I was visiting some family and friends last week and stayed at the Hilton,I was very impress with to grounds,everything was inmaculate and from my room I had the most beautiful view of the Malecon and the Carribean sea,the breakfast was nice,they make some awesome waffles! and the view was perfect. This hotel is close to the Colonial Zone and all the historical atracttions so you can't go wrong with this place,I will go back the next time I visit the DR.

My husband & I chose to visit Santo Domingo instead of the tourist areas (Puerto Plata or Punta Cana) in hopes to actually get out and experience a new culture opposed to relaxing at an all-inclusive (which we've already done twice in the Caribbean). I booked the Hilton based on the mere fact that it was the newest and cleanest hotel in town.

The hotel is lovely -- just like any Hilton in the USA. The views are great (although the water is not so blue!). If you're visiting the Santo Domingo Hilton for pleasure opposed to business I recommend contacting a tour company before your arrival as the concierge doesn't have too much information about tours or other local information. To be honest the guest service agents at this hotel are pretty unfriendly with the exception of Julissa (visit her in the Executive Business Center).

The Santo Domingo City Tour has a lot of history behind it. Above all I highly recommend the day trip to Isla Soana, a beautiful island off the coast of Bayahibe - about a two hour drive away. If you're up for Italian cuisine try Angelo's in La Atarazana, they have a great wine list! Skip Tony Roma's next door and opt for Pizzarelli's instead!

Come prepared with sunblock and OFF as the gift shop prices are very high. The dealers at the casino have no idea what they are doing and most of the other tourists we spoke to believed the tables were rigged so play with caution. Don't waste your time on the vacant mall next door!

I was a little weary on the issues of safety in Santo Domingo, especially because of the reviews I had been reading but honestly I felt pretty safe -- as with any foreign country, just travel with caution. Lastly, the restaurant prices in Santo Domingo rival NYC -- I heard on our way back that tourists are given a different menu with different prices, not sure if this is true but just be on the look out for it.

Happy travels!

I wanted to stay in the capitol and honestly this hotel was the newest and most convienent location. The entire hotel was modern and the view from the room was gorgeous. The staff members were accomodating and when I asked them where I could get a piece of traditional dominican birthday cake (because it was my birthday) they had the kitchen make me one..since there was no nearby bakery. The breakfast buffet was good but overpriced and yes the pool was small but so what...it was always empty. There weren't any worthy restaurants close to the hotel....but if you don't mind walking then you'll have a few options including a grocery store and a small strip mall. You can also take a short cab ride to el conde. But don't bother going into the so called mall next door (malecon) because it's just a bunch of ATM's. And last but not least try and eat at El Conuco which is a cheap cab ride or a long walk. The food was authentic and the staff was great. They even put on a show during dinner. If you are heading out to any of the bars/clubs make sure you get an early start because everything is over by 1am...even on the weekends.

I stayed or rather lived at this hotel over the course of 6 months on and off. I would say this is the best hotels in Santo Domingo for a business traveller. The rooms are nice and clean - I loved the white sheets and bedding. I think most of the rooms have some sort of view of the ocean. I was able to get the kind of drinks I wanted in the mini bar without a problem. The internet worked on most occassions but sometime it would be down for "maintenance". There is no wireless in the rooms which I did find a bit annoying but there is wireless in the main areas of the hotel. The executive lounge was beautiful and there wasa good selection of food and drinks each afternoon/night. The pool area is nice but the pool does not have a deep end. I loved the gym - even thought it was a bit small it was clean, open and had a gorgeous view of the ocean.
Overall I was very happy with my stays at this hotel. The employees are nice and as long as you are pleasant to them and treat them with respect, my requests were always granted. I truly felt that this place was by home away from home. (And I'm a pretty picky person)

The place across the street from the Hilton - Harry's Place has pretty good burgers.