Santo Domingo

Looking for some good hotels in Boca Chica. Looking in between $40 to $60 per night. Need some help quickly, I will be leaving out next week!

Thanks

[QUOTE=Kris Kringle; 1139983]Looking for some good hotels in Boca Chica. Looking in between $40 to $60 per night. Need some help quickly, I will be leaving out next week!

Thanks[/QUOTE]Try reading the Boca Chica thread. There is quite a bit of information posted in that section of ISG.

Anyone going to SDQ in late May early June? I am trying to plan and am looking for regulars to hook up with for a beer. PM me if you are interested.

I need a good driver in SD for next weekend.

[QUOTE=OldKool;1139424]Going to SD first week in may. Cabs seem to be very expensive. Should I rent a car or is there a better way to get to my hotel. I will be staying at the Jargua Renaisance. Then moving to Boca Chica for three days. Is driving dificult. I would like to know what best options are.[/QUOTE]When staying at the Jaragua you might want to know the places to eat located near the Renaissance Jaragua. The Jaragua has two restaurants near the lobby, Champions Sport Bar / Restaurant and there is a restaurant near the doors for the pool. Champions I had a cheeseburger with fries and a soda and the price was about $20US. Jaragua sits on the malecon facing the sea. You can exit the Jaragua and with the Sea facing you, make a right on the malecon, at the next cross street to your right you will see a restaurant, I believe it is called La Parada (Boricua Online has eaten there) , if you continue walking west on the malecon, after about two blocks you will see on your left, Adrian's Tropical, a popular restaurant with Dominicans, it is open 24/7 and has seating near the water.

If you walk out the back exit for the Jaragua and through the rear gate for Avenida Independencia, you will see Manolos restaurant adjacent to the Hostal Riazor. Manolos has outdoor and indoor seating. A cheeseburger with fries and a soda is about $6US at Manolos.

If you make a right on Independencia after exiting the rear gate of the Jaragua, three blocks away is Villar Hernanos Restaurant, which sells hot food (chicken, mashed potatoes etc) , salads, fried things like empanadas, sandwiches and there is a bakery there.

If you exit the front of the Jaragua and go left (east) on the Malecon, eventually you will come to a plaza that juts out into the sea, that plaza has various small food places. On the other side of the malecon from that plaza there is a pizzarela restaurant. If you continue walking east, you will come to D Luis Parrilada. I ate there for the first time during my last trip, at a table that was near the sea, the food was good. Dinner price for two, was less than 27US.

There are other more expensive restaurants, if you want, La Bricola in Zona Colonial is romantic. Vesuvio on the Malecon, people say is good. You could venture to other restaurants on Avenida Lincoln, where there is Lincoln Road restaurant and others.

Thanks for this! I'll be in SD this coming Friday for the first time and this restaurant info is right on time!

[QUOTE=Jaosousa; 1140520]When staying at the Jaragua you might want to know the places to eat located near the Renaissance Jaragua. The Jaragua has two restaurants near the lobby, Champions Sport Bar / Restaurant and there is a restaurant near the doors for the pool. Champions I had a cheeseburger with fries and a soda and the price was about $20US. Jaragua sits on the malecon facing the sea. You can exit the Jaragua and with the Sea facing you, make a right on the malecon, at the next cross street to your right you will see a restaurant, I believe it is called La Parada (Boricua Online has eaten there) , if you continue walking west on the malecon, after about two blocks you will see on your left, Adrian's Tropical, a popular restaurant with Dominicans, it is open 24/7 and has seating near the water.

If you walk out the back exit for the Jaragua and through the rear gate for Avenida Independencia, you will see Manolos restaurant adjacent to the Hostal Riazor. Manolos has outdoor and indoor seating. A cheeseburger with fries and a soda is about $6US at Manolos.

If you make a right on Independencia after exiting the rear gate of the Jaragua, three blocks away is Villar Hernanos Restaurant, which sells hot food (chicken, mashed potatoes etc) , salads, fried things like empanadas, sandwiches and there is a bakery there.

If you exit the front of the Jaragua and go left (east) on the Malecon, eventually you will come to a plaza that juts out into the sea, that plaza has various small food places. On the other side of the malecon from that plaza there is a pizzarela restaurant. If you continue walking east, you will come to D Luis Parrilada. I ate there for the first time during my last trip, at a table that was near the sea, the food was good. Dinner price for two, was less than 27US.

There are other more expensive restaurants, if you want, La Bricola in Zona Colonial is romantic. Vesuvio on the Malecon, people say is good. You could venture to other restaurants on Avenida Lincoln, where there is Lincoln Road restaurant and others. [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=BlkPanther;1141054]Thanks for this! I'll be in SD this coming Friday for the first time and this restaurant info is right on time![/QUOTE]I ordered a pair of fried eggs, toast, two small sausage, and orange juice and the bill came to 350 pesos! WTF! This is what I got for not renting a room at the Riazor where breakfast is included, be careful, prices in STO have gone sky high at other locations too

[QUOTE=Riky Rapido;1141092]I ordered a pair of fried eggs, toast, two small sausage, and orange juice and the bill came to 350 pesos! WTF! This is what I got for not renting a room at the Riazor where breakfast is included, be careful, prices in STO have gone sky high at other locations too[/QUOTE]That's nothing. I got a 800 peso draft from Hard Rock Cafe in January. I about had a heart attack. But I should have know better than hang out there seeing most of those are a little pricey.

[QUOTE=Riky Rapido;1141092]I ordered a pair of fried eggs, toast, two small sausage, and orange juice and the bill came to 350 pesos! WTF! This is what I got for not renting a room at the Riazor where breakfast is included, be careful, prices in STO have gone sky high at other locations too[/QUOTE][QUOTE=Hillbilly69;1141100]That's nothing. I got a 800 peso draft from Hard Rock Cafe in January. I about had a heart attack. But I should have know better than hang out there seeing most of those are a little pricey.[/QUOTE]At one time or another I have probably eaten at just about every restaurant mentioned in this thread. Sometimes I too was shocked when I got the final bill. I would ask myself was it worth it? In a lot of cases the answer would be no. There are alternatives if you are looking to save a few bucks. I usually eat a few meals from the cheapie joints and treat myself once in awhile at the well known establishments.

You can easily fill your gut for 100 pesos just by eating where the locals eat. In the morning I will get two fresh squeezed orange juices from the street vendor at 20 pesos each. On Avenida Independencia just east of Hotel Venezia is a corner restaurant which has breakfast specials for 100 pesos and a small plastic cup of café is 10 pesos. If you walk towards El Conde by the park is another very small restaurant where the cab drivers hang out at. Café here is 5 pesos for a small plastic cup.

Plaza Juan Baron on the malecon has a Rico hot dog place and every Tuesday is hot dog special at 50 pesos with everything on it. In the same plaza is a chicken joint you can get two pieces of chicken, mashed potatoes or fries, a roll, and a soda for 100 pesos. Across from the plaza are several outdoor grills where sandwiches are 100-125 pesos. Up the street evening hours is New Jersey Parillada which has excellent food from sandwiches to grilled chicken or beef platters. A meal and a Presidente will set you back about 250 pesos here.

Plato del dia is a local biggie in the DR. Any comedor where you see a lot of locals eating can pretty much guarantee a decent meal for 100 pesos. Again up the street from the monument on the malecon is the Justice Building. There are several comedors in this area all serving plato del dia. Across the street from La Cadena supermarket on Cervantes is another comedor serving the 100 pesos meal. What is a 'plato del dia'? Simply the lunch meal special of the day. Most cases it will be a ton of rice, beans, meat, and salad all served in a gorgeous white plastic container with plastic fork and knife included at no extra charge.

Late night on Calle Pasteur between Independencia and the casas is a very small food stand. 100 pesos will get you chicken wings and spaghetti or your choice of a few other selections. One of my favorites is Nacional Supermercado on 27 de febreo. I will stop here sometimes if headed to GBP. Nacional has a hot food section where you can eat in or take out. Sometimes I may get a whole baked chicken and a package of cotton soft rolls to eat later that evening.

Chicas will eat anything so no need to spend a lot of money to feed them. It never made sense to me why someone would treat a chica to a nice meal costing a couple thousand pesos and than want to try to negotiate a TLN for 1500 pesos.

When all else fails the old standby is one of many Pica Pollo. Just take a look at how many locals go in and out of the Pica Pollos on any given day.

Now I am not a cheapie all the time, so one other spot to add to the previously mentioned list would be El Conuco one block up from Manolos make a right and 50 yards in you will find this favorite tourist restaurant with a Dominican flair. Trust me, you have to eat here at least once to see the live dance show performed by the staff.

Gotta go, I'm getting hungry..............

[QUOTE=BlkPanther;1141054]Thanks for this! I'll be in SD this coming Friday for the first time and this restaurant info is right on time![/QUOTE]Staying at the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel and Casino with a DR chica will be fun. Jaragua has a nice pool which usually has very few people. If your chica does not have a bathing suit, she can buy one on el conde in zona colonial. The store named California, El Conde and Calle Duarte, sells women's bathing suits starting at around 200 pesos.

In the late evening take your chica to Coppa and let her stand in front of you with her ass on your crotch and let her grind you, while you check out the other eye candy in the place. The Melia Casino at night has lots of people.

If you booked online using Orbitz for the Jaragua and chose the least expensive option, more than likely they will put you in the garden section. Rooms there have view of the parking lot. You will be closer to avenida independencia and manolos restaurant from the garden section. You could always try to call the Jaragua and ask if they can upgrade you to a tower section room. Tower section is the main part of the hotel, with rooms on higher floors with views of the sea. Tower section rooms were much nicer when I stayed at the Jaragua.

When I stayed in the garden section, I had to pay about $20 per day for wifi internet and no free breakfast.

If your chica is not with you when you check into the Jaragua, you MUST give her full name at the time of check-in, otherwise when she arrives, they may not let her into your room. I once gave the names of three different chicas who I knew would be visiting me at the Jaragua and they were allowed to my room, no problem.

Valet parking and normal parking at the Jaragua.

About three blocks from the rear entrance of the Jaragua (avenida independencia) there is a la cadena supermarket which has good prices for beer, soda, chips, liquor etc. Walk out the rear entrance and make a right on Independencia, after two blocks make a left on Calle Cervantes (you will see the PLD Political Party headquarters on this corner). Walk up one block from Independencia on calle cervantes and you will see the La Cadena supermarket on your left. Mini-bar prices in the hotel are ridiculously expensive.

Having a DR chica with you 24/7 for more than two days, you may want to have something to keep her occupied or entertained. I usually bring some DVD movies that have English and Spanish soundtracks. Rome the HBO series is available with a Spanish language track. The chica can watch it using your laptop or if you will not bring a laptop, you can buy a small Coby DVD player for around $20US that you can hook up to the TV in the hotel room. You could leave the chica watching a movie while you go out and explore.

[QUOTE=Riky Rapido;1141092]I ordered a pair of fried eggs, toast, two small sausage, and orange juice and the bill came to 350 pesos! WTF! This is what I got for not renting a room at the Riazor where breakfast is included, be careful, prices in STO have gone sky high at other locations too[/QUOTE]I have not been in Manolos in about three months, last time I was there a burger with fries was about 150 pesos ($4US).26% in taxes are added to most restaurant bills.

At D'Luis Parrilada on the Malecon, I had the Fajiata Mexicana Mixta for around 329 pesos ($8. 89US) and the chica I was with ordered the Pincho de filete de res (chunks of good beef on a skewer) for around 399 pesos ($10. 78US). With soda and coffee, the bill including taxes was less than 1000 pesos ($27US) , food was good and nice atmosphere overlooking the water; [url]http://www.menu.com.do/restaurante-170/DLuisParrillada.html[/url]

Mustards Burger shop on Ave. Roberto Pastoriza has burgers starting at 200 pesos: [url]http://www.mustards.com.do/[/url]

Chef Pepper on Ave. Gustavo Mejia Ricart has burgers starting at 185 pesos ($5US) ; [url]http://www.menu.com.do/restaurante-415/ChefPepper.html[/url]

Fellini restaurant on Ave. Roberto Pastoriza, I have been told is good; [url]http://www.menu.com.do/restaurante-470/Fellini.html[/url]

Fried chicken with bones and fries at pica pollo places about 100 pesos. Pechurina (boneless fried chicken strips) with fries, are a little more, about 120 pesos.

A Gazcue neighborhood activist was featured in today's Listin compalining of inaction the authorities to eliminate casas, street girls, colmadones, and street vendors. The group is complaining of general disorder, the poor condition of roads and sidewalks, and the number of street vendors. There is a call for the municipal government and the police and politur to take action. It is mentioned that crackdowns took place but they were recently suspended.

It's no big loss in my opinion. The truth is it will just move to another area as it always has.

[QUOTE=Knowledge; 1141167]A Gazcue neighborhood activist was featured in today's Listin compalining of inaction the authorities to eliminate casas, street girls, colmadones, and street vendors. The group is complaining of general disorder, the poor condition of roads and sidewalks, and the number of street vendors. There is a call for the municipal government and the police and politur to take action. It is mentioned that crackdowns took place but they were recently suspended.

It's no big loss in my opinion. The truth is it will just move to another area as it always has.[/QUOTE]The streets in Gazcue are in good shape, if those people want to see some bad roads they should visit Santiago. When I was in Santo Domingo they were repaving parts of the Malecon and one night some streets in Gazcue were blocked off, supposedly for repaving.

Sidewalks in Gazcue have some large open holes that should be covered. I did not see an over abundance of street vendors on Avenida Independencia, some guys selling fruit, that workers in the area were buying.

The street walkers will not disappear, as you said, they will just move to other locations.

Plaza Deportiva, Avenida Pasteur 8 (between the Malecon and Avenida Independencia) , Gazcue, Santo Domingo, tel: 809-687-2239, has batting cages, snack bar (that sells beer) and according to the sign has pool tables. The place is on the same street as Satin Dolls, Sky High and Girls House. I have not been inside the place yet. Some DR chicas like to play pool, an option for an inexpensive date for mongers who stay in Gazcue.

Penthouse, Calle Coanabo #10, Apartamento #402, Plaza Irene, Los Restauradores, Santo Domingo, tel: 809-537-0458. Pay for pay venue located on the roof of a building. The entrance is on Avenida Caonabo a few hundred feet north of Avenida 27 de Febrero, on the left hand side. Avenida Caonabo is few blocks east of Plaza de Banderas, at least a 15 minute car ride from Gazcue. Good mix of chicas when I visited one time. Being outdoors on top of the roof was a nice setting. I don't know pricing and I don't know if they have rooms on site, I was there over a year ago, call before you go.