Santo Domingo

[QUOTE=Jaosousa]There are not a lot of places to drink at 4am on a Tuesday night. The female bartender wanted to visit the apartment where I was staying that morning, so I probably could have bagged her.

I visited casa de modelas one night around 4am, they wouldn't let me in, they said I could choose a chica while standing outside, while looking through a window into the living room, where the chicas were lined up. Casa Azul stays open late and is a place where I didn't get rushed or hassled to choose a chica. Casa Theresa late at night, let me in for one beer and said I had to choose a chica within 10 minutes. Casa 305 was tranquil at 4am, no rush and no hassle, when I stopped there for a beer.

On vacation, sometimes I like to drink and stay out late.

Would be nice if coppa had some competition, for the late night crowd or if they got rid of the curfew. Santo Domingo had small bars where you could get drinks till 7am, before the curfew.[/QUOTE]Great info for the drunken insomniac mongers. My biggest issue is horrible spanish. I understand most of what is said but my ability to reply inteligently is awful, back to rosetta stone and Tootsie/Pink Pony in Miami for practice.

One place I can't force myself to go in is Doolhouse. What's the deal? Keep hearing a lot about Brazillians wanting $200/$300. Foxys ruined it for me....

Finally putting my boots on the ground in Santo Domingo after a five year absence. I have narrowed my hotels down to Marriott Courtyard and The Palacio. Before I flip a coin, I ask opinions from the experts.

Thanks

[QUOTE=Alex Deuce]Great info for the drunken insomniac mongers. My biggest issue is horrible spanish. I understand most of what is said but my ability to reply inteligently is awful. Back to rosetta stone and Tootsie/Pink Pony in Miami for practice.

One place I can't force myself to go in is Doolhouse. What's the deal? Keep hearing a lot about Brazillians wanting $200/$300. Foxys ruined it for me.[/QUOTE]When I drink Dominican coffee, in the evening, it keeps me up. I usually catch up on my sleep, when I return to the States. In the DR, so many chicas, so little time.

A Santo Domingo chica wants me to take her to Dollhouse. I have never been in that place, I read about the prices there and said to myself, not for me. Supposedly lots of chicas with silicone tetas.

[QUOTE=H Bush]Finally putting my boots on the ground in Santo Domingo after a five year absence. I have narrowed my hotels down to Marriott Courtyard and The Palacio. Before I flip a coin, I ask opinions from the experts.

Thanks[/QUOTE]I checked the prices of Courtyard by Marriot last week on their webpage, after taxes were included it was about $200 per night for their hotel on Avenida Maximo Gomez in SDQ. At the Hotel Palacio if you a book a room for only one person it is about $85 per night, if you book for two people it usually comes out to about $100 per night, taxes included. I have only seen the Courtyard from the outside, looks like a nice hotel. Courtyard is on a busy street, Maximo Gomez. There is a University near to the Courtyard. There is some heavy traffic on Avenida Maximo Gomez during rush hour.

Palacio Hotel is about 100 feet off of El Conde, a pedestrian street in Zona Colonial. Hotel Palacio is about one block from Mercure Hotel and two blocks from Hotel De Penalbe. The Cathedral and the Hard Rock Cafe are three blocks away from the Palacio.

Late at night there will not be much happening on Maximo Gomez. I never saw any working girls on Ave. Maximo Gomez. If you stay at the Courtyard most likely you will have to take a taxi to find the chicas.

Zona Colonial is busy throughout the day with people walking on El Conde. Late at night the streets in Zona Colonial are empty. From the Hotel Palacio there are bars and restaurants within walking distance (bar 360 in zona coloial has working girls).

Hotel Palacio is the former home of an Ex President of the Dominican Republic, from over 100 years ago. My last stay there, I met the owner, a nice older German guy named George. The manager of Hotel Palacio is also a German guy.

Hotel Palacio has two elevators, a small pool on the 4th floor, an inside courtyard with plants. I have stayed in about 5 different rooms at the Palacio. Each room is different. Some rooms have high ceilings with old 6x6 cross beams. Old brickwork throughout the hotel. Palacio gives you a white plastic room key card, no magnetic strip on the key card, you flash the card near the door latch mechanism and the door unlocks for your room.

Any chicas you bring with you to the hotel palacio will have to have their cedula or a copy of their cedula. The workers at the front desk will make a copy.

Hotel Palacio is on calle duarte, about 100 feet from El Conde (pedestrian only street). On the corner of duarte and el conde there is la dispensa supermarket, which sells beer, soda and other food products cheap. On the other corner is the store called California, which sells clothes and toiletries (shampoo, shaving cream etc) and inside the store California there is an ATM machine. Also located on El Conde near hotel palacio is a Claro call center and Claro store.

Last time I stayed at Palacio, breakfast was included and they have free coffee throughout the day in the lobby. Around the corner from Palacio is a small old coffee shop called la cafetera, that sells espresso, cappuccino and American style coffee, to drink there or to go. They also prepare sandwiches and fresh fruit juices.

When I stay at the Palacio, I usually walk over to Hard Rock Cafe and sit outside and drink a few beers. Hard Rock is located in front of a Park that is in front of the alleged oldest cathedral in the New World (I have been told that there is a smaller, older church in Santo Domingo).

Courtyard is a modern style hotel, probably very similar to the Courtyard Hotels they have in other countries. Palacio is mostly an older building, but has some modern touches. Air Conditioning worked good in Palacio. I have left my electronics out on my bed when I was not in the room, the maids came in and changed the sheets and nothing ever went missing at the Palacio. Palacio has a small indoor garage if you have a car.

I have not stayed at the Courtyard, but 200 dollars per night is more than I want to spend. Weekend rates at many of the bigger hotels in SDQ are usually cheaper. Coupon codes exist for some travel sites, that can save you some money. Just remember, there is a 26% tax for some hotels and some restaurants.

If you want to walk around and see old stuff, cathedral or museums, then zona colonial is the choice. Zona Colonial also has bars and restaurants within easy walking distance of the hotel palacio. Hotel Palacio has free wifi.

If you want a modern style hotel on a busy street then the Courtyard would be your choice.

At night from either location you will have to take a taxi or drive your car to find chicas. Pacos cafe on El Conde, has some working girls and it is within walking distance of hotel palacio, but I never saw any great gems hanging out at Pacos. You could walk to bar 360 from the hotel palacio, if it is late at night and the door is locked, ring the bell.

Any questions just ask.

Anyone knows the requirement for operating an automobile in the DR. Does one need an international license or a US passport and drivers license acceptable? I have been to the DR numerous times but never ventured out as a personal chauffeur. I would appreciate a response from anyone.

Thanks.

[QUOTE=Bigbuttluva]Anyone knows the requirement for operating an automobile in the DR. Does one need an international license or a US passport and drivers license acceptable? I have been to the DR numerous times but never ventured out as a personal chauffeur. I would appreciate a response from anyone.

Thanks.[/QUOTE]
Your tourist visa will allow you to drive in the DR up to 90 days. You will need a drivers license to rent the vehicle. I recommend only carrying photocopies of you drivers lic. and passport when you are on the road. Also, get all of the insurance.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa]...Palacio Hotel is about 100 feet off of El Conde, a pedestrian street in Zona Colonial. Hotel Palacio is about one block from Mercure Hotel and two blocks from Hotel De Penalbe. The Cathedral and the Hard Rock Cafe are three blocks away from the Palacio...[/QUOTE]Hi Jaosousa - How's the pool and view from the top of the Palacio? Also, what is the parking situation like at the Palacio?

Thanks,
Helpmann :)

[QUOTE=Helpmann]Hi Jaosousa - How's the pool and view from the top of the Palacio? Also, what is the parking situation like at the Palacio?

Thanks,
Helpmann :)[/QUOTE]Helpmann,

The pool at the Palacio is on the 4th floor and has about a 4.5 foot solid wall on two sides. The longer outside wall fronts calle duarte. Across the street from the longer pool wall is an old apartment building. You can look inside the apartments from the pool wall. The shorter pool wall faces north, up calle duarte, there is a church in the distance. Zona Colonial does not have many tall buildings, because the pool is on the fourth floor, it is fairly private. The hotel palacio has cameras throughout the property.

Hotel Palacio just about always has a worker standing outside during the day, they usually have a parking spot blocked off with an orange traffic cone, in front of the hotel. I have seen the same two workers out front, for the last three years. Not a big turnover of workers at the hotel. When you pull up in front of the Palacio with your car, a worker will move the traffic cone so that you can park in front of the front door of the hotel.

At night they want you to put the car in the indoor garage. The indoor parking garage is small, about 6-7 cars can fit in there. I have on occasion left my car parked outside, in front of the hotel, overnight.

The German manager of the Hotel Palacio drives a silver Mercedes Benz and his car is usually inside the indoor garage.

Can be a pain sometimes parking in the inside garage, when it has 6 other cars. On occasion I have left the keys to my car with the front desk, if they need to move my car.

There are some very narrow streets in Zona Colonial. Many streets have deep gullies for when it rains. Driving your car to Hotel Palacio there are various routes you can take. From Gascue, I usually take the Malecon and make a left off the Malecon in the zona colonial.

From Parque Independencia you can drive north and there is a very narrow cross street where you can make a right. The next bigger cross street that goes east, goes past some supermarket, has terrible traffic at rush hour.

On Calle Duarte near Hotel Palacio there are always 3-4 taxi guys waiting around. When I send the chicas home, I usually have a worker from the hotel call a taxi.

Hotel Atarazana is a small hotel in Zona Colonial, that gets good reviews on trip advisor. Has about 8 rooms, has a Policia Nacional station next to it and I was told has a secure outdoor parking lot. I believe a swiss couple run the place. Not sure how chica friendly it may be.

[QUOTE=Bigbuttluva]Anyone knows the requirement for operating an automobile in the DR. Does one need an international license or a US passport and drivers license acceptable? I have been to the DR numerous times but never ventured out as a personal chauffeur. I would appreciate a response from anyone.

Thanks.[/QUOTE]Car rental company only asks for your driver's license (and credit card, if you are not paying cash). I don't have an International Driver's License. I only have a New York State driver's license, has not been a problem for me, I have rented cars over 20 trips in Dom Rep.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa].......Hotel Atarazana is a small hotel in Zona Colonial, that gets good reviews on trip advisor. Has about 8 rooms, has a Policia Nacional station next to it and I was told has a secure outdoor parking lot. I believe a swiss couple run the place. Not sure how chica friendly it may be.[/QUOTE]

I stayed at Hotel Atarazana about three years ago. It is a very nice small hotel which is chica friendly, but NOT chica, chica friendly. No problem with chicas but it has to be low profile. The hotel is a couple minute walk from the eastern end of Plaza Espana. When I stayed there I did not have a rental car but you need to drive through a maze to get to Atarazana.

Hotel Atarazana is a nice quiet spot if you are just chilling with one chica for a night or two. No way would I use this hotel for chica chasing. It is just too far from everything.

The hotel probably got great reviews from Trip Advisor because that is the type of crowd that would stay there. If you read this report Boricuaonline don't waste your time adding this hotel to your monger map.

If you are in town and want to spend time with one lady this place would work because 99.9% of the people, taxi drivers included, have no idea where Hotel Atarazana is. My first night there I searched for the hotel over an hour and finally had to call the owner to come pick us up.

[url]http://www.hotel-atarazana.com/[/url]

My ex-wife's father was a good friend of Balaguer, the late president of the Dominican Republic. He taught me many things about the police in the DR. First of all, they have a law that allows tourists 90 days to become familiar with the driving rules in the DR. Next, Never argue with them, shake their hand and smile as if you are old buddies. Never ever speak a word of Spanish. Speak only English and even though you know they are asking you for your drivers license, just act dumb and keep saying "I do not speak Spanish" They get tired of f _ _ king with you and leave. It works every time and after 30 years of driving there, I have learned.





[QUOTE=Helpmann][b]1. Why are you giving a Dominican police officer your drivers license? [/b]The only thing a Dominican police officer will ever handle of mine is a photocopy of my International drivers license.
[b]2. Why are you asking a Dominican police officer how much?[/b] You're just inviting him to ask for something outrageous.
[b]3. Why are you having a conversation with a Dominican police officer?[/b] These guys don't speak English!! Why help him hustle you by speaking Spanish?

What the hell is going on in Santo Domingo?!?!? I drive in Santo Domingo almost every night I'm on the South Coast and although I have been pulled over a few times, I have never ever given into bribes and I have never paid a fine.

-Helpmann :cool:[/QUOTE]

Hey H Bush not an expert monger and it's been 5 years since my visit to Santo Domingo... if a pool is not a must have, try Hotel Mercure Comercial on El Conde was chica friendly rooms was starting at $50.00...mercure.com had a little patio in front where you could sit and watch the eye candy strolling past had several stop and invite themself up to my room.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa]...The pool at the Palacio is on the 4th floor and has about a 4.5 foot solid wall on two sides. The longer outside wall fronts calle duarte. Across the street from the longer pool wall is an old apartment building. You can look inside the apartments from the pool wall. The shorter pool wall faces north, up calle duarte, there is a church in the distance...[/QUOTE]Thanks for the photos and hotel info.

-Helpmann :)

I also drove my rented car for two weeks in SD.

First time I was stopped on daytime in Boca Chica, the officer dropped my papers on the street, my friend took it back from him and stored the papers in the glovecompartment, and I did not realize in that moment, that my international drivers license was missing, I think it was blown away by the wind, when the papers were lying on the street.

Then I catched me a copy of the copy, that made Thrifty rental car company, of course it was a bad copy, in a night I was stopped by Policia Nacional on Independencia av.,

I played not speaking spanish, only some words. He wanted me to come out of the car, because one of my back light was not working. So he wanted me to fine.

But I did not understand, spoke english and when he wanted me to drive further on to a gas station, where is more light, I drove off fast and escaped the two policemen, they did not follow me.

The second time on indepedencia I was stopped, I had a girl from a club on Indep. And she told me to drive to the club and go in, because the PN is not allowed to come in. I did not know, but it worked,

The security man on the street told us later, that the police did not come too close to the club and drove off.

So I never bribed them, although they aspected it.

Don't let them fool you, and don't ask how much.

I like that, go into a casa (brothel) to escape the policia nacional, lol. Casa 305 on Avenida Independencia has a driveway with a parking area, that you can drive into. Thanks for the info.

[QUOTE=Germano123]I also drove my rented car for two weeks in SD.

First time I was stopped on daytime in Boca Chica, the officer dropped my papers on the street, my friend took it back from him and stored the papers in the glovecompartment, and I did not realize in that moment, that my international drivers license was missing, I think it was blown away by the wind, when the papers were lying on the street.

Then I catched me a copy of the copy, that made Thrifty rental car company, of course it was a bad copy, in a night I was stopped by Policia Nacional on Independencia av.,

I played not speaking spanish, only some words. He wanted me to come out of the car, because one of my back light was not working. So he wanted me to fine.

But I did not understand, spoke english and when he wanted me to drive further on to a gas station, where is more light, I drove off fast and escaped the two policemen, they did not follow me.

The second time on indepedencia I was stopped, I had a girl from a club on Indep. And she told me to drive to the club and go in, because the PN is not allowed to come in. I did not know, but it worked,

The security man on the street told us later, that the police did not come too close to the club and drove off.

So I never bribed them, although they aspected it.

Don't let them fool you, and don't ask how much.[/QUOTE]