BNB Tropical Island Aparthotel — Hotel in Santo Domingo Este

My review comments||||It all started with me getting here after a very long 16 hour day trip. My room was prepaid for every day. At the latter end I was upgrading the ba larger room but not until that time. Donald was insistent that I upgrade for every night, siting he’ll give me a deal if I did. Deal already got, he charged me $34.50 per night extra to upgrade. I told him that I’m tired so let me rest and I’ll come back tomorrow to do the upgrade. He insisted I needed to do it right then. On top of this all he charged me 300 Pesos for a large Presidente beer. These beers are high at 130 Pesos at the grocers. I gave him 335 Pesos and realized that he did not give me change. When I asked him for my change he said, it’s only 35 Pesos. Really. Well that equates to .75 U.S. American cents. I didn’t agree to a tip so I saw this as complete extortion.||||I can only imagine how many people just let it go because no one wants problems in a foreign country as I’ve witnessed a lot of the hotel managers and taxi drivers are in coheres. Be careful.||||1. Did not give me a receipt||2. Tried to cheat me out of 35 Pesos||3. Nothing in booking states they take a $20 cash deposit for room key and parking lot access||4. Charged me .$138.00 upgrade fee for 4 days even after I asked if he’d honor my online rate he refused. As a returning guess it’s the least he could do! But didn’t.||5. Knocked on my door aggressively demanding I take my review down, what nerve this guy. It’s his response to my bad review due to ongoing horror vie internet connections. I’ve Ben here twice before. The last time was 20 months ago. I state at other hotels in Santo Domingo because of the hassle in getting anything’s ng done. Donald will cheat you out of your change. He rounds up when you pay him and down when he pays you. Know the gong currency exchange rate. Ask him to write everything down because h knows English well in will try to fast talk you.||6. They charge you a $2.00 daily cleaning fee but you have to ask them to come clean the room. If you don’t they still charge you the fee||7. After all the other taxes and fees you still pay the $5.00 daily resort fee and $2.00 room cleaning fee.||8. Got here and there was no microwave in the room. I assumed one came with the room but when I saw it wasn’t one here and they hadn’t bought me one then I requested one.||9. Nothing is uniformed in the room. Sheets don’t deferent colors, towels, pillow cases don’t fit over the pillows completely. Yet you ask this guy they have it Altogether||10. He has a bad attitude and this is the last business I’ll give ge him. I gave him this one more shot because the prices seemed too be good until they get done up-charging you. Then you could be in up to 35% more than anticipated. Be alert and watchful.||11. The culture is like that here but he’s arrogant with it.||12. I believe that he’s a type personality here that makes it his duty to overcharge American. They’re not focused on getting you to return/repeat customers. After this stay hell be more focused.||13. I was supposed to get a free welcome drink. Didn’t get it!||||I love the people here as I have family here and I’ve been here 8 times in 27 months. However, places like tropical island hotel is one of those businesses that do not deserve our business. We expect fairness and kindness. It’s what any customer should demand when they are paying for a product or service!||||——-||||“Donald there’s a lady outside my door talking very loud right now. I asked her to quiet down but she’s still out there. It’s 11:52 ok and I’m trying to have some peace here. ...

I enjoyed my time at this hotel. It is very easy to locate off of interstate 3 and very close to the ocean.. There is a colmado on the corner that stays open pretty late and they sell basically everything. There is also a empanada spot on the corner of the hotel and their food is so good .. There is also a salon, pharmacy, other colmados, burger restaurants. The pharmacy was open pretty late and had someone who’s speaks English. My son caught a stomach virus and I had to run there late at night for some antibiotics. ||The hotel is in a safe area and this coming from someone who knows Santo Domingo very well. The hotel it’s self is locked down and very difficult for someone who’s not staying there to get inside. I like that about the place. The staff onsite was pretty helpful and they have two workers that speak English as was well. One of them is very funny. The maid seems very nice and she was very good to my son (the light skin one) .. The lobby of the hotel also has a area where you can buy things like beer, toiletries, tissue paper, soap etc ||Now the Cons,..,., There are no elevators and no bell boys so you are stuck carrying luggage up many steps. When I checked in , it was a Haitian lady cleaning up the room and before she left, she decided to take food out her bag and warm it up in my microwave located in my room . She didn’t ask me if she can do it or not. She left my room smelling like fish. I called the front desk and told them what occurred because I was very angry and felt disrespected. Some people have strong fish allergies to the point that they can’t even be around the smell of it. I was with my 2 year old son st the time and that is the reason why I didn’t make a scene but rather call the front desk.. The counters in the kitchen was greasy and the tv remote was dirty but everything thing else in the room was clean including the bedding. The water was cut off during late morning hours with prior notice and I needed to take a shower to head out to the airport. They were fixing the pump and I had to wait 35 mins for them to cut it on long enough for me to take a shower and then they cut it back off once I was finished. ||Overall I will stay at this place again because it was very convenient for price and location... The rooms gets a 8 out of 10 points for me.. I only gave it 3 stars because of the microwave incident, no elevators but many steps, and the...

This was the very best personable experience I have every had at a hotel. Considering I've been to 100s over my lifetime this assessment is HUGE!

In every area that I can think of the total staff completely exceeded my expectations. This was my 4th visit to the DR since October 2015 so I've seen a lot. Here are just a few areas I'd like to comment on, although there are many. I stayed at the hotel for the entire 6 day visit.

Donald and his wife and daughter were exceptionally nice, compliance, accommodating and expeditious in their service and correction, if there was an issue. By the way, no stay is perfect, however, as long as the staff is willing to correct the issue in a manner that the flow of your stay is not disrupted, essentially, you have no problem!

Free breakfast brought to me to my room on time or early each morning. He did everything he said he would do Donald and his daughter translated for me when needed I'm certain that Donald saved me at $100.00 US while I was there just in dealing with the locals who tried to scam me His wife was equally as accommodating, even during the middle of the day I wanted coffee and within 5 minutes the coffee with cream and sugar, warm was in my hand When I had a little problem with a young lady they fixed it and quickly removed her from the property The prices of items that I liked were very cheap, i.e. beer, water, Gatorade, snacks, etc. My sheets were clean each day Water temperature was perfect I had a penthouse suite that Donald upgraded me to without an extra charge when my Expedia reservations were a little querked The bed was very comfortable I had a great view from the 6th floor Donald called taxes for me some time at 2:00 am in the morning I can assure you that ANY AMERICAN HOTEL manager would have never accommodated me I developed so many new friendships because of Donald. He and his family are now my new extended family. I won't stay anywhere else when I revisit the DR when I return in July 2016 DONALD, YOU DA...