Santo Domingo Travel Guide
Tags: Island Travel / Islands / Alcohol / Booze Travel / Trampolines / → All Tags
Russian Barbers Agree: The Dominican Republic is the Place to Go This Year
I got my hair cut this morning at a barber shop on Union Avenue in Brooklyn called Model Barbers, where Jack and Oksana work. I like going there, because I can practice my feeble Russian on them and they always correct my mispronunciations and grammatical errors. Jack and Oksana are from Uzbekistan, but they refer to the whole former Soviet Union as Russia and personally identify as Russians. No matter what bad thing happens in America, they'll remind you that things are worse in Russia. As I sit in the chair, they banter with each other in rapid-fire Russian, and I can only pick out a few odd words: rabota (work), kanyeshna (certainly), zhopa (ass).
Tags: Dominican Republic Field Trip / Christopher Columbus / Rafael Trujillo / History Travel / Santo Domingo Travel / → All Tags
Santo Domingo: Columbus Probably Slept Here
Jaunted editor Ellen Wernecke just got back from a trip to the Dominican Republic and, truly, has not finished unpacking yet. But that won't stop her from sharing the highlights of her trip, no siree.
The historical relativism and occasional indifference included in any given tour of old Santo Domingo would make a history professor's head explode. Our hired Dominican guide, absent the ability to ad-lib in English, repeated his frequently outlandish statements about, say, the former church where pregnant women would go and then magically have their babies in two hours.
He was a fount of these stories, doubtless rooted in truth, as well as the locations of every cigar store that offered him a premium for bringing by American shoppers.
Tags: Dominican Republic Field Trip / Gourmet Travel / Food Travel / → All Tags
Plantains: They're What's For Lunch
Jaunted editor Ellen Wernecke just got back from a trip to the Dominican Republic and before she's even unpacked, will be giving her take on jungles, jingoism, and the Caribbean tourism slump.
If it looks like a banana but is treated like a potato, it must be a plantain -- a staple of Central American food which pops up all over in Dominican cooking.
Tags: Eat-n-Sleep / Caribbean Travel / → All Tags
Eat 'n Sleep in the Dominican Republic :: Cafe Montez and Hotel Atarazana
Our Eat 'n Sleep feature profiles a restaurant in a random city and a hotel nearby. It's kinda like that old show "Dinner and a Movie" but you know, with restaurants and hotels. And better jokes.
The 2-million-strong city of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic has one of those to-die-for climates: The average high year round is between 85 and 90 degrees. The Colonial Zone of the city is popular for visitors, and has plenty of good places to eat and sleep. But we like one place in particular.
Tags: Hotels / Caribbean / → All Tags
Hotel Atarazana
As the #1 Santo Domingo hotel on TripAdvisor, Hotel Atarazana has us interested. While some photos posted by TripAdvisor members make the rooms seem a little less bright than official shots would indicate, that suspicion is offset by the top scores and rave reviews the place has been pulling in since it opened in late 2004. Santo Domingo isn't known for any sort of boutique hotel scene, but Hotel Atarazana fits the bill for travelers seeking small, personal and hip lodging in the Dominican Republic's capital.
This six-room guest house is run by dedicated hosts Susanna and Bernard--the latter a German architect who designed the place. A rooftop garden was completed over the summer and is ready for your vegetating pleasure. The chronically overheated will need to specifically request a room with air conditioning, as it's not yet installed in all the rooms. Everyone gets internet of some sort, though. If you forgo the sticky season and wait until next winter to book, there may be even more amenities to gush about. The place has clearly been built with love.
Related Stories:
· Hotel Atarazana [Official Site]
· Hotel Atarazana reviews [TripAdvisor]
· JetBlue to Santo Domingo [Jaunted]
Tags: Movie Set Travel / Havana / Santo Domingo / → All Tags
Movie Set Travel: The Lost City
Today's movie set travel takes us to a warm and saucy destination with the opening of Andy Garcia's The Lost City. Set in '50s Havana, Cuba, the plot revolves around a nightclub owner who's caught having an affair with his brother's lady, all while Castro's regime in taking down the country. Of course, the film was not shot in Cuba at all, but in Santo Domingo, D.R. We offer you some warm and saucy things to check out in Santo Domingo--just stay away from your brother's wife.
Where To Stay:
Hotel Sofitel Santo Domingo
Housed in the 16th-century former mansion of the Governor of the Americas, the colonial rooms have all the right touches, like canopy beds and shutters. You can also opt for the contemporary wing, where some rooms have views of the river. A courtyard hosts concerts and guests can sample French fare at the hotel's restaurant.
Where To Tan:
Palaya Bahoruco
This pristine beach is the spot to go to carry on that affair. It's isolated with jagged cliffs and golden sand, though the pebbly shore makes it tough to walk on so don't forget your sandals. Bring change to buy a fresh fish lunch from one of the many vendors.
Where To Smoke:
Cigar King
Step into the temperature-controlled cedar room and take your pick of the best selection of Dominican and Cubans extant. Staff will be happy to help you, and ensure top quality. It's the perfect way to end a night of illicit activity.
