Seriously Considering Going to Santo Domingo By Myself.

[TropicalPaul]

If you do come to Santo Domingo, I would question the Hilton. It's not a good Hilton (I like Hiltons in other cities, but in Santo Domingo it's pretty terrible), and it's really expensive compared to other hotels in the area. And it's not well located. You can't really walk around that neighborhood alone at night, so you'll need a taxi, and the taxis all double their fares for Hilton customers. And if you do meet women, you're going to have a nightmare trying to get them back into your room at the Hilton, at best this will be expensive and at worst impossible.

I would suggest you go to a chica-friendly hotel in the Colonial Zone like Roma, you can walk around at night reasonably safely, and you'll pay half the price of the Hilton. And if you do want to bring ladies back, you won't have any problems.

 

[Harleysrock]

I agree with tropicapaul, I had way much more fun staying in the Colonial zone this last week than my 3 previous stays on the Malecon
I doubt you can find a better hotel with a great price than Casa Sanchez! The staff were beyond friendly, helpful and awesome! Great Location, not loud at night, felt totally safe, walked all around by myself or with the wife any time day/night.

We had the more expensive $96 room(including tax) but other rates can be around $80ish I believe which includes wifi and breakfast(which was GREAT)

I could not recommend this hotel enough! I have never liked boutique hotels before but this was AWESOME!

I would ditch that Hilton in a second,(if you can) it is not "Hilton" material!

Oh bringing a guest back there is a $20 charge a night I think.

 

[Viajero]

Would you recommend I go alone?

How do you plan to spend your time?

Do you speak Spanish?

 

[Twalker]

I do not speak Spanish.
Just plan on relaxing and partying.

 

[rice&beans]

I do not speak Spanish.
Just plan on relaxing and partying.

If your really feeling adventurous,

Boca Chica is right down the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[greydread]

I'm a straight single black male thinking about going to Santo Domingo alone because my friend backed out on me for work obligations, which I understand.

He pumped my head up all year long about how much fun it is there, now I still want to go.

Hadn't bought my ticket yet, but thinking about getting it today and will be staying at the Hilton.

How friendly are the women?
Would you recommend I go alone?
How safe is it there?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'd think it would depend on your experience at travelling solo in foreign countries. The Dominican Republic, as Americanized as it may seem in some respects is definitely a foreign country. There's the language, the more Spanish you can manage, the better. Then there's the noise, garbage, traffic, hustlers and potholes. You've got to look down while walking to avoid stepping into something that will change your life forever.

Once you get past all that you've got it licked. Sign up for a tour, that way you're sure to meet folks with common interests. The poster who advised the Colonial Zone rather than the Malecon for accommodation was right. Find something there. I'm sure that if you got on Dominican Cupid, Badoo, Tagged or one of the other meeting sites you could find someone interesting to show you the sights. I had the advantage of knowing People there before my 1st trip and even though I didn't actually catch up with any of them until my 2nd trip (distractions) it was comforting to know they were there.

Hit the National Zoo/ Botanical Garden and National Aquarium. Take a ride on the Metro. Don't drink, brush your teeth or gargle with the water and take a few sheets of TP with you when you go out for the Day (never know when you'll feel the urge to "sneeze"). The People are very friendly and think "Ward 5" as you travel around. If you do decide to go, I know that you will have a blast.

 

[Viajero]

I do not speak Spanish.
Just plan on relaxing and partying.

Not sure what kind of partying you are talking about, but there are some nice casinos, clubs, bars, lounges in Santo Domingo. Since you don't speak the language, you are at a disadvantage. Another option would be to try spots around the universities or language schools where you might meet regular people that speak some english as opposed to the hustlers in the tourist areas.

Boca Chica is close to Santo Domingo if you like the beach, but there are a lot of street hustlers and its a seedy scene.

 

[AlterEgo]

If you do come to Santo Domingo, I would question the Hilton. It's not a good Hilton (I like Hiltons in other cities, but in Santo Domingo it's pretty terrible), and it's really expensive compared to other hotels in the area. And it's not well located. You can't really walk around that neighborhood alone at night, so you'll need a taxi, and the taxis all double their fares for Hilton customers. And if you do meet women, you're going to have a nightmare trying to get them back into your room at the Hilton, at best this will be expensive and at worst impossible.

I would suggest you go to a chica-friendly hotel in the Colonial Zone like Roma, you can walk around at night reasonably safely, and you'll pay half the price of the Hilton. And if you do want to bring ladies back, you won't have any problems.

I agree with tropicapaul, I had way much more fun staying in the Colonial zone this last week than my 3 previous stays on the Malecon
I doubt you can find a better hotel with a great price than Casa Sanchez! The staff were beyond friendly, helpful and awesome! Great Location, not loud at night, felt totally safe, walked all around by myself or with the wife any time day/night.

We had the more expensive $96 room(including tax) but other rates can be around $80ish I believe which includes wifi and breakfast(which was GREAT)

I could not recommend this hotel enough! I have never liked boutique hotels before but this was AWESOME!

I would ditch that Hilton in a second,(if you can) it is not "Hilton" material!

Oh bringing a guest back there is a $20 charge a night I think.

I agree with Tropical Paul and Harley - Stay in the Colonial Zone, and stay at Casa Sanchez. I know several people who have stayed there, and they all rave about it.

 

[keepcoming]

I agree, stay somewhere else other than the Hilton. My family always stays there and basically there is nothing around there. Taxis out of the Hilton are expensive. Really just a hotel for people here on business. Staying on the Malecon to me isn't the best place to be if your looking to go around and explore and it can be expensive. Not really worth it if you ask me. The Colonial Zone would probably be the best. I have had friends stay at the Barcel? Santo Domingo and they like it. But again if you looking to get out and about the Colonial Zone is a very good choice.

 

[PeteyPablo]

The capital + no spanish + first time + alone + wants to "party" ....throw it all in the blender...

= The next DR1 gringo horror story (aka "Grab your ankles!")

 

[Contango]

I think you know the answer to this as you are still considering coming alone. Santo Domingo is difficult i you do not know where you are going, and it is not the kind of place you can take advise from anyone. If I was coming to the DR on the thoughts of what you have in your mind for your entertainment then Santo Domingo would be the lastt place I would go, knowing the Capital very well.
Going off the swing around of beautiful women and safety among other similar like minded tourists I would be heading to Bavaro, none All Inc. Used to be the last place to go to find company, but over the last couple of years has become very pleasant, and relaxed and without doubt safer than any of the other obvious destinations with stunning game young women.

I have to disagree with you on this one point, Bavaro has very few "stunning" young Women.. What Bavaro has is some prostitutes or hotel workers from Higuey, or the ones who stay in the Hotel Dormitories.. Every Dominican that lives in Bavaro or Fruisa is from somewhere else.. Hence all DOMS in Bavaro are on the "hustle", and there is NOT a plethora of young beautiful women here in any form of abundance. slim pickings..

 

[LTSteve]

Do you speak Spanish? Why Santo Domingo?

LTSteve

 

[Africaida]

I do not speak Spanish.
Just plan on relaxing and partying.

Go to a beach town.

 

[Mcinbrass]

Go to a beach town.

Come down, have a blast. I'll be there. Brush up on your spanish though.

 

[HUG]

I have to disagree with you on this one point, Bavaro has very few "stunning" young Women.. What Bavaro has is some prostitutes or hotel workers from Higuey, or the ones who stay in the Hotel Dormitories.. Every Dominican that lives in Bavaro or Fruisa is from somewhere else.. Hence all DOMS in Bavaro are on the "hustle", and there is NOT a plethora of young beautiful women here in any form of abundance. slim pickings..

There is not a huge amount of women because there is not a huge amount of mongers. Hence the attraction for the more dangerous oportunist whore is less attractive. I?d suggest popping into Steves bar and then heading just up the road a little later on. The women seem cleaner and less slutty. If you are looking for mongering place then head to Boca or Sosua, but with that carries the higher odds of landing a terrible experience.

 

[JuanDolioLiving]

Hey my friend don't stay at the Hilton because you will need a taxi every time that you want to go out. Better stay at Hostal Nicolas de Ovando which is a very safe area and very nice. Stay in the colonial city all the time or go to Acropolis mall after 5:30pm for a 2 hours happy hours with lots of women. Go to Juan Dolio and not Boca Chica if you are planning on going to the beach while here. In juan Dolio look for a beach bar called Don Pedro, there are always women there too.

Sear for hotels in the colonial city and don't stay anywhere else unless you have a car to get around. Condo Penalba is another hotel where you can stay or Adelpa, great locations.

Good luck and enjoy yourself while here and please do not allow yourself to be taking somewhere outside the colonial area or the malls on Winston Churchill

 

[gas]

For those who stayed in both Casa Sanchez & Ovando, which do you like better and why?

 

[greydread]

The capital + no spanish + first time + alone + wants to "party" ....throw it all in the blender...

= The next DR1 gringo horror story (aka "Grab your ankles!")

Alarmist and not true.

If I remember correctly the OP is from Houston. It's got a population of 2.1 Million with a metropolitan area population of 6 million. Santo Domingo has a population of just under a million with a metropolitan area population of just under 3 million. The same rules of comportment apply. Someone from Albany, NY or Albuquerque, NM might have problems acclimating but probably not someone from the 5th largest metropolitan area in the USA.

There are thousands of U.S. business travellers in Santo Domingo on any given day and most do not speak Spanish and most do not have problems getting around, doing business or having fun. The biggest problem most of them have is getting accustomed to the exchange rate and placing their expenditures on "autocalc".

I think that it's safe to assume that if someone has travelled to foreign countries solo before and especially foreign Capitols that they understand how to move about and find whatever they need. On 2nd thought, I think that for a 1st visit the Hilton may not be a bad idea. It's far more expensive than staying in the Colonial Zone but it's also far more convenient and geared toward the travelling non-Spanish speaker. He will pay more for everything on his vacation than many who have travelled there often but he will have access to the best available goods and services in return. I have known many friends and family members who have expatriated to poor 3rd world countries and most return but they almost always return as complaining cheapskates....but they've got great stories. The OP is merely taking a short vacation and he won't experience 0.0001% of what ex-pat's see in the D.R. and I believe that big city visitors should start in the big city and then explore the beach towns and other options.

 

[Jeepito]

Ditch the Hilton

I agree about ditching the Hilton. They'll pi.. on your parade. If you don't add a guest at the time of registration they'll come come up with all sorts of fees and additional charges. Secondly that area of the malecon is dead, especially at night. One of my favorite spots close to the malecon, the colonial zone and all the action is a little hotel called La cansona dorada at the corner of independencia and Osvaldo Baez in Gazcue. They're very guest friendly and have a great BF included in the price in the morning. Go to booking.com and you'll find them.

It's close to several 24 hour restaurants, there are two colmados that stay open late and sell just about everything, as well as a pharmacy. It's within walking distance or short taxi ride to the colonial zone, in that area you will also find like minded travelers. There's a lot of action in the colonial zone, but there's a lot of crime and illegal activity there at night, so you maybe stuck in your hotel at night if you stay there. Like you I travel alone, it hasn't been an option for me by choice. Always agree on a price first before getting into a taxi, the going rate for short hops within that area was 150-200 pesos when I was there in January.

 

[HUG]

I have never heard any good reports from the Hilton.