Re: Jim
Doug:
I'll be in Boca Chica tomorrow. New construction in Boca Chica continues. Businesses, condos, restaurants, and apartments, ...
The Joker Hotel in Boca Chica (formerly Hotel Italia) has only been open for a couple months. It has been fixed up nicely and is run by a prominent Italian couple, Roberto and his wife Elena, as a "project" for the owners, friends of theirs that are in Italy. Roberto and his wife Elena are good friends and business associates of mine.
Roberto is an attorney and international financier, made his mark owning and running a stock exchange, and is a famous race car driver among many other very interesting things. You will find them to be quite extraordinary and interesting, humble and intelligent, warm and friendly. His Italian wife is attractive, younger, runs a spic-and-span ship, cooks like no other, and has a special love for cats.
The Joker hotel is located along Las Americas (see
www.BocaChicaBeach.net/map.html), and many of the clients are people that arrive in the DR without a hotel in mind. They see the Joker Hotel when driving along the highway after leaving the airport. It is but a short walk to the beach and there is a road that runs directly along side the hotel, from the highway to the beach. Things at this place are informal (like family and friends actually), clean, and you are isolated from many of the problems one typically deals with when visiting the paradise of Boca Chica. Couples and singles alike will feel equally at home here.
Italian, Spanish, and English are spoken fluently here. Yes, you can park your motorcycle on the grounds. I can't give you any specifics about the rooms beside what is says on the website. If food is your thing, you are in for a treat. The kitchen is in full view and dining is a warm and friendly event, casual and family style.
The owner is especially into swimming and he is as attentive to the condition of the pool as his wife is to the cleanliness of the hotel. The pool is a good sized and deep. The hotel has a bar and restaurant and will manage just about any service for their clients.