Hi all, hope I'm in the correct thread......I "have to" go to a wedding at El Embajador hotel in Santo Domingo. I'll be driving there from Santiago.....never been there.....don't want to go BUT..... any suggestions???? Only staying one night......
- Thread starter marcosalm
- Start date
El Embajador
That's the hotel where several scenes of the movie The Godfather 2 was filmned. In fact, there are clips on Youtube and at times can see Santo Domingo from there in the 1970's (the same vista today is quite different).
While much of the clip has scenes from various parts of SD, at 4:08 is a scene at the El Embajador with Santo Domingo in the background.
I think it was in 2019 that Spain's Queen Letizia visited the DR and stayed there too.
Some photos taken in the 1950's when the El Embajador was new.
This one was taken at the first polo ground of the DR with the hotel building visible in the background.
An aerial view looking west. That empty space on the other side of the hotel is now all built up, the Bella Vista area. On the left much of that space is now part of the Parque Mirador del Sur. If by now you are guessing if the El Embajador is the oldest building in the Bella Vista section of Santo Domingo, you guessed it right.
The El Embajador is the long horizontal rectangle on the left, in the background. This is looking north from where the Feria de la Paz del Mundo Libre was celebrated in 1955 (today Centro de los Héroes). It was built by Trujillo, hence today the heroes the area's name suggest are people that died fighting against the dictatorship.
Another aerial view, this time looking north-northwest. Notice how empty its surrounding look. Today is all built up.
Another view with the hotel in the background. The building in the foreground is the Hospital Angelita Trujillo (today Hospital Pediátrico Robert Reid Cabral). This is looking northwest. The road on the right is the end of Ave Lincoln (then called ave Geffrard in honor of the Haitian president) and on the left is the beginning of what is now autopista 30 de Mayo (that's the day Trujillo was killed on this road, hence the name. The exact spot where he was killed is marked by a small monument).
Trujillo's oldest son, Ramfis with the El Embajador in the background.
Another photo of Ramfis Trujillo playing polo with the El Embajador in the background.
Aerial view, this time looking southeast with the main entrance if the El Embajador in full view.
As a bonus, aerial view of avenida Independence. Not visible but immediately on the right is Clínica Abreú. The Esso gas station is still there (don't remember if its still an Esso). This is close to Parque Independencia. In fact, on the right is Ciudad Nueva and in the background the Colonial Zone.
There are many more photos of the hotel, places and people. None of them have captions, but I don't need them because I actualky know what I'm looking at as soon as I see the photo, plus can recognize many of the people by name and what their relationship was to each other. So, if you decide to keep looking at these historic photos and want to know what is one focused on or who is so and so, post the link here, ask the question and I'll answer it as soon I see the photo.
Those were the days when there was no power blackouts, water always came out when you turn on the faucet and it was potable, you could walk the streets in safety (provided you were not actively involved against the dictatorship) no garbage problems, roads were free of holes, no falling apart cars on the road, etc. Those days are long gone. The DR is completely different now.
While much of the clip has scenes from various parts of SD, at 4:08 is a scene at the El Embajador with Santo Domingo in the background.
I think it was in 2019 that Spain's Queen Letizia visited the DR and stayed there too.
Some photos taken in the 1950's when the El Embajador was new.
This one was taken at the first polo ground of the DR with the hotel building visible in the background.
An aerial view looking west. That empty space on the other side of the hotel is now all built up, the Bella Vista area. On the left much of that space is now part of the Parque Mirador del Sur. If by now you are guessing if the El Embajador is the oldest building in the Bella Vista section of Santo Domingo, you guessed it right.
The El Embajador is the long horizontal rectangle on the left, in the background. This is looking north from where the Feria de la Paz del Mundo Libre was celebrated in 1955 (today Centro de los Héroes). It was built by Trujillo, hence today the heroes the area's name suggest are people that died fighting against the dictatorship.
Another aerial view, this time looking north-northwest. Notice how empty its surrounding look. Today is all built up.
Another view with the hotel in the background. The building in the foreground is the Hospital Angelita Trujillo (today Hospital Pediátrico Robert Reid Cabral). This is looking northwest. The road on the right is the end of Ave Lincoln (then called ave Geffrard in honor of the Haitian president) and on the left is the beginning of what is now autopista 30 de Mayo (that's the day Trujillo was killed on this road, hence the name. The exact spot where he was killed is marked by a small monument).
Trujillo's oldest son, Ramfis with the El Embajador in the background.
Another photo of Ramfis Trujillo playing polo with the El Embajador in the background.
Aerial view, this time looking southeast with the main entrance if the El Embajador in full view.
As a bonus, aerial view of avenida Independence. Not visible but immediately on the right is Clínica Abreú. The Esso gas station is still there (don't remember if its still an Esso). This is close to Parque Independencia. In fact, on the right is Ciudad Nueva and in the background the Colonial Zone.
There are many more photos of the hotel, places and people. None of them have captions, but I don't need them because I actualky know what I'm looking at as soon as I see the photo, plus can recognize many of the people by name and what their relationship was to each other. So, if you decide to keep looking at these historic photos and want to know what is one focused on or who is so and so, post the link here, ask the question and I'll answer it as soon I see the photo.
Those were the days when there was no power blackouts, water always came out when you turn on the faucet and it was potable, you could walk the streets in safety (provided you were not actively involved against the dictatorship) no garbage problems, roads were free of holes, no falling apart cars on the road, etc. Those days are long gone. The DR is completely different now.
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@NALs I love the nostalgia I sense in your post about the places and people of that bygone era. Are you a student of Dominican history or at least enjoy researching it? Where you a young boy back under Trujillo's reign or do you speak from stories passed down from your elders? Perhaps it is a deep held affinity gleaned form your reading of that past which inspires you to romanticise that era. Whatever is please do tell.
I know more than most people about Dominican history. There were things that changed that should had and then things that changed that shouldn’t had. Case in point is the distance from the road to where the private property actually start. In that time it was respected, but afterwards it wasn’t. Now the entire country is full of buildings that were built almost on the road as they are so close in clear violation of the part that belongs to the government. Any expansion of the road now requires expropiation.
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What do you want to know? It’s a lovely old hotel with beautiful grounds, nice pool area.
The hotel went through a remodel a few years ago. Room updates are nice. As AE said it has a very nice pool area and grounds.
WOW!!! Thanks for the awesome lesson! I'm not looking for anything specific....I've never been there and I'm always anxious as I don't speak Spanish, do not know anyone (except the person who invited me) and I absolutely DO NOT LIKE Santo Domingo.
Thank you all.
Marcos
Thank you all.
Marcos
It is in a nice area. Are you booking a room there? Reviews are very good. for example:
li
Traveled with groupJul 9, 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
My go to lodging in Santo Domingo!
My favorite place to stay in the capital. Located off the main road so its quiet, the rooms are luxurious and the bed so comfortable. The grounds are beautiful and fit for a wedding. Can't wait to come back!Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022
