Hello all;
Would just like to share some highlights from my latest trip:
Flew into Santiago on 10/19.
Went to Montezuma the first night. Decent place. Nice food and a live act to boot. I made sure to pick a seat by the ledge. It felt great to see the monument while dining that first evening.
Best dining place I visited in Santiago (second to the one in Cabarete- more on that later) : Marisco Centro, right down the street from the monument. Went there twice- live band the first time (they played everything well- rock, boleros, the whole nine yards). Had a cigar at the outside seating area. The service was great. Beautiful hosts, valet parking , and very good waiters. The food and wine was nice to complete a very pleasant dining experience.
Best pollo al Carbon in Santiago: "Truco Pollo" on 27 de Febrero- a couple of blocks down from Tipico Monte Bar.
Best Cabana I visited: I guess it was tie between "Helios" and "Bora Bora" (depends on the room you pick) both were very well furnished and classy establishments.
Best Budget priced Cabana: "Blue Castle" on Autopista Joaquin Balaguer: Spent a couple of nights there for under 600 pesos including breakfast for two. Decent rooms .
Best Casino visited: The one at the Gran Almirante is still tops. There is a new one on Calle Del Sol but it was a ghost town when I visited (and too small if you ask me) but it's just been open for a short time so maybe it will pick up in the near future. The one at the Hotel Matum was alive but it just didn't have the feel and class of the Gran Almirante (Maybe it depends on when you go- would not mind returning to Matum though).
Best Shopping for gifts: At Mercado Modelo on Calle Del Sol. I always find good deals on trinkets for my coworkers ( and myself) there.
Best Rum: Bermudez Aniversario (I'm having some right now as I write this). I'm a Brugal man myself but I must I admit that this is the best, smoothest rum going in the DR right now. About twice the price of Brugal extra viejo but well worth it (Make sure it's Aniiversario though- in the black box).
Took a day trip to Caberete and wound up staying over night at the Sans Soucci Beach. Had a very nice ocean front balcony even though it rained at night ( the beginnings of Trop. Storm Noel) sort of made it more romantic.
While in Cabarete We dined at the Casanova Restaurant and it wound up being the best dining expererience of the entire trip. We dined right on the beach, took a walk by the water, smoked a cigar on a love seat right on the sand under palm trees while listening to nice ambient music. Probably my best dining experience in the DR so far.
Already thinking of when I'll go back.
Would just like to share some highlights from my latest trip:
Flew into Santiago on 10/19.
Went to Montezuma the first night. Decent place. Nice food and a live act to boot. I made sure to pick a seat by the ledge. It felt great to see the monument while dining that first evening.
Best dining place I visited in Santiago (second to the one in Cabarete- more on that later) : Marisco Centro, right down the street from the monument. Went there twice- live band the first time (they played everything well- rock, boleros, the whole nine yards). Had a cigar at the outside seating area. The service was great. Beautiful hosts, valet parking , and very good waiters. The food and wine was nice to complete a very pleasant dining experience.
Best pollo al Carbon in Santiago: "Truco Pollo" on 27 de Febrero- a couple of blocks down from Tipico Monte Bar.
Best Cabana I visited: I guess it was tie between "Helios" and "Bora Bora" (depends on the room you pick) both were very well furnished and classy establishments.
Best Budget priced Cabana: "Blue Castle" on Autopista Joaquin Balaguer: Spent a couple of nights there for under 600 pesos including breakfast for two. Decent rooms .
Best Casino visited: The one at the Gran Almirante is still tops. There is a new one on Calle Del Sol but it was a ghost town when I visited (and too small if you ask me) but it's just been open for a short time so maybe it will pick up in the near future. The one at the Hotel Matum was alive but it just didn't have the feel and class of the Gran Almirante (Maybe it depends on when you go- would not mind returning to Matum though).
Best Shopping for gifts: At Mercado Modelo on Calle Del Sol. I always find good deals on trinkets for my coworkers ( and myself) there.
Best Rum: Bermudez Aniversario (I'm having some right now as I write this). I'm a Brugal man myself but I must I admit that this is the best, smoothest rum going in the DR right now. About twice the price of Brugal extra viejo but well worth it (Make sure it's Aniiversario though- in the black box).
Took a day trip to Caberete and wound up staying over night at the Sans Soucci Beach. Had a very nice ocean front balcony even though it rained at night ( the beginnings of Trop. Storm Noel) sort of made it more romantic.
While in Cabarete We dined at the Casanova Restaurant and it wound up being the best dining expererience of the entire trip. We dined right on the beach, took a walk by the water, smoked a cigar on a love seat right on the sand under palm trees while listening to nice ambient music. Probably my best dining experience in the DR so far.
Already thinking of when I'll go back.