I stayed at the Hodelpa Caribe Colonial in Santo Domingo for 9 days in April. The hotel suited my needs, and the service was pretty good, but I would not recommend anyone to stay at this hotel. I am not a very picky or critical person. This was my 2nd visit to the DR, and I have visited Cuba 4 times, Antigua once, so I have a reasonible expectation when I stay at a hotel in the Caribbean.
On the PLUS side, I thought the Service from the staff was good, and there were employees who spoke good English. The other plus is the location, which is the main reason I stayed at this hotel. It is right by the "El Conde" in the colonial zone. The colonial zone has a lot of historic buildings, and there ar many restaurants around which serve decent food. The El Conde is a pedestrian street full of shops, resturants, etc. It is full of huslters, but otherwise the atmosphere on this street is very nice, and there are beautiful girls everywhere. Also the room was air conditioned.
On the NEGATIVE side, the window in the room had the view of a wall, the washroom, the toilet seat, and the shower was tiny. I am 5'8" and slim. Not a big man at all, and I found it very uncofortable manuvering inside the bathroom, which felt like a phone booth. If you are a large person, stay away from this hotel. The menu at the hotel restaurant was limited, but the food was decent. Also they did not refill the min bar fridge with water, which they charge you for anyway.

As I mentioned this hotel suited my needs, but I would not stay there again. I was disappointed after staying at the affiliated Hodepla Centro Plaza Hotel in Santiago, which was a very decent hotel. Also keep in mid the Hodepla Hotel is not a resort.

We recently stayed at this property the first week of March, 2006. No question, the location in the heart of the Colonial Zone is the best thing about the property. Located nearby are banks, convenience stores, and restaurants (even the soon-to-be-opened Hard Rock Cafe) that are all close to the hotel. For the gay traveler, the local up & coming gay nightlife is all nearby. When you walk into the Hodelpa Caribe Colonial the sophisticated Art Deco style is sure to make you say "fabulous."

However, like some reviews have pointed out, everything that glitters is not gold. In our first room, we went without central air for at least three days as the hotel was booked and we could not be moved. Then, after we were relocated, our second room had its own problems. The air was frigid cold and was hard to regulate. The plumbing was a nightmare; fixtures were broken and you would have to work hard to get water out which often was extremely hot, enough to burn you instantly. At times, the flow of water would stop for more than 5 minutes and then resume. Beware if you have children with you trying to take a shower.

We made our complaints known to management, but were given the run around. Upon checkout, we got the "thanks for staying, but we can't do anything about your issues, please comeback" response.

Overall, the hotel is a cozy, comfortable, boutique hotel in the midst of an urban jungle. Room sizes vary depending on floor plan & style (superior/standard). Please make sure that you are satisfied with your amenities before you decide to stay.

We just returned from a 7 day vacation in Santo Domingo, from Dec 17, 2005 to Dec 23 2005. We stayed at the Hodelpa Caribe located withing walking distance of all the major attractions in the colonial zone. You find everything within walking distance. The hotel was clean and cozy althought the room and bath were somewhat small. We felt safe in the area and there were many good places to eat nearby. The tourist shopping district is right down the street. The vendors, althought agressive, don't bother you if you decline their approach in a polite manner. The restaurant in the hotel caters to any of your wishes at reasonable prices and exellent food. The personnel at the hotel were very friendly and eager to serve you. We would definetely stay at this Hotel again.

I found a lot of truth the other reviews. First, the location of the Caribe Colonial was the best: in the heart of the Zona Colonial just 1 block from the First Cathedral of the America's and 3 short blocks to the Plaza Espana and the Colombus House. Its on a lively, safe street full of gift shops and art galleries. Second, the hotel has an Art Deco decor that is stylish and rather chic. It's clean and tidy (I'm not sure about eating off the floors, though!). My smallish room was very pretty with the bed draped with sheer fabric giving a canopy-like effect. No view, though ... just the roofs of shabby tenements. My room did have an iron, ironing board, a color TV with cable, phone ... but not much else. The bathroom was tiny and the shower stall was ridiculously small (a Sumo wrestler could never fit in!). The toilet broke twice during my 8 day stay.
The restaurant was good. One night I had the Filet Mignon with wine and mushroom sauce and it was delicious ... it set me back about 15 or so dollars. The complimentary breakfast buffet was great - gorgeous fruit like pineapples, mangoes, papayas, melons, grapefruits... peeled, sliced and so artistically arranged. There were cheeses, ham, bacon, two types of sausages, scrambled eggs, croissants, other types of rolls, and cereals as well. I've seen breakfast buffets like this at the classier New York hotels charge $15 to $20.
The staff was friendly, but not overly so. Otherwise the place was just okay. I found the lighting in my room rather dim. Yes, they are gay-friendly ...whatever that means (maybe "willing to take gay money!") However, if you're a gay Sumo wrestler, you may want to stay elsewhere.
I managed to get a good discounted rate (I won't tell you exactly - but I paid about what you would pay per night at a cheap motel like Motel 6) ... I paid much less than a previous reviewer ... but I arrived the day after a hurricane passed by and a lot of cancellations took place. I bargained hard and got stay for less than what I was quoted at Duque de Wellington, which was a major step down when compared to the Caribe Colonial!
The bottom line - a great place if you get a good discounted rate. It is not worth the "regular" rate. Negotiate hard, if necessary.