Santo Domingo

Visitors choosing hotels in Santo Domingo will be immersed in the fascinating history of the Dominican Republic, a country which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. Santo Domingo is the oldest European city in the Americas and a tourist destination in the Caribbean. Those who decide to visit this city will find luxury hotels with first-class facilities, elegant dining rooms and glamorous nightlife. Santo Domingo is also a city steeped in history. The Colonial Zone was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its unrivalled historic firsts: the first cathedral in the New World, the first fortress, the first university, the first palace and the first monastery. It is also a city of contrasts, where a skyline of modern skyscrapers rises up alongside small, 15th-century buildings.Add to this the fact that it offers access to some of the best beaches in the world, and there is no doubt that Santo Domingo is a very alluring holiday destination indeed.

Hotels in Santo Domingo offer everything you need for a comfortable stay: rooms with Wi-Fi, restaurants, pools and service staff who can organise excursions to the main places of interest. The first item on the agenda for many visitors is a walk around the Colonial Zone. The tour starts at the Catedral Primada de América with its stunning facade of gold and coral tones. Inside, vaulted ceilings and Romanesque arches rise to lofty heights. It is definitely worth visiting the 14 chapels. Where the river Ozama flows into the Caribbean Sea, you will find Fortaleza Ozama, the oldest military structure in the New World. Its stone tower topped with solid battlements rises up like a memorial to the history of the invaders of the Dominican Republic. Spain, France, England, Haiti and the United States have all raised their flags here. You can climb to the top of the fortress for amazing views of the river and the sea. 

The Museo de las Casas Reales is a Renaissance building that houses a huge amount of artefacts, including treasure from shipwrecked Spanish galleons, weapons and indigenous Taíno artefacts. It is a must-see in the Colonial Zone. The Alcázar de Colón was once the home of Christopher Columbus' son. Its reconstruction is a masterpiece of historical authenticity. You can see objects that belonged to the Columbus family, including a carved wooden four-poster bed. Calle El Conde is the pedestrianised street through this zone, running from the cathedral to Parque Independencia. It is the ideal place to relax, have a coffee or buy amber, ceramics, textiles and silver at traditional markets. 

After taking in so much history, most visitors opt for a spot of relaxation on the beach or in the pools at their hotels in Santo Domingo. A glass of local rum and an evening meal of regional dishes such as sancocho, meat stew, cassava and plantain makes the perfect end to a day of sightseeing.