So, I finally drove up on Wednesday to spend a couple of nights at the Neuvo Suizo. It took me 2 and a half hours from SD.
This hotel is huge! Originally built in 1954, it has an incredibly interesting history.
After years of being abandoned, businessman Fermin Baez decided to rent it and open it again.
Fermin is spending most of his time there for now throughout the renovation and is a very quiet but friendly guy who made me feel at home as soon as I arrived.
When he rented it, it was nothing but a shell; it had been vandalized and stripped of everything of value.
Fermin has been working on it now for over 3 years and is doing an impressive job, to say the least. He has had to paint the whole thing, replace all of the floor coverings, replace all of the woodwork, windows, doors, fixtures, the list is endless. I think he said he's at USD$3 million so far and counting.
It has 85 rooms, (Including Trujillo's mahogany suite with secret entrance), A disco, pool, meeting rooms, dining room, patio, outside bar.
The place is just monstrous - I can't imagine how much he spent on paint alone.
From the rooms on the front, you can see almost the entire town of Constanza.
The temperature got down to about 40 degrees both nights I was there.
We had a suite with a balcony overlooking the forest which was 3500 pesos per night.
Very comfortable, instant hot water, super comfy bed.
The silence is deafening. Zero Noise. No music, no motorcycles, no traffic, no nothing. Wifi only in the restaurant.
It was eery quiet-something I haven't experienced in a long time.
ratings:
Cleanliness 8/10 Hard to be clean with the construction but we saw employees cleaning constantly. The room was spotless
Staff 7/10 All very friendly and eager to please
Food 6/10 Basic Dominican fare with low, low prices. But nobody goes there for the food, it's for overnighters.