Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is rich in history. It’s one of those places you read up on and can’t believe so much went on here in a short period of time. Unlucky for me, I didn’t see any of it. I didn’t even leave my resort for more than ten minutes.
I arrived on Delta flight 1943 a little bit before midnight. Before you knew it, I was shuttled in the back of a Sonata and off into the night for the roughly 45-minute drive to my hotel. I got to the hotel around 12:30 am, and to my surprise, room service ended at 11:00 pm. In their defense, there were snacks in the mini bar, but we both know I wasn't paying for that. Luckily as a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum member, I have access to the 10th-floor lounge. It was light but had a coffee maker that produced hot chocolate. It wasn't the best dinner, but it would suffice.
I tried to get some shuteye and woke up at 5:30 am. I had purchased a tour on the Bonvoy website and hadn’t gotten any confirmation from the tour company. When I asked the hotel, they explained this was totally separate from the hotel and they were unable to assist me. I DM'd called, WhatsApp, and emailed the tour operator and with no response, I still set out early morning for the tour.
Despite having a confirmation email from Viator, I wasn’t allowed on the tour and was later told my time got canceled the day before. (Yet, no one reached out) Since I had the day and nothing to do, I sat at the pool. I turned it into a writer's retreat and got to work on some trips that were on my mind but never made it to paper. Who knew a day at the pool was what I needed? I should really have more of them.
Lunch was an Angus burger followed by a few Presidentes. I returned to my room for a brief nap before returning to the lobby for dinner. I had Sancocho for the first time with rice and avocado. I may have a new favorite.
The next day I tried to repeat the magic, got up, had breakfast in the cafe, followed by a writing session at the pool, then I had chicharrones de Pollo with plantain for lunch. I continued writing and before you knew it, it was time to leave.
About the hotel.
The hotel comes equipped with most of the basic necessities. There is a gym and pool on the mezzanine floor. A cafe off the lobby on some stairs and a bar that is the centerpiece of the main floor. There were eleven floors with the 10th floor having the above-mentioned lounge.
Service is left to be desired as everyone is operating on their own clock. Nonetheless, it wasn’t a bad experience. The food was solid and the hotel fits even the most meager budgets. Reasonable price for the location directly across from the Malecon.
All in all the Dominican Republic has a lot to offer. I enjoyed my time in Santo Domingo but didn't like the attention I drew once I left the hotel. I would return to Santo Domingo in the future for a better experience and I would like to see what Punta Cana offers on my next visit. Until the next trip, ill keep the memories.
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any parties mentioned. None of the entities mentioned has reviewed, approved, or endorsed the content listed in this post.
