Lodging question.

So, Where Ya Goin'?

You might find arriving 3 days prior to Christmas and expecting to find a room , AI or not about as difficult as arriving at any other popular tourist location during the busiest travel season of the year - e.g difficult, or impossible. Book ahead.

If you typically backpack, acclimatizing yourself in an AI seems to be the opposite of what you are expecting to be doing, so skip that idea as it will cost more than you really need to pay and stay at a decent quality small tourist hotel.

As to where to stay for US$20 a day (or any other amount) you might mention where in the country that you are actually going as there are several widely separated areas for tourism. But minus A/C and a pool that is probably not out of the question, whether it is possible for Xmas is harder to say. Maybe, but it might be $8 a day and a slum.

Rockies is $15 a night in Sosua.

sam5935 said:

Well, I appreciate the help and any further replies are welcome. I do need to do some research and figure out what parts of the country I'll be in. I'm looking for mainly good cities to wander in, great nightlife with locals involved, not just tourists and wherever I can find a glimpse of the "real" DR, whatever that may be. The beach is fine, although it's not usually a top priority for me. Any advice?

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All the towns between Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata, including Santiago.

sam5935 said:

Well, I appreciate the help and any further replies are welcome. I do need to do some research and figure out what parts of the country I'll be in. I'm looking for mainly good cities to wander in, great nightlife with locals involved, not just tourists and wherever I can find a glimpse of the "real" DR, whatever that may be. The beach is fine, although it's not usually a top priority for me. Any advice?

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For a unique combination of a truly Dominican city which is almost untouched by tourism, yet has a beach, try Nagua. I found the nightlife to be hopping, although the music at a couple of the discos was painfully loud, even by Dominican standards. If you like your senses being bombarded by decibel levels off the charts and strope lights, go to "virus". I personally preferred the carwash disco behind the Isla station. I did not encounter another tourist in the 2 days/nights I spent there.

sweetdbt said:

For a unique combination of a truly Dominican city which is almost untouched by tourism, yet has a beach, try Nagua. I found the nightlife to be hopping, although the music at a couple of the discos was painfully loud, even by Dominican standards. If you like your senses being bombarded by decibel levels off the charts and strope lights, go to "virus". I personally preferred the carwash disco behind the Isla station. I did not encounter another tourist in the 2 days/nights I spent there.

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Nagua is on the road to Samana, about 90 minutes from Sosua. A nice ride.