Moderate hotels in the east?

Any moderate hotel to recommend anywhere in the coast from La Romana to playa Bavaro?

We plan to jump in a car and drive east but wonder if we'll have trouble finding something else than all-inclusive very expensive resorts. Thanks!

There is the hotel Star in San Pedro de Macoris. They just added air conditioning, it's in an ok neighborhood (on Calle Luis Amiama Tió) and it's under US$30 a night. I have not seen the inside, though.

There should be plenty of stuff in Higuey, and there are lots of small guest houses near Bavaro

Note that the all inclusive resorts are on sale. Check out the vacation packages US wholesalers like Travel Impressions and Apple VAcations are offering. Deals that are hard to beat.

Yes, I stayed in Bavaro Palace for about $85 per night, all inclusive (Double Occupancy)

They have 2 rates, a Dominican rate and a foriegner rate. I am not a Dominican but I got the rate by asking for it.

Buy and pay for your entrance vouchers before you get there. It's much less of a hassle.

The Bavaro resorts are fabulous, and I will return. The palace is more expensive than the other ones, but I did not see much of a difference. I will stay at one of the other ones (beach, golf, casino, garden, I think there is one other one) the next time, because they are all world class, and the main advantage of the Palace seems to be you can sniff up your nose at people and your all-inclusive wrist band is pretty and sparkly. The food and drinks are just as good at the other ones as at the palace.

There are a lot of extremely cheap cabanas -- basically simple rooms with private bathroom and shower -- in the town of Bayahibe, which is by far the most beautiful, interesting town to hang out in in the area you described. The best are Cabanas Trip Town and Cabanas Nina, but you won't have to reserve a room in advance. There's also a new hotel with hot water called the Hotel Bayahibe.