Best small hotel in Boca Chica

Ricardo900

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Jul 12, 2004
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Name: El Candil
Location:Calle Juanico Garcia No.2, Boca Chica
Reason why?:

The rooms are very clean, the staff is very courteous and hospitable, it's gated, so security is very good. It's quiet at night because of the two block proximity from the beach. The Pink Lady is across the street ;) ;) ;)
Free airport transfers, so you'll save US$40 and they rent cars for $30 a-day (including tax & insurance)
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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Ricardo900 said:
The Pink Lady is across the street ;) ;) ;)
Free airport transfers, so you'll save US$40 and they rent cars for $30 a-day (including tax & insurance)

It is a very good choice along with Costlunga and Garant ( if a little pricey).

And amazingly, Pink House was not one of the MP's charged in the raids, no idea if it still operates. Clip joint for gringos though of course..
 

jrzyguy

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May 5, 2004
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i totaly agree with the OP....El Candil is great!! Costalunga comes in second....but i give my #1 vote to Candil.

Security is much tighter at candil. and i like their key policy (you have to leave the key at the front desk when you leave...seems like a pain in the butt at first...but you dont have to worry about losing it!).

Yes...petteri picks you up in person at the airport for FREE.....and if you are new to town he will swing thru the town and point out some good places to eat etc.

They also have LARGE bottles of water available for your room(5 or 10 gallons..i dunno..but the BIG blue ones). The cost of water can really add up eventualy.

I have to say also that the maid service is MUCH better at candil. I hate to say it...but there were a few days when i didnt get new towels at costalunga

my BIGGEST gripe with costalunga (and i sorta hate posting this...cuz i really like mario but i gotta) When we got there this year...there was a group of about 20 guys from NYC & NJ.....and EVERY NIGHT they would take over all the public spaces with their "girls"....and party in the street right outside my window....and there were hookers and loud guys all around the public areas. Hey...i got NO problem with chica chasers hanging out and partying....but go to one of the discos or down to what is left of Duarte!!! i didnt get an OUNCE of sleep for my first four nights!!!! Dont get me wrong...the guys were just doing their thing...and when i told a few of them about my lack of sleep on their last night...they were VERY appologetic.....but still partied till the wee hours....but not QUITE as loud. this "scene" would never have been tolerated at candil. BUt hey...if you are a bunch of chica chasing guys....then you might prefer costalunga. Just giving the heads up.

Finaly....i just find the layout of Candil nicer. I like the pool in the courtyard...and the balconies that look over it. It is a bit more sociable as well. There are a few tables by the pool where they serve breakfast and drinks....and i met some really cool people there. (nice when you are traveling solo...or even with just one friend). Overall..its just a nicer looking place with better service and caters more to discrete guests and families. (not all the guests are THAT discrete.....but there wont be a big frat party in the halls)

ALso ...at candil there is NO WAY someone will get in with you with out leaving there identification at the desk. Costalunga attempts to do this....but a few of my friends got by the front desk with no problem (this can be either a pro or con....depending what you are looking for).

So....i vote for El Candil as #1.....but i still recommend costalunga....it all depends what you are looking for.

well...i hope this info helps. and this is just my humble opinion
 

rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
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jrzyguy said:
...i just find the layout of Candil nicer. I like the pool in the courtyard...and the balconies that look over it. It is a bit more sociable as well. There are a few tables by the pool where they serve breakfast and drinks...
If you're a late riser don't get a room anywhere near the breakfast area. It gets noisy, early; and the noise carries.
 

sweetdbt

Bronze
Sep 17, 2004
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Cut and pasted

dominicanguy123 said:
The Dominican people are internationally recognized as being very attractive. The men tend to be lean, muscular, macho, forward, romantic, naturally good dancers, great lovers, and sexually insatiable. The women are known to be slim and curvy with round butts as in that which made Jennifer Lopez famous, for being well endowed, for being hot blooded and passionate, for embracing femininity and a traditional female role, and for being sexually liberated, talented, and provocative.

directly from the bocachicabeach website. How original! My apologies if the poster here is also the website creator, but somehow I doubt it.
 

Willie

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Sep 30, 2004
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Personally I like EL CAUCHO. Nice laid back atmostsphere and very attentive management.

Willie
 

rafael

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Jan 2, 2002
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www.dr-tourist.tv
I second the El Caucho vote. I have never stayed at El Candil but have heard nothing but good things about them. I used to stay at Costalunga all the time and never had any complaints.

El Caucho is my new favorite because they are very close to the beach, good italian restaurant on premises, the owners are very cool, and they have WIFI at the bar. . . .
 

jrzyguy

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May 5, 2004
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i just wanted to say again...that i was by no means trying to be overly critical of costalunga....mario is super cool....and in the past i stayed there with no complaints (except for the loud german family beneath me).

IT was a very busy week (durring carnival) so they couldnt switch my room.

Both places have their pro's and cons. I have a few local friends (not sankies) and i liked the fact that they could come see me without too much interferance at costalunga.

bottom line...i think costaluga is great for the chica chasers....candil is a bit nicer (but has certain restrictions...like no big frat parties in the halls).

I never did find the noise level too much either (and i am not an early riser...at least as far as waking up lol). Perhaps the other poster had a room on the first floor....i usualy am on the 2nd or 3rd....and never had a problem. But if you really want QUIET....they have a few room in the back that do not overlook the coutyard/pool area.

well..i would like to hear more about this other place that folks have meantioned. do they have a pool...guest policy...is it low key? is it more for chica chasers or for regular travelers? I used to work for a very fancy hotel in boston for year....and i tend to notice the little things. I am not all that picky...but just a BIT of attention to detail goes a long way with me. (bottled water, airport pickup, and an open attitude towards diverse as well as traditional lifestyles is what i look for).

soooooooo...with all that said...can someone recommend somewhere else to go to in the DR? I am looking for something different on my next trip.
 

rafael

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Jan 2, 2002
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El Caucho has a nice pool, that they clean early every morning. It is very low key. There are chica chasers there as well as chicas but unless you were looking you wouldn't really notice. I stayed there 3 nights and was never bothered by any chicas or were there any wild goings on with the chica chasers.

I met a few cool guests, including a dominican guy in his 50s that was there with his family. Boca is dead these days but he and I took a walk to Isla Bonita one night and had a few beers.

El Caucho has a pool table and ping pong table near the pool as well as gaming machines in the bar area.

I never had any complaints with Mario and Costalunga. They always treated me well, and I would use the internet center next door every day. I prefer sitting at the bar at El Caucho drinking a cold beer and accessing the net with my laptop via WIFI.

They have 2 restaurants. One that does rotisserie chicken and the second is an Italian restaurant. Danny one of the owners, who is Italian, does most of the cooking at the Italian place. Usually the italian place opens for dinner only, while the chicken place is open for lunch. They serve breakfast as well. Twice I was hungry and the italian place was not opened yet. Danny told me if he is there, he will cook. He made me a meal even though they were not opened yet.

Maybe because El Caucho is relatively new, but they seem very customer service oriented and all 4 owners are cool guys. Heck if I am not staying overnight in Boca I will still stop in and say hello.
 

helpmann

On Vacation!
May 18, 2004
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El Caucho

rafael said:
very customer service oriented and all 4 owners are cool guys. Heck if I am not staying overnight in Boca I will still stop in and say hello.
The management is first class.


-Helpmann
 

profe

New member
Oct 25, 2004
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Stick to Managa Info

ricktoronto said:
It is a very good choice along with Costlunga and Garant ( if a little pricey).

And amazingly, Pink House was not one of the MP's charged in the raids, no idea if it still operates. Clip joint for gringos though of course..
The pink house was charged in the raid and was closed (along with blanco and la sala) during the day.At night one girl sat in a chair off to the side (4/24),not really solictating.The owner had to appear in court.

Boca is not dead,only for those interested in drinking in and closing bars at 4am.The girls are actually more agressive during the day(moving about constantly,using the papi chulos)(one bar did reopen on the main street)the Cosimo owner chooses not to reopen until the situation stabilizes(strictly his choice not the governments or so I have been told)

:eek:
 

Annaliza1

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Dec 17, 2005
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I loved El Caucho Hotel, very good customer service. And the management are very accomodating. Location is excellent as it is a stones throw from the beach. I would reccomend to anyone that is looking for a small hotel at a good price.
 

georgemen

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Apr 1, 2002
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I agrre that the Candil is very nice. However, ther is a place also a v ery nice place called Bella Vista Condominiums. It is one block down on the other side of the highway. They have a web site. http://www.viviun.com/AD-6791.
It is very clean, quite and good prices.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
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rafael said:
I second the El Caucho vote. I have never stayed at El Candil but have heard nothing but good things about them. I used to stay at Costalunga all the time and never had any complaints.

El Caucho is my new favorite because they are very close to the beach, good italian restaurant on premises, the owners are very cool, and they have WIFI at the bar. . . .

I booked 4 nights at El Caucho for mid May. I hope it is all you say it is.
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
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That's just where I wanna be in Boca Chica, on the other side of the highway! Not the safest place to be after dark.
 

tht

Master of my own fate.
Oct 10, 2002
849
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Planet Earth
profe said:
Boca is not dead,only for those interested in drinking in and closing bars at 4am.The girls are actually more agressive during the day(moving about constantly,using the papi chulos)(one bar did reopen on the main street)the Cosimo owner chooses not to reopen until the situation stabilizes(strictly his choice not the governments or so I have been told)

:eek:

Apologize if I'm mixing things up here, and it's not really important, but is "Cosimo" Cosmos Disco? The owner(s) of that business had no choice, two of those guys were arrested by Interpol and sent back to France. Just passing on old news (more than a year old).

And BTW Boca Chica is not as dirty as it used to be, but any closed business is converted to a garbage dump after a little while no one cares if the place is closed.
 
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Ricardo900

Silver
Jul 12, 2004
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georgemen said:
I've checked out the website and it's probably the worst hotel in Boca Chica. Why would you pay $85+ a night and still be 1 mile from the Beach. On the other side of Las Americas is definitely not the place to be, looking for a death wish crossing it drunk and at night. Is there free concho service with purchase of condo?
 

tht

Master of my own fate.
Oct 10, 2002
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Planet Earth
It's not the worst hotel in Boca Chica, it's not a hotel at all it's a condo. For one night no, but if you live there for a year or two yes. There's no such thing as a safe place in Boca Chica, forget it (unless you have your own dog).
 

Ricardo900

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Jul 12, 2004
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tht said:
It's not the worst hotel in Boca Chica, it's not a hotel at all it's a condo. For one night no, but if you live there for a year or two yes. There's no such thing as a safe place in Boca Chica, forget it (unless you have your own dog).
I see a nightly rate posted on their site for $85 w/ air-conditioning, so I am assuming that they use the available rooms as apart-hotels, since they have kitchens.