Santo Domingo

[QUOTE=Yukon Jack; 1226282]Anyone have an address?

Thanks[/QUOTE]I made a mistake, the bar is called Onno. [url]www.onnosbar.com/[/url]

Seems they have bars in cabarete, zona colonial and la romana.

If you know where the mercure hotel is on el conde in zona colonial, onno bar is about 100 feet south of the hotel mercure.

[QUOTE=Yukon Jack;1226281]I've never had a problem at the Intercontinental. I book a room for three online, which allows for me and two amigas. Last time my girl's girl brought a third girl and so I just had to pay for one extra. The beds are great and plenty big enough for four.[/QUOTE]I use the ATM inside the Intercontinental lobby. One night last week, I entered the Intercontinental around 10pm with a nicely dressed, non-pro Dominicana. The nighttime security guys were ready to pounce if I tried to enter the elevators with the Dominicana. I sat her on a sofa in the lobby and got cash from the ATM. I would tend to agree with ISG member Berthold that most large hotels in santo domingo are not chica friendly (unless you give the names of the chicas at check-in).

I have stayed at the Intercontinental before. For me the Barcelo Santo Domingo hotel gives better value with the club premium rooms. Club premium lounge includes all you can drink, beer, wine, soda, juice, coffee. Food in the morning and snacks at night included in the price of the room. Also a jacuzzi on the 9th floor deck that is open till 11pm.

Photo in front of the Intercontinental last week.

[QUOTE=Berthold;1225817]The Intercontinental is not girl friendly[/QUOTE]I stayed at the Inter V, in 2007. They allowed me to bring 3 different girls during my stay. Did they change the rules? I have been wanting to go back to SD and stay at the Inter V, because I had a great time, but the price is so high from Las Vegas for the 3 nights I want to stay there. I just want to go there one more time, around the corner from the hotel is the cambio, then 2 GoGo bars, (at least there were) and the pharmacy for my C's, just perfect.

Formerly called the Barcelo Lina. Stayed in a Junior Suite my first night. Barcelo Santo Domingo has early check in and late check out (club premium). Food and drinks (beer, wine, soda, juice, coffee) in the 9th floor lounge are included in the club premium room rate. The junior suite I was given had a balcony. The room had ash trays so I assume smoking was allowed in that room. The room came with a computer with a small flat screen, with internet, no extra charge (wifi available for no extra charge).

I had three chicas visit the room, no problem (no extra fee). However, I would advise this hotel is not 100% chica friendly at all times.

I would walk to zona colonial almost everyday. I would walk along Avenida Independencia, past the cemetery to get to park independence, then zona colonial. One afternoon I looked inside the cemetery and saw a dog with 5 puppies, poor dog looked so sad. I went to the supermarket and bought two cans of alpo (about 65 pesos for a can of alpo) , a Colombiana waitress at the Hard Rock Cafe gave me a plastic container that I could use as a dish for the dog food. I walked back to the cemetery and entered through a gate. Some people inside the cemetery, one 30 year old dominicana with a bubble but offered to help me look for the dog with the puppies. She told me to take her cell number, to meet later on. We searched the cemetery and I could not find the dog with the 5 puppies. I gave one can of the Alpo to a caretaker of the cemetery and he gave it to 4 other stray dogs in the cemetery.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa;1227111]Formerly called the Barcelo Lina. .[/QUOTE]Jao, I have a question. What do you think the chicas' reaction is when they see a fancy hotel room like yours that costs per day what often times is a month's pay for many people there? Do they like to be there and enjoy the quiet luxury even if it is for a short while wishing to be your companion for ever or secretly they hate the fact that someone is blowing so much. While others have, not much?

Thanks.

[QUOTE=Tempoecorto; 1227244]Jao, I have a question. What do you think the chicas' reaction is when they see a fancy hotel room like yours that costs per day what often times is a month's pay for many people there? Do they like to be there and enjoy the quiet luxury even if it is for a short while wishing to be your companion for ever or secretly they hate the fact that someone is blowing so much. While others have, not much?

Thanks.[/QUOTE]I try to screen out hard core chicas. There are some very rich people in santo domingo. Some of the chicas in Foxys ask for 6-8 thousand pesos. I have had chicas in coppa ask for 5 thousand pesos. Some of these chicas are getting paid nice sums of money. Just about all the chicas I have known appreciate nice lodgings. They like to see something new and nice.

Usually a problem with the air conditioning. What I consider a comfortable temperature for the air conditioning, many chicas will say it is too cold. I will compromise, I will sleep on top of the covers of the bed and they will be buried under all the covers because they think it is too cold, LOL.

[QUOTE=Tempoecorto; 1227244]Jao, I have a question. What do you think the chicas' reaction is when they see a fancy hotel room like yours that costs per day what often times is a month's pay for many people there? Do they like to be there and enjoy the quiet luxury even if it is for a short while wishing to be your companion for ever or secretly they hate the fact that someone is blowing so much. While others have, not much?

Thanks.[/QUOTE]It depend of the chica but most enjoy to spend the time in a nice room. You have to see how most of these girls live so even being in a small hotel with no pool is heaven for them. They expect you, as a tourist, to have a nice lodging. I know a couple of chicas that can work as tour operators because they have stayed in almost every hotel, luxury condo or villa that exist in the country.

Some barrio girls and some girls that works in casas will try to get some sleep. You can expect a barrio girl that share a small bed with a couple of other relatives in their small houses and chica casas with uncomfortable accomodations to try to get some sleep while they are with you.

The girls are going to enjoy nice accomodations and a nice treatment.

[QUOTE=Tempoecorto;1227244]Jao, I have a question. What do you think the chicas' reaction is when they see a fancy hotel room like yours that costs per day what often times is a month's pay for many people there? Do they like to be there and enjoy the quiet luxury even if it is for a short while wishing to be your companion for ever or secretly they hate the fact that someone is blowing so much. While others have, not much?[/QUOTE]I can answer this, too. Most that I meet simply enjoy themselves. The fact that the electricity does not go out can be a hit. LOL. One of my regulars always ask me what my resort apartments cost. I simply tell her that I get a special through my government job. LOL. If I tell her, she will think I am rich with extra money to spare for her. She's smart enough to know that not everyone pays the same price. She also knows that stuff costs far less in the DR, which explains why a "government worker" can afford it.

[QUOTE=BoricuaOnline; 1227273]It depend of the chica but most enjoy to spend the time in a nice room. You have to see how most of these girls live so even being in a small hotel with no pool is heaven for them. They expect you, as a tourist, to have a nice lodging. I know a couple of chicas that can work as tour operators because they have stayed in almost every hotel, luxury condo or villa that exist in the country.

Some barrio girls and some girls that works in casas will try to get some sleep. You can expect a barrio girl that share a small bed with a couple of other relatives in their small houses and chica casas with uncomfortable accomodations to try to get some sleep while they are with you.

The girls are going to enjoy nice accomodations and a nice treatment.[/QUOTE]You're right. My girl started to act up one day. I told her it was time to go, and walked her to highway and did not say a word. She asked for a taxi home, I told her that she was taking the guagua like she normally does. She asked for a moto to the highway, I told her we were walking. It was a long, silent walk. When we got there and the guagua came, she apologized profusely and asked if she could return the next day. I said no. She looked like a kid who just saw someone kill Santa Claus. The next day I saw her and told her she could come over. She knew the deal and didn't have to be asked. She had a clean bed, hot water, and electricity. She apologized again.

I have been informed that the policia nacional motorcycle I identified as a Harley-Davidson is not a Harley-Davidson. I have seen policia nacional motorcycles up close in zona colonial and saw the harley-davidson nameplate on the gas tank. I assumed most of the big bikes used by the policia nacional were Hharley-Davidson motorcycles.

[QUOTE=Professor 1;1227276]I can answer this, too.[/QUOTE]Thanks guys for three different perspectives. So it appears that most women enjoy the treat, something they do not get to do at their own location. I also understand they take it for granted that the tourists will be living in a better place but the women should not really be made aware of the prices in the context of the economy of the country. Also to your thinking, there is no sense of resentment or for the smart ones, an attempt to pry a better deal based on the tourist's supposed economic well-being as evidenced by his room / hotel quality.

My next question is: what is it like in the barrio? To me "barrio" in spanish just means a neighborhood but it appears here in this context that it is like a "slum". Given that I am originally from slumdog country, I wonder if you all can DESCRIBE here what these living conditions are like.

Finally, here is my problem. I just feel it is not okay for me to flaunt. So I am not sure if taking a woman to a place she can only dream of going to thanks to the tourists, is the right thing to do or is it better for me to go to, say a restaurant that is normally accessible to her. I never wondered about this when I traveled in my past life. Predominantly in Asia and Europe but at my age, I wonder if it not actually inflicting pain by raising someone's horizon of consciousness.

One more thought, I had thought D. R is unique in the way young women get pregnant at a very early age and then pay for that folly by having to do whatever life throws at them. I was speaking to the guy here who owns a place to fix cars. He was describing how his 18 year old nephew has got a girl pregnant and also mentioned another 14 year old girl who became a mom at that age. So what is so different about here, the U. S vis a vis D. R in that context?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[QUOTE=Tempoecorto; 1227478]Thanks guys for three different perspectives. So it appears that most women enjoy the treat, something they do not get to do at their own location. I also understand they take it for granted that the tourists will be living in a better place but the women should not really be made aware of the prices in the context of the economy of the country. Also to your thinking, there is no sense of resentment or for the smart ones, an attempt to pry a better deal based on the tourist's supposed economic well-being as evidenced by his room / hotel quality.

My next question is: what is it like in the barrio? To me "barrio" in spanish just means a neighborhood but it appears here in this context that it is like a "slum". Given that I am originally from slumdog country, I wonder if you all can DESCRIBE here what these living conditions are like.

Finally, here is my problem. I just feel it is not okay for me to flaunt. So I am not sure if taking a woman to a place she can only dream of going to thanks to the tourists, is the right thing to do or is it better for me to go to, say a restaurant that is normally accessible to her. I never wondered about this when I traveled in my past life. Predominantly in Asia and Europe but at my age, I wonder if it not actually inflicting pain by raising someone's horizon of consciousness.

One more thought, I had thought D. R is unique in the way young women get pregnant at a very early age and then pay for that folly by having to do whatever life throws at them. I was speaking to the guy here who owns a place to fix cars. He was describing how his 18 year old nephew has got a girl pregnant and also mentioned another 14 year old girl who became a mom at that age. So what is so different about here, the U. S vis a vis D. R in that context?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts![/QUOTE]Just my opinion you may be over thinking the situation and taking them to a nice place that she normally may not go is not flaunting at least IMO its not. If you are over there they already know that you are better off economically than they are so its no big secret. I would not tell any chicas that I am some rich american either and I always let them know I am not rich by no means just your average hard working american.

The point is you are not dominican so they expect you to be different in some ways so embrace it and of course do not over do it, but you are american and they have the TV and movies and maybe family in the USA so they already know and expect a difference IMO.

I been to some barrios and yes its a big step down to the worst US slum I have been to IMO. The two worst US slums IMO that I have been to was Camden, NJ and some of the wards in New Orleans even before Katrina . I went to a few chicas barrios and I tell you the worst in New Orleans was to was quite a bit better than what I seen there.

[QUOTE=Tempoecorto; 1227478]Thanks guys for three different perspectives. So it appears that most women enjoy the treat, something they do not get to do at their own location. I also understand they take it for granted that the tourists will be living in a better place but the women should not really be made aware of the prices in the context of the economy of the country. Also to your thinking, there is no sense of resentment or for the smart ones, an attempt to pry a better deal based on the tourist's supposed economic well-being as evidenced by his room / hotel quality.

My next question is: what is it like in the barrio? To me "barrio" in spanish just means a neighborhood but it appears here in this context that it is like a "slum". Given that I am originally from slumdog country, I wonder if you all can DESCRIBE here what these living conditions are like.

Finally, here is my problem. I just feel it is not okay for me to flaunt. So I am not sure if taking a woman to a place she can only dream of going to thanks to the tourists, is the right thing to do or is it better for me to go to, say a restaurant that is normally accessible to her. I never wondered about this when I traveled in my past life. Predominantly in Asia and Europe but at my age, I wonder if it not actually inflicting pain by raising someone's horizon of consciousness.

One more thought, I had thought D. R is unique in the way young women get pregnant at a very early age and then pay for that folly by having to do whatever life throws at them. I was speaking to the guy here who owns a place to fix cars. He was describing how his 18 year old nephew has got a girl pregnant and also mentioned another 14 year old girl who became a mom at that age. So what is so different about here, the U. S vis a vis D. R in that context?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts![/QUOTE]I have been to a few barrios. The homes where I visited, sometimes the roads were paved, sometimes they were not. Cement block construction homes, metal blinds that open and close (no glass and no screens) for the windows. Roof is what they call zinc, sheets of metal, with pieces of wood as cross beams. Oftentimes no electricity for 8-10 hours per day. Oftentimes no running water. Homes are usually very clean. I never felt threatened in any barrio I visited in the DR. Usually a small colmado nearby, where soda, beer, milk for coffee, etc, can be purchased. Always people sitting outside, neighbors will see you come and go. Clothes hung outside to dry, some homes with clothes washing machines made of plastic, chicas with rollers in their hair, dogs cats, some homes with pet birds.

Cooking is done with fuel from small propane tanks. Some homes have inversors (one or more car sized batteries) that are charged when the house receives electricity, then turns on when the main power goes off, lights, tv, laptop can be run off the batteries from the inversor for a period of time.

[QUOTE=Tempoecorto;1227478]My next question is: what is it like in the barrio? To me "barrio" in spanish just means a neighborhood but it appears here in this context that it is like a "slum". Given that I am originally from slumdog country, I wonder if you all can DESCRIBE here what these living conditions are like.[/QUOTE]There are low-rise housing communities much like housing projects in the USA In fact, some look exactly the same except for the windows. I met a girl in Juan Dolio who lived in a shack with wood walls and a metal roof. She was a very nice girl. I do not use the word "slum" but you can picture a very poor area.

[QUOTE]Finally, here is my problem. I just feel it is not okay for me to flaunt. So I am not sure if taking a woman to a place she can only dream of going to thanks to the tourists, is the right thing to do or is it better for me to go to, say a restaurant that is normally accessible to her.[/QUOTE]Just treat the girl right. Personally, I do not go to very expensive places, since I'm not a tourist. The real question is will you be comfortable. For all we know, your date may visit fancy places more than you. You will not be her first boyfriend.

[QUOTE]One more thought, I had thought D. R is unique in the way young women get pregnant at a very early age and then pay for that folly by having to do whatever life throws at them. I was speaking to the guy here who owns a place to fix cars. He was describing how his 18 year old nephew has got a girl pregnant and also mentioned another 14 year old girl who became a mom at that age. So what is so different about here, the U. S vis a vis D. R in that context?[/QUOTE]Don't kid yourself. It happens in the USA as well. Maybe you don't see it, but I do. Don't get into the stereotyping. You can visit a poor neighborhood in any major USA city or rural area and see this.