Was Santo Domingo the wrong choice?
YES
It is that simple
Your simple answer is wrong!
It's wrong for some people.
Perhaps for those looking for sex handed to them on a silver platter.
I personally do not like Santo Domingo, it's just not to my liking.
But, it is not the wrong place.
I have been there just walking from the Metro station to the Ocean and as far as U.S. immigration.
Alone the beach I stopped at a couple of the "bars'.
The possibilities of picking up someone was very high to say the least.
And this was in the day time. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
My adventures in SD far exceeds any I could expect in the U.S.
One day just walking in eye sight of the migration building when going for my residency, there was an "overly" friendly young lady walking towards me.
But I love Santiago and Sosua, I will pass on SD.
The OP in my opinion was just expecting too much and did not make any effort.
Kinda like some Dominicans that think you can go to the U.S. and just find money in the streets.
As "Greydread" said, there must be something seriously wrong with the OP.
SantiagoDR