Best budget hotels in Santo Domingo

Chirimoya · #1 06-10-2003, 05:24 PM

This question comes up often on DR1 and I thought I would share the following information about cheap hotel accommodation in Santo Domingo. There are already several recommendations for Hotel La Gran Mansion on C Danae in Gazcue. Today I visited the area and looked at three other hotels on the same street.

#18 Danae which has rooms for rent for long or short stays. It seemed clean and comfortable, they have rooms with private bathrooms for RD$400/450 a night. All the rooms have a/c, fridge, TV and phone. The only drawback was that the rooms were a little cramped and the place smelled slightly of stale cigarette smoke.

Then there is Hotel Residence which has a lively backpacker hostel atmosphere. What is on offer is similar to #18 Danae but could be too noisy or crowded for some. There is a communal kitchen. They quoted US$18 (or RD$500 at time of writing).

The best of the bunch has to be Mona Lisa. It is newly built/refurbished, looks very clean, is more spacious and charges as RD$400 for a single room, or RD$500-600 for a double. The price goes down if you are staying for several days. All rooms have a/c, telephone, TV, private bathroom and it looks like a pleasant place to stay. A big plus is that there is a comedor in the same building that does breakfast, lunch and supper at a reasonable price. Tel 687 8440

Danae is a quiet street, in a pleasant neighbourhood (Gazcue). It is near the Colonial Zone and public transport routes.

If anyone has feedback on these places please post it here!

Chiri

Ken · #2 06-10-2003, 05:29 PM

Chiri, where is the Mona Lisa? I stay at La Gran Mansion, which is very quiet and charges RD$350/one person and RD$400/two people. I have checked out the others that are nearby, but I haven't seen Mona Lisa.

Chirimoya · #3 06-10-2003, 05:37 PM

Just up the road, opposite 'Paco Banana'. It looks pretty new. I didn't include the Gran Mansion in my post because it has already been recommended here in the past. The person I was making the booking for needs a phone in the room so we excluded La Gran Mansion, but otherwise it also looks like a great place. Tel no 689 8758 if anyone is interested.

Chiri

Ken · #4 06-10-2003, 05:42 PM

That's right, no phone. No TV, AC or refrig, either. But price is right and there are no roosters or street noise to keep me awake. My wife and I have stayed there for years.

Musicqueen · #5 06-10-2003, 06:04 PM

This is just more info I needed...I plan to stay in one of these for a few days until I research the apt. I want to rent for my stay in SD...

Anything else I should know?

You're great!!!

Jan · #6 06-10-2003, 08:32 PM

I know of Plaza Florida and Apart hotel Millenium. Cant' remember the prices but they both were clean and both in a quiet good area in Gazcue.

Keith R · #7 06-10-2003, 11:42 PM

Someone suggested to us the Plaza Colonial, which is in the same general area. anyone have any experience with this one?
Regards,
Keith

Dewdrop · #8 06-12-2003, 01:22 PM

Thank you very much for the intelligence report. I've been trying hard to find this information. I posted a question earlier and got no response, so I thought maybe this wasn't the kind of bulleting board that lived the budget life. I was asking for some budget options *in* the zona colonial, so I guess those just don't exist? From guidebooks and the internet, I found references to Hostal Hostos and El Refugio in the zona, for around $30 (about my budget). Anyone know anything about those?

Another question, is it worth paying $10-20 more to stay in the Zona as opposed to treking in the heat for the mile or so from Gazcue for the colonial sights?

Chirimoya · #9 06-12-2003, 01:36 PM

I have seen the two places you mention from the outside but don't know what they are like inside! Their location is perfect for the sights and night-life in the Zona Colonial.

The trek from Gazcue to the ZC... well: Danae is on the right side of Gazcue so it should not take too long, but on the other hand crossing seedy Parque Independencia at night is an unsavoury prospect.

Chiri

Mcinbrass · #10 06-12-2003, 01:52 PM

...is much quieter than Zona Colonial. And the hotels mention on Danae in this thread are really livable as opposed to some of those above the storefronts on El Conde. Its funny that you mention Mona Lisa as being the best. I always thought the same thing, but it is odd to choose a hotel for your vacation which is upstairs from a brothel, although I belive that Mona Lisa Spa closes at 10PM.