Like any major city, Santo Domingo offers visitors a wide range of lodging options. As a major tourist destination in the Caribbean, its hotel and resort industry has developed to include every level of luxury, from five-star hotels with casinos and health clubs to youth hostels for the backpacking crowd. Most of these accommodations are available in the Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo's most important tourist location, and its adjacent areas.

The upscale hotels of Santo Domingo can satisfy the high standards of the most discriminating travellers. On the famous avenue bordering the Caribbean Sea, El Malecón, located at a walking distance from the Colonial Zone, you will find the Hotel V Centenario Intercontinental, a well-appointed five-star hotel that caters to a sophisticated crowd. Complete with gourmet restaurants, pools, casino and even a gym, the hotel offers travellers all the comforts money can buy. A little farther down the road, to the west, is the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel & Casino, which has a large spa and health club, tennis courts, a pool, a casino with nightly entertainment, as well as modern convention and meeting facilities. The hotel has five restaurants and 300 deluxe rooms and suites. The fully equipped executive floor and state-of-the-art business centre make this an ideal choice for the business traveler. Nearby the Jaragua is the Melia Hotel and Casino, which is a less glitzy option, but it still features 260 rooms, a pool, tennis courts, a full gym and even a casino. Another class act is the 316-room Hotel Occidental El Embajador, located in the Bella Vista Sector, near the Mirador Sur Park, which boasts class A facilities including a Vegas-style casino. Not as fancy as the above mentioned lodging options, are the Dominican Fiesta Hotel and the
Hotel Santo Domingo, this last one a plush and charming colonial-style property with a pool, and a restaurant open five days a week for lunch or for receptions.

Those looking for a first-class accommodation in the heart of the Colonial Zone should definitely consider the Sofitel Francés Hotel, an attractive hotel with only 19 rooms, where an European atmosphere blends with the colonial allure of its 16th century building. There is a gourmet restaurant specializing in French and international gourmet cuisine on the premises.

More moderately priced hotels worthy of mention include the well-known Hotel Plaza, the Hotel Naco and the Napolitano Hotel and Casino. The Hotel Plaza has very comfortable suites equipped with kitchenettes (with pots and pans) and cable TV. The facilities include a pool, gym, a gourmet restaurant, a coffee shop, as well as a complete shopping centre sharing the same infrastructure. For those wishing to prepare their own meals, the nearby supermarkets offer the necessary food and supplies. The older Hotel Naco also has a casino for those who want to add the excitement of the gaming tables to their experience. The Hotel El Napolitano has 72 rooms with splendid views of the enchanting Caribbean sea. Other reasonably priced options include the Barceló Gran Hotel Lina & Casino, famous for its international cuisine restaurant, and the Hispaniola Hotel and Casino, which neighbors the Hotel Santo Domingo, this last a more fancy option. Casa Señorial is a Swiss-style hotel suited to the visitor who wants less formal accommodations. The staff is friendly, the surroundings clean and comfortable, and the on-site Italian restaurant has good offerings. As one might guess, this hotel is very popular with Swiss and Italian tourists. The Casa Alameda, renovated in 1998, features few frills but is quite adequate and clean if you are not looking for five-star lodgings. The management is amiable and helpful, and most of the staff is bilingual.

More budget conscious travellers should check out Hostal Nicolás Nader, a small but charming hotel located in a restored 16th century mansion in the oldest part of the city. Other options include the conveniently located Continental Hotel and Hotel Cervantes, this last one located in the Gazcue area. At Casa Aí¬da, the rooms have no windows, but the building is air conditioned, and balcony rooms have fans, so if you are not claustrophobic, these lodgings can be a good deal. This nice, family-run establishment is fairly quiet at night, although with a record shop below, it can be noisy during the day. This does not detract from its popularity. The place is often full.

If you plan an extended stay in Santo Domingo, your best options are the Apart-hotels. These fully furnished apartment buildings rent accommodations by the day, week or month. Among them, the Aparta-hotel Delta in the Bella Vista area, very close to El Embajador Hotel, is one of the best options. It has spacious rooms and a pool. The guest house Casa de Húespedes Sterling rents fully equipped apartments on a weekly or monthly basis. You will find the staff generally helpful and the premises clean and safe.