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The photo was taken from the hotel restaurant during breakfast.
My plans to go to Jarabacoa fell through and at the last minute, decided on Las Galeras. Quite the polar opposite, though I have yet to go to Jarabacoa but next time for sure.
We didn?t spend all that much time in Las Galeras? 2 nights. We would have stayed another day if the hotel wasn?t so lousy. I didn?t feel like hunting around for another hotel and besides, we needed to take care of some things in Santo Domingo where I am as I write this.
Las Galeras is THE place to go to escape civilization. Creature comforts are a bare minimum but the tradeoff is incredible scenery, gorgeous beaches, and peace and quiet. It?s a great place for a romantic interlude and if you?re trying to kick the internet habit, haha. Actually, Las G has cellular in most locations so if you?re a diehard internet person, you aren?t gonna kick the habit here.
Restaurants are mostly pizzerias, nothing special. There is absolutely nothing special here as far as activities except walking and swimming and boating. So, if you get bored easily, this is not the place to go. However, if you enjoy hearing the birds sing, it?s worth the trip, which isn?t so difficult.
Below is my Trip Advisor review of the hotel we stayed at, aka, the hotel from hunger.
TA Review
Let me get this out of the way first. To each his own, one man?s pleasure is another person?s poison, blah blah. You get the idea. That is, my opinion will differ from the vast majority of the reviews in TripAdvisor. Personally, I?m accustomed to more luxurious hotels, or at least (real) 3 or 4 star hotels with many creature comforts and amenities. However, I knew that wasn?t gonna happen even in the best hotel in Las Galeras. I accepted that. It was a trade off for the location. Although I tried not to let my personal affinities effect this review and I don?t think it did, it should be taken into account.
Frankly, I did little research and stayed there based on the 8 or so reviews on the first page in TripAdvisor, seven of which were 5 star and one was 4 star. I barely looked at the website. Mea culpa, but I was rushed due to a change in plans. I am generally more thorough at researching travel plans ahead of time. However, I likely would have stayed at El Marinique based on the TA reviews anyway (Villa Serena, the #1 hotel in TA was sold out), but now I?ll have to think twice about making decisions solely based on TA. It?s amazing how different my perspective of Marinique was then everyone else?s.
Even so, with that in mind, I was trying to understand all the accolades given to Marinique. And forgive me if I misspell the hotel as ?Martinique" now and then cuz my spell checker likes that better.
Things started out on the wrong foot. When proprietor Nicole told me that payment was cash only, I was surprised. I didn?t express anger, only surprise. She immediately became defensive and said that it stated so on the website. Yes, true, but as stated, I barely looked at the website. Is that a requirement these days? Even if I did read every word on the website (and who does?), how hard would it have been to mention it when making reservations? So, we started out on the wrong foot.
We were the only guests there. This is low season and it seemed empty everywhere, i.e., restaurants, the town, etc. That was a big positive to me. We went there to get away, not to be with tourists. But one has to wonder why one hotel (Villa Serena) would be full and the Marinique empty.
To be blunt, the apartments (2) at the hotel were terrible. We were ready to head for the hills after the first night. It was unbearably hot as heck, especially at night, with little breeze even with doors and windows open. And the mosquitoes were out in force. A sleepless night for both of us.
The next day, we told Nicole that we were going to cut our stay short from 2 nights and would be leaving that day. No questions were asked why and I felt no obligation to explain. However, Nicole?s helper, Ruth, talked to my girlfriend shortly after and she got the truth out of her. They gave us a fan, a lesson on turning on the lights and we decided to stay another night. And I found my mosquito repellent. DO NOT GO THERE WITHOUT A GOOD REPELLENT. Why we weren?t given a fan on the first night is a mystery. Unfortunately, though, it only helped in the bedroom where it was located. Downstairs was still an inferno.
Our apartment was not cleaned at all. The reason given was that we said we were leaving. I don?t buy it. That was around mid morning that we decided to leave and an hour later decided to stay after Ruth talked my girlfriend into it. Considering we were the only guests, the lack of cleaning was inexcusable. If I was the owner, I would have cleaned the room myself if my assistant was unable to. But she was present throughout the morning.
The lights were a challenge to work. You practically need to have a degree in engineering to turn on some of the lights. We were left to our own devices to figure it out the first night as well as most everything else. The furnishings were sparse. However, that sort of thing I expected and it was clear from the reviews. I never uttered a complaint and am not complaining now, just reporting.
One of Nicole's selling points ? she can be very personable and helpful when she wants to be ? is that people come to stay at Marinique for the location, beauty and tranquility, not for TV or internet, which barely worked in the room anyway. People come to hear the birds sing as Nicole said, for peace and quiet. That was a good selling point and I was sold. But does that mean that one has to almost completely ignore most creature comforts? I think we would have had almost as many comforts if we slept in a tent on the beach.
The location happens to be unbelievable and is a perfect spot to chill and get away from civilization. But sometimes it?s the little things that can make or break a deal. In my case, it wasn?t the lack of creature comforts that bothered me, though I wasn?t thrilled. The straw that broke the camel?s back was a small thing, but really gave me an insight into the mindset of the Marinique. There were no decent chairs to sit outside and appreciate the tranquility. There were no chairs in front of the house. The balcony contained 2 of the cheapest chairs you can buy, one of which I broke, partly due to my needing to lose a few ounces and partly due to that it was a cheapo chair. I doubt they cost 100 pesos each. Ya know, it?s ok to have cheap furnishings when the selling point is the location. But for Christ?s sake, supply good chairs to enjoy the tranquility. Perhaps a hammock? I know it?s a small thing and call me small-minded, but on top of everything else, that was the deal breaker.
You need a flashlight, period, although I was told the lighting was fine. To get to the main road, there are a few spots on the path that are a bit hazardous in the dark And if you are with a significant other, you?ll probably want a light to find and descend the narrow stairs to get to the restroom in the middle of the night.
On the plus side, sitting in the restaurant and having a wonderful continental breakfast (fantastic bread and jam, homemade) with breathtaking views was by far the highlight. I wish I could have spent my entire stay in the restaurant.
The area is breathtakingly gorgeous and peaceful and I would not hesitate to return. However, not to the Marinique.
The photo was taken from the hotel restaurant during breakfast.
My plans to go to Jarabacoa fell through and at the last minute, decided on Las Galeras. Quite the polar opposite, though I have yet to go to Jarabacoa but next time for sure.
We didn?t spend all that much time in Las Galeras? 2 nights. We would have stayed another day if the hotel wasn?t so lousy. I didn?t feel like hunting around for another hotel and besides, we needed to take care of some things in Santo Domingo where I am as I write this.
Las Galeras is THE place to go to escape civilization. Creature comforts are a bare minimum but the tradeoff is incredible scenery, gorgeous beaches, and peace and quiet. It?s a great place for a romantic interlude and if you?re trying to kick the internet habit, haha. Actually, Las G has cellular in most locations so if you?re a diehard internet person, you aren?t gonna kick the habit here.
Restaurants are mostly pizzerias, nothing special. There is absolutely nothing special here as far as activities except walking and swimming and boating. So, if you get bored easily, this is not the place to go. However, if you enjoy hearing the birds sing, it?s worth the trip, which isn?t so difficult.
Below is my Trip Advisor review of the hotel we stayed at, aka, the hotel from hunger.
TA Review
Let me get this out of the way first. To each his own, one man?s pleasure is another person?s poison, blah blah. You get the idea. That is, my opinion will differ from the vast majority of the reviews in TripAdvisor. Personally, I?m accustomed to more luxurious hotels, or at least (real) 3 or 4 star hotels with many creature comforts and amenities. However, I knew that wasn?t gonna happen even in the best hotel in Las Galeras. I accepted that. It was a trade off for the location. Although I tried not to let my personal affinities effect this review and I don?t think it did, it should be taken into account.
Frankly, I did little research and stayed there based on the 8 or so reviews on the first page in TripAdvisor, seven of which were 5 star and one was 4 star. I barely looked at the website. Mea culpa, but I was rushed due to a change in plans. I am generally more thorough at researching travel plans ahead of time. However, I likely would have stayed at El Marinique based on the TA reviews anyway (Villa Serena, the #1 hotel in TA was sold out), but now I?ll have to think twice about making decisions solely based on TA. It?s amazing how different my perspective of Marinique was then everyone else?s.
Even so, with that in mind, I was trying to understand all the accolades given to Marinique. And forgive me if I misspell the hotel as ?Martinique" now and then cuz my spell checker likes that better.
Things started out on the wrong foot. When proprietor Nicole told me that payment was cash only, I was surprised. I didn?t express anger, only surprise. She immediately became defensive and said that it stated so on the website. Yes, true, but as stated, I barely looked at the website. Is that a requirement these days? Even if I did read every word on the website (and who does?), how hard would it have been to mention it when making reservations? So, we started out on the wrong foot.
We were the only guests there. This is low season and it seemed empty everywhere, i.e., restaurants, the town, etc. That was a big positive to me. We went there to get away, not to be with tourists. But one has to wonder why one hotel (Villa Serena) would be full and the Marinique empty.
To be blunt, the apartments (2) at the hotel were terrible. We were ready to head for the hills after the first night. It was unbearably hot as heck, especially at night, with little breeze even with doors and windows open. And the mosquitoes were out in force. A sleepless night for both of us.
The next day, we told Nicole that we were going to cut our stay short from 2 nights and would be leaving that day. No questions were asked why and I felt no obligation to explain. However, Nicole?s helper, Ruth, talked to my girlfriend shortly after and she got the truth out of her. They gave us a fan, a lesson on turning on the lights and we decided to stay another night. And I found my mosquito repellent. DO NOT GO THERE WITHOUT A GOOD REPELLENT. Why we weren?t given a fan on the first night is a mystery. Unfortunately, though, it only helped in the bedroom where it was located. Downstairs was still an inferno.
Our apartment was not cleaned at all. The reason given was that we said we were leaving. I don?t buy it. That was around mid morning that we decided to leave and an hour later decided to stay after Ruth talked my girlfriend into it. Considering we were the only guests, the lack of cleaning was inexcusable. If I was the owner, I would have cleaned the room myself if my assistant was unable to. But she was present throughout the morning.
The lights were a challenge to work. You practically need to have a degree in engineering to turn on some of the lights. We were left to our own devices to figure it out the first night as well as most everything else. The furnishings were sparse. However, that sort of thing I expected and it was clear from the reviews. I never uttered a complaint and am not complaining now, just reporting.
One of Nicole's selling points ? she can be very personable and helpful when she wants to be ? is that people come to stay at Marinique for the location, beauty and tranquility, not for TV or internet, which barely worked in the room anyway. People come to hear the birds sing as Nicole said, for peace and quiet. That was a good selling point and I was sold. But does that mean that one has to almost completely ignore most creature comforts? I think we would have had almost as many comforts if we slept in a tent on the beach.
The location happens to be unbelievable and is a perfect spot to chill and get away from civilization. But sometimes it?s the little things that can make or break a deal. In my case, it wasn?t the lack of creature comforts that bothered me, though I wasn?t thrilled. The straw that broke the camel?s back was a small thing, but really gave me an insight into the mindset of the Marinique. There were no decent chairs to sit outside and appreciate the tranquility. There were no chairs in front of the house. The balcony contained 2 of the cheapest chairs you can buy, one of which I broke, partly due to my needing to lose a few ounces and partly due to that it was a cheapo chair. I doubt they cost 100 pesos each. Ya know, it?s ok to have cheap furnishings when the selling point is the location. But for Christ?s sake, supply good chairs to enjoy the tranquility. Perhaps a hammock? I know it?s a small thing and call me small-minded, but on top of everything else, that was the deal breaker.
You need a flashlight, period, although I was told the lighting was fine. To get to the main road, there are a few spots on the path that are a bit hazardous in the dark And if you are with a significant other, you?ll probably want a light to find and descend the narrow stairs to get to the restroom in the middle of the night.
On the plus side, sitting in the restaurant and having a wonderful continental breakfast (fantastic bread and jam, homemade) with breathtaking views was by far the highlight. I wish I could have spent my entire stay in the restaurant.
The area is breathtakingly gorgeous and peaceful and I would not hesitate to return. However, not to the Marinique.