Hotels in Santo Domingo

Keith R · #1 06-04-2003, 06:24 PM

Hi Folks.

I'm arranging my family's (me, wife, two 12-yr olds) trip next month to the DR, which includes a 10-day block in SD to visit with family & relatives. Believe it or not, I stayed at a hotel only once in all the yrs I've known SD (since 1986), and that was in 1987, so it's definitely out-of-date experience.

I've been doing my due diligence search of the archives & reviews here & on Debbie's, plus some web research. I have been surprised how little info there is on SD hotels (plenty on PP, Sosua, PC -- but little on SD), and how little internet info/access there is on SD hotels (I would have thought Dolores & Rob would have had them all outfitted with a single availability/reservations web portal by now!). And few of them seem to be able to quote availability and rates by internet, frustrating attempts at comparison shopping. I'm amazed, since I have been able to do this for practically every other capital in Latin America when I travel on business. Seems like a market need there, folks!

The few SD hotels ones that do provide online availability/rate quotes -- such as the Melia, Jaragua, Hotel Santo Domingo, Embajador, etc., start at US$100/d and most quote in the US$150-300/d range. Yeah, yeah, I know! SD hotels have never been cheap. But after just coming from South America where I spent time in top-notch hotels in Rio & Buenos Aires for US$60-80 a night, SD quotes of US$100+ seem steep to me, particularly given the lesser quality many of them have to offer.

We need something relatively central (which automatically rules out the Fiesta & Embajador) and near main routes for taxis/buses, since we won't have a rental car and my compadre Pedro will be working most of the time we're there. My wife & the kids want a place with a pool (I think that'd be nice too, but I'm not insisting on it) -- so apart-hotels like the Delta I guess are out -- and one with consistent air conditioning (it will be July, after all!).

Since we're shooting for under US$100/d (American plan) for the four of us, it looks like the Intercontinental, Jaragua & Hotel Santo Domingo are out.

Some folks have suggested the Hispanola, but they do not have rates posted on the web & have not yet answered my e-mail.

The Continental says it's booked for the period we're looking for. And don't even mention the Lina -- I had a low opinion of it as a hotel when I left in 1999, and recent posts made me believe it has not improved significantly.

So, any good ideas I haven't thought of? Hope so!

Best Regards,
Keith

maryanne · #2 06-04-2003, 06:59 PM

Check AAVacations.com.
Goto the Carribean on Sale.

The Melia has 30% off rooms valid for all of July. Average room rate is $63.00.

Good lick.

AlaninDR · #3 06-04-2003, 07:28 PM

I usually stay at the Naco on Tiradentes which is a few blocks north of 27 Feb. Room rate in April was RD1049 breakfast included.
www.hotelnaco.net

Keith R · #4 06-04-2003, 07:38 PM

Thanks for the tip, Maryanne. That's a good price for the Melia. I'll check with them on an actual quote for my dates. I note, however, that they only count kids (for purposes of being free) up to 11 yrs of age, whereas most hotels in SD say 12 or even as high as 18. [Mine are 12]. This could change the picture radically. We'll see.

I should have checked with AA. Since they've given me hoo-hum prices for hotels in Mexico & South America, I had come to regard their website as no longer worth the look-see. I've learned my lesson -- don't write off any options to explore!

Thanks again,
Keith

Keith R · #5 06-04-2003, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlaninDR
I usually stay at the Naco on Tiradentes which is a few blocks north of 27 Feb. Room rate in April was RD1049 breakfast included.
www.hotelnaco.net

Thanks, Alan. I had totally forgotten about the Naco -- several times met friends staying there when I lived in SD. I note that their website now quotes in US$, and wants $65 per night, same as the Melia under the AAvacations deal Maryanne mentioned. I think the Melia is a nicer hotel in a nicer spot, so I may go for that one instead.

Best Regards,
Keith

P.S. Nice to see that at least one hotel in SD (besides the Hotel Santo Domingo) has its OWN website, complete with rate quotes!

PJT · #6 06-04-2003, 07:52 PM

The rates for the Hispaniola are borderline for you. They run from US $75-125. Breakfast is usually included and there is a good size pool. The location is at the corners of Independencia and Abraham Lincoln. It has been years since I have overnighted there, therefore cannot give you an up-to-date review. The times I have stayed I was quite satisfied with their service. see the link below for more information. Regards, PJT

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._Republic.html

Keith R · #7 06-04-2003, 08:09 PM

Thanks, PJT. I saw that website, but was not convinced that was the best deal (I've often found Expedia & Travelocity don't have the best prices for Latin American hotels -- not sure why). I'm quite familiar with the Hispanola's locale -- I've met friends there and I used to work nearby at the Dominico-American Cultural Institute.

Someone else just e-mailed me, said that their rates are usually US$50-60. This is the wierd thing -- several people are telling me rates that they had in Feb., Mar. or even April that were lower in pesos, but all quotes now on the internet are in US$ and much higher than before. But while the summer is a busy time for the airlines -- Dominicans returning home during school summer break and all -- that doesn't seem to translate into busy season for the hotels. Yet, despite the peso devaluation and a slower season, their rate quotes have risen?????

Perhaps I should fax the Hispanola, in my best Spanish prose, and try to negotiate a lower rate based on a long stay?

Best Regards,
Keith