Abandoned Resorts, Hotels, and Villas

[Auryn]

The coastal road near Nagua is beautiful.

But Nagua itself, not so much. It took us 45 minutes to clear it last week. As bad as anything I’ve seen in the capital, maybe worse.

 

[JD Jones]

Nagua is the closest.... for 'better' care.....otherwise SD or STI

Yep, spent a couple of years over there and had the opportunity to try out the local medical facilities.

 

[william webster]

Auryn,
people never go straight thru town on #5..... there is another way

 

[Kipling333]

I was wondering what had become of Hotel Catalina up in the hills between Cabrera and Playa Grande . I heard it closed before Covid .

 

[william webster]

Alive and well.....

Catalina Tropical Lodge

www.catalinatropicallodge.com

 

[SKY]

Alive and well.....

Catalina Tropical Lodge

www.catalinatropicallodge.com

Used to be a good spot. I hope it still is............

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

Used to be a good spot. I hope it still is............

W2 is right there too! He'll join you for coffee, rum and chicas

 

[AlaPlaya]

Alive and well.....

Catalina Tropical Lodge

www.catalinatropicallodge.com

I saw a sign advertising it yesterday as I drove through. Thanks for the reminder to look it up.

 

[Auryn]

Auryn,
people never go straight thru town on #5..... there is another way

Please tell me the other way. I will be going again more than once and that’s the only route Google Maps offered.

 

[Auryn]

Yep, spent a couple of years over there and had the opportunity to try out the local medical facilities.

Sorry to hear. I think if there’s a migration eastward the government will have to invest in better healthcare facilities in RSJ/Cabrera.

The only problem is that health care workers do need an education and the majority of children have been denied of that. Quite vehemently during and since the pandemic.

But as long as tourism prevails, no hope is lost right?

 

[william webster]

Not too easy to tell

towards Cabrera from the toll road, veer off right just after the last bridge
follow that road thru to it's end and go left
follow up to #5

explaining another way has too many turns
try this one..... or flag down a motoconcho and give him 100pesos...... at the veer right after the bridge....start there

 

[Liberator]

The Decameron in Juan Dolio has been vacant and decaying for at least 8 years.

The Coral Costa Caribe was open and running in 2015, closed down but might be back up and running.

The Emotions resort there was closed down for a long time but someone invested in it and it was open since at least March as of this past weekend.

I rembember Playa Real as well in Juan Dolio..... and Occidental La Esplanada in Sosua

 

[chico bill]

The coastal road near Nagua is beautiful.

But Nagua itself, not so much. It took us 45 minutes to clear it last week. As bad as anything I’ve seen in the capital, maybe worse.

Yeah that's like saying I spent a month there one night.
Nagua is the armpit of Las Terrenas. It is no wonder resorts aren't springing up there
My apologies to those who hail from Nagua - the police traffic stop shakedown capital of DR

 

[chico bill]

For me, the only downside of RSJ/Cabrera is the distance to quality medical attention in the event of an medical emergency.

If it wasn't for that, I would be living there already.

And the lack of a decent supermarket and hardware stores ?

 

[william webster]

We now have 2 very nice supermarkets.... much fewer trips to Playero.... good hardware stores too

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

We now have 2 very nice supermarkets.... much fewer trips to Playero.... good hardware stores too

Well, IMO we have one very nice supermarket to be honest. The other often smells like rotted meats due to them turning off all the refrigeration systems for over 12 hours per day. The selection found in both is ok, many imported products takes months to hit the shelves again. The quality of ground beef is meh in one of them and the other, well, hard to identify the animal source. The cheeses in the "other" normally smell like bargain plastic wrap combined with the smell of poorly cleaned refrigeration units.

The Palacio hardware store has basically everything under the sun, is clean and orderly - always a pleasure to shop there, although a little pricier.

 

[william webster]

To each his own.... I, too, have a favorite.....

The smelliest supermarket on the north coast is Janet's.... I notice no smells in Cabrera.... but I'm from the country

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

The smelliest supermarket on the north coast is Janet's.

It's the large selection of arenque, bacalao and unbathed tourists with no shirts and bare feet.

 

[CristoRey]

I noticed a few days ago the doors for Hotel Mercedes were open and a work crew had
brought in some industrial dehumidifiers so they can dry out the interior and start cleaning.
Here is an interesting article about what they plan to do with the building.

Hotel Mercedes in Santiago will be a cultural center and an art museum.
The Hotel Mercedes will be converted into a cultural center and an art museum to preserve historical and cultural elements of the country. This was reported yesterday during a meeting with representatives of the cultural sector of the Northern region, organized by the Banco de Reservas (Banreservas), in the vicinity of the historic Hotel Mercedes, located in the center of Santiago. According to the general administrator of Banreservas, Samuel Pereyra, for six months they have been working on the intervention of the Hotel Mercedes.

Pereyra said that part of the institution’s work is to promote and foster the country’s culture, after indicating that on instructions from President Luis Abinader, the construction of the Banreservas Cultural Center and an Art Museum were ordered at the Mercedes Hotel. Pereyra added that this complex will be preserved, but innovation will also be included, the building will have the installation of elevators and the top floor will be an enjoyment because it has a viewpoint where the entire city of Santiago can be seen.

According to the information provided at the event, by the beginning of next year, the proposed functions of the new institution will be defined. This space will bring greater splendor and recreation to the Historic Center of Santiago. Likewise, to strengthen innovation and creativity, the proposal will have three differentiated spaces: a resource center for research and learning with video library services, a laboratory, and an incubator for Mipymes-type companies. As well as a possible space for the storage and conservation of works.

Source: Dominican Today

Hotel Mercedes in Santiago will be a cultural center and an art museum

<p>The Hotel Mercedes will be converted into a cultural center and an art museum to preserve historical and cultural elements of the country. This was reported yesterday during a meeting with representatives of the cultural sector of the Northern region, organized by the Banco de Reservas...

dominicantoday.com

 

[cavok]

I didn't watch the first video to the end, but I think they don't say where it is, which is a shame. I'm thinking maybe Jardin Deportivo/Camino de Sol near Cabarete possibly.

For me, Juan Dolio is one of the weirdest places for a mixture of top-end luxury apartments owned by the rich of Santo Domingo, right next to huge derelict blocks.

I thought that first video was Camino del Sol, also. It's amazing to think that once it was a very popular tourist destination with several all-inclusive resorts.