Sol Azul

We had a good two-night stay and were glad to experience the local area, though we probably wouldn't come back because the price didn't feel fair for what you get. The owner was very friendly and helpful, and breakfast was delicious, but took a long, relaxed time to arrive and there was no choice of what to have. The hotel is kept up well and is quite decent. If you're used to hostels, you should be fine, but people expecting a posh hotel or glamping might be disappointed. There's a small local beach and restaurants fairly close by. The hotel is in a poorer part of the city, with practically one road to the city centre, so it's quite a walk. A minibus or taxi may work better for most people. We enjoyed it more than the five-star hotel at the end of our trip, where we felt like we were in a beautiful cage and being fed for slaughter.

The staff were the reason for the five stars, especially David, who kindly took his scooter downtown to get us Coke Zero and refused a tip, saying it was his pleasure. That's unique in DR. Enrique, the owner, was also really nice and gave us a ride to Caribe Tours at the end so we could continue our trip. You get what you pay for, so I have no complaints. The place was surprisingly clean, and the WiFi worked very well compared with other places in DR. It's near the beach and the “bus station,” and the area is quiet. The food is cheap and reasonable. A pleasant stay.

We stayed just one night and had a hard time with this place. The location felt unsafe, and the room was terrible. There was no bathroom door, so there was no privacy, and the shower had no holder, meaning you had to hold it by hand. The internet didn't work in the room. Breakfast was okay by DR standards.

The staff were nice and spoke English. The room was clean and had air conditioning. Breakfast was limited, but there was enough to eat. The beach and a restaurant are both about a five-minute walk away.