www.apolotaxi.com/ApoloTaxi/Bienvenidos.html[/url], Santo Domingo, Central

(809) 537-0000, Oficina (809) 537-1245.

Taxi price 200 pesos or less. Foreigners are usually always overcharged by taxi drivers. I have been with Dominican chicas and I have seen them shop around for the best price taxi, they just walk away when a taxi driver says a high price and they walk around until they find a taxi driver who will take them where they want to go for a good price.

Casa Theresa recently got a good review. Casa Azul is near casa theresa. Pink Pony is further away. Club MC and the Penthouse are just north of Avenida 27 de Febrero.

There are ISG members who know Dominican guys who are like guides and have gotten good reviews.

The casas on Pasteur may or may not be open, Girls House was not recommended, so if it is not open, no great loss. Sky High the owners are supposedly Cuban and they spent a lot of money fixing up the casa where Sky House used to be. Nice bar with laser lights and sofas in Sky High and a back yard bar where you can sit and smoke cigarettes. 305 is around the corner from Satin Dolls and Sky High on Independencia.

Manolos behind the Jaragua Hotel and Casino is convenient for fast food at 5am. On the Malecon past the Jaragua Hotel and Casino (heading west) is Adrians Tropical restaurant which is open late, maybe 24/7.

Usually pros out front of the Jaragua Hotel and Casino, Hotel Melia casino and in Coppa bar in the Hotel Melia.

Having a local cell phone may save you on roaming charges. An unlocked GSM cell phone that takes sim cards, can usually be used in the DR after buying a sim card and minutes from Claro, Orange or Viva. On the second floor of the airport in Santo Domingo is a Claro cell phone shop that sells sim cards with minutes included for about 500 pesos (appx. $13US). I have been told Orange sim cards can be purchased for around 200 pesos with no included minutes. One time I bought a cheap Claro cell phone with minutes for 480 pesos. You will need your passport when purchasing a sim card or cell phone from a claro, orange or viva shop. You add minutes by purchasing calling cards or you can add minutes online using a bank or credit card with a company like ezetop. I believe pressing *22 and send with a claro cell will tell you how many minutes you have. If you buy a sim card or cell phone at the airport, check to make sure it works before leaving the airport. Claro, Orange and Viva have numerous shops throughout the city.