Where to stay in Santo Domingo: 4 best areas & places!
It is not difficult to find where to stay in Santo Domingo, as the city offers many accommodation options. The important thing is to choose the best areas to stay, because the city is big and not all places are suitable, either because of safety or distance from the attractions you want to visit during your stay.
Although we think that the best area to stay is the Colonial Zone, it is not the only one, and perhaps you may prefer to choose a hotel in another area. Therefore, in this article we will show you what options are available so you can choose the hotel that best suits your type of trip and your budget.
Where to stay in Santo Domingo: The 4 best areas for accommodation
Let’s take a look at the 4 best areas where you can look for accommodation in the capital of the Dominican Republic, depending on your interests.
1. The colonial zone, the best area to stay in Santo Domingo
It is always best to look for a hotel in the colonial zone, because in this way you will have the main attractions of Santo Domingo very close to your accommodation and you will not have to use transportation.
It’s also the most charming area of the city, with many boutique hotels housed in centuries-old mansions.
Some accommodations have certain features that make them special. For example, the Hodelpa Nicolas de Ovando Hotel was the home of Santo Domingo’s founder and is now a beautiful boutique hotel in an excellent location on Las Damas Street. Highly recommended if it’s in your budget.
⏩ Travel Tip: Once you arrive in Santo Domingo, I recommend taking a free tour of the colonial zone, as it will help you get to know the place, learn about the history, and give you a few extra tips for your days in the city.
Recommended hotels in the Colonial Zone
Depending on your budget, we recommend the following hotels and hostels in Santo Domingo that have excellent traveler reviews and opinions, and all of them are in great locations.
- $ (up to $70 for a double room): Colonial 154H, one of the cheapest boutique hotels in the colonial zone with a great selection of rooms || Casa Sanchez is an adults-only accommodation in an old house with a swimming pool.
- $$ (less than $100 for a double room): El Beaterio was an old 16th-century cloister convent converted into a boutique hotel, ideally located across from the Dominican Monastery || Villa Colonial Hotel with pool and garden in the Colonial Zone.
- $$$ (over US$100 for a double room): Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando, a boutique hotel that was formerly the residence of the founder of Santo Domingo || Hotel Billini is a restored 16th-century colonial house converted into a modern 5-star hotel, with terrace, pool and views of the city.
Note: Prices are indicative only and may vary depending on the date and time of booking the accommodation.
2. The Malecón: stay with stunning Caribbean Sea Views
The boardwalk area is an excellent alternative to find accommodation in Santo Domingo. You’ll have the sea right in front of your hotel, and there are restaurants and bars where you can have a rum when the sun goes down.
And if you like to gamble, you’ll find several casinos along the promenade. The Jaragua Santo Domingo Hotel, for example, is a casino hotel on the boardwalk.
Most of the luxury hotels and international chains in Santo Domingo have their hotels in this part of the city. What I find most attractive is the possibility to choose a room with an ocean view here. Besides, you get the first class service of renowned hotels and you know what to expect.
In February or March, this part of the city celebrates Carnival. So if your visit coincides with the parades, it might be a good idea to stay on the seafront.
Depending on which part of the boardwalk you choose, you may be even closer to the colonial district, which would be a plus.
⏩ In August, the boardwalk hosts a big event in Santo Domingo: the Meringue Festival! If your trip coincides with this date, you should book your accommodation in advance.
The best hotels on the Malecon in Santo Domingo
- Catalonia Santo Domingo: a 5-star hotel on the boardwalk, which has rooms with sea views at a very good price.
- Renaissance Jaragua: a 4-star hotel on the boardwalk, with a nice pool and the Gran Casino Jaragua.
- Sheraton Santo Domingo, a 5 star hotel with a casino and rooms with sea view.
A slightly cheaper alternative in this area is the Hotel Napolitano, which also has a casino and rooms with sea views and is not far from the historic center. However, it is clearly not the ideal area if you are looking for cheap accommodation in Santo Domingo.
🌴 Have you experienced the stunning Saona Island? This excursion departs right from Santo Domingo!
3. The modern business district
There are some lively neighborhoods called Piantini and Ensanche with buildings, big businesses, shopping centers and some great hotels and restaurants. This is the ideal area if you’re traveling to Santo Domingo on business.
This part of the city may not be a recommended area for tourists because you are far from many attractions. But if the reason for your visit is different, it can be an excellent alternative to staying in Santo Domingo in a first class hotel.
Hotels in Santo Domingo: ideal for business trips
- Embassy Suites by Hilton: This hotel, with an infinity pool in front of the Silver Sun Gallery shopping center, offers a daily 2-hour evening reception with free drinks and snacks, and rooms with city views.
- Hotel Embajador, a very good hotel that was recently renovated and has a history behind it for movie fans: On one of its balconies, Al Pacino plays Corleone in the movie The Godfather 2.
- Real Intercontinental in the Piantini district across from the Acropolis Center. This hotel has a stunning infinity pool on the third floor.
- The Holiday Inn is a more affordable option in this business district.
The Barcelo Santo Domingo hotel is a little further from this district, but I mention it anyway because it’s a very good quality/price ratio for a 5-star Barcelo hotel and may interest you if you’re traveling on business.
4. Sleeping on the beach of Juan Dolio
Juan Dolio is located 50 km away and is one of the best beaches in Santo Domingo and its surroundings.
I recommend this option if you don’t want to stay in the city center and prefer to enjoy the beach at your leisure. Or if you’re visiting the country only for a few days and it’s not in your plans to visit the most famous beaches like Punta Cana or Bayahibe or the less known beaches of Samaná.
In case you decide to look for accommodation in Juan Dolio, I recommend a visit nearby: the Ron Barceló distillery in San Pedro Macorís.
➤ To get from the airport to your hotel in Juan Dolio, it’s best to hire a private transfer in advance to take you to your hotel so you don’t have to wait and haggle at the airport. Up to 4 people usually cost the same. ➥ BOOK IT HERE!
⏩ Want to enjoy Juan Dolio beach but stay in the center of Santo Domingo? No problem, because there are day tours from Santo Domingo that will take you there for the day. ➥ BOOK IT HERE!
Best accommodation in Juan Dolio
Emotions Hodelpa is an excellent all-inclusive hotel with a spa and private beach. The Hodelpa Garden Suites is not directly on the seafront but it is also an excellent all-inclusive chain hotel. Another budget beachfront alternative with all-inclusive service is the Coral Costa Caribe.
If you don’t want an all-inclusive, the Casa Hemingway Hotel at Club Hemingway is a boutique accommodation with very nice rooms and breakfast options.
In this area there are some beachfront condos where you can rent an apartment, which can be a good option if you are traveling as a family with several members. For example, there are apartments for 4 or even 6 people, option 1 or option 2.
Hostels and cheap hotels in Santo Domingo
If you’re looking for a place to stay in Santo Domingo without spending a lot of money, there are some highly recommended hostels in the historic center at a very reasonable price that will allow you to spend less than $15 per night per person.
To be clear: The accommodations I recommend are cheap, but they are chosen to have a very good location and the opinions of those who have visited them are positive.
- Island Life Hostel: It is located only 200 meters from the Alcázar and the big plus is that it has a swimming pool, a garden and a barbecue area. It has a bed in shared rooms and also private double and triple rooms, really nice. And the breakfast is included!
- Cana Palma: The rooms are like small apartments because they have a kitchen and dining area and private bathroom.
Accommodation with pool
Due to the tropical climate, Santo Domingo is extremely hot most of the year. Therefore, accommodation with a pool is a big plus. Some of the hotels we mentioned earlier have one.
The hotels we named in the boardwalk area, like the Jaragua Hotel or the Catalonia, or the hotels in the business district have a swimming pool because they are upscale hotels that have 4 or 5 stars and belong to international chains.
The hotels in the colonial zone, on the other hand, do not all have a swimming pool. Some of them are the Billini Hotel with a beautiful swimming pool on a terrace overlooking the town, the historic Casa Sanchez, the Villa Colonial Hotel and the historic Hodelpa Nicolas de Ovando.
All-inclusive Hotels
It’s not that common to stay in all-inclusive hotels in Santo Domingo. This is logical, considering that you go to the city and do not lock yourself in the accommodation, unlike, for example, the accommodations in Punta Cana, where most offer all-inclusive.
Your best bet is to find accommodations with a very good breakfast and then explore the city.
However, if you are interested in sleeping in an all-inclusive hotel, you should choose one of our recommended hotels in the beach area of Juan Dolio, such as Emotions Hodelpa.
Is it safe to stay in Santo Domingo?
Actually, this was a question that worried us when we were planning our visit to Santo Domingo and we had to decide whether to stay there to sleep or not.
The colonial district turned out to be pretty safe for us, as we could walk around there without any problems, taking basic precautions of course. You have to be careful not to display valuable items that might attract unwanted attention. Remember that tourist areas are prone to pickpocketing, as in any country.
All the hotels in Santo Domingo that we recommend in this area are very well located and are in the best area to sleep, to go out without danger, because these are essential points for us.
If you decide to go to another part of the city, such as the business district, ask the people in your accommodation if it is necessary to take extra precautions.
No matter where, at night I recommend you be more careful and don’t walk alone once it gets dark and there is little movement on the streets.
Information beyond accommodation
Here I give you some information that can help you organize your stay in Santo Domingo, such as transfers and restaurants.
Where to eat
Santo Domingo has twice been named the gastronomic capital of the Caribbean. So if you like good food, you will find several restaurants in Santo Domingo where you can eat really well, such as Don Pepe or El Meson de la Cava. Most of these restaurants are located in Piantini or in the business district of the city.
If you want to try typical Dominican food, the Adrián Tropical on the beach promenade offers its tables on a terrace overlooking the sea.
In the colonial zone, Pat’e Palo in front of the Alcázar de Colón is a very good choice, and if you want to eat something cheap on the way to continue your tour, Pizzarelli offers a wide selection of pizzas at a very good price. In the evening, it’s always a good idea to stroll around Plaza de Armas, where there are several nice restaurants and bars where you can have dinner.
How to get to Santo Domingo
When your flight arrives at Santo Domingo airport, you can hire a private transfer to your hotel in Santo Domingo, which costs from U$S 35 depending on your accommodation. They can take up to 4 people, but only one way. If not, there are also shared transfers from the airport to the hotel and back. Cheap and safe.
You can also book the ride from Santo Domingo to different places in the country privately and for the same price for up to 4 people. Prices vary depending on the destination and distance.
For example, if you are traveling as a foursome, you will pay around U$S 25 per person for the ride to Bayahibe, which is more than fine. You can book the transfer from Santo Domingo to Juan Dolio, to Bayahibe, to La Romana, to Punta Cana, to Cap Cana, to Puerto Plata, to Samaná, to Bávaro or to Uvero Alto.
If you only want to make a day trip from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo, you should make an excursion, otherwise you will lose a lot of time with public transportation. ➥ BOOK IT HERE!
And that’s everything about accommodations in Santo Domingo! If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment. If you found this article helpful, sharing it on your social media really helps us out! Thanks!
