The Hotel Portes is a small hotel in a quiet corner of the Colonial Zone. It fronts
a small park, and, because it is not directly on the street, has no through-traffic
which makes it quiet. It feels a little bit removed from the main tourist area, even
though it is just three blocks from the main Cathedral and the Parque Colon; the
location is really terrific.
I found the staff extremely friendly and helpful. It helps to speak some Spanish,
of course. Breakfast is cooked to order, which is nice; I asked for, and received,
extra towels; wifi was strong and consistent. In short, it is a really solid place
to stay.
If you do stay there, please keep your expectations reasonable; the Dominican
Republic is still a Third-World country, so if you want the Hilton, go there instead.
My room safe was not big enough to fit my laptop; the electricity failed twice during
my stay; my shower had only hot (!) water, no cold; my toilet did not always refill so
I flushed it with a bucket of water; the bathroom door did not fit the opening so
privacy would have been impossible.
If little annoyances like these are going to wreck your day, choose another hotel.
But if you like the idea of a quiet little gem, perfectly located and staffed with
friendly people, give this one a try.