Under US$50

Boca Chica is filled with small, low-budget options. The Hotel Angel Gabriel (Calle Duarte 27, tel. 809/523-9299, www.hotelangelgabriel.com, US$50 d) has been in operation since November 2004, offering clean rooms, free breakfast, a pool, and proximity to the beach. If you’re interested in something roomier, a two-bedroom suite with a kitchenette will cost you US$85.

Another great low-budget option is the Hotel Neptuno Refugio (Calle Duarte, tel. 809/523-9934, fax 809/523-9863, www.dominicana.de/neptuno.htm, US$45 d). This quiet five-story hotel is across from Neptuno’s Club Restaurant on the far eastern end of Boca Chica. If you have questions about the town, owner Rita Reyes is very knowledgeable. She has flyers and information in the office but speaks only Spanish. Small apartments are also available, and prices vary according to your view (US$50 for interior garden, US$55 for park, and US$60 for an ocean view). All rooms are equipped with cable TV, air-conditioning, permanent lights, hot water, a minibar, and security box, and there’s daily cleaning service. The apartments are similar but with kitchenettes and private balconies. Discounts are given to those who stay longer than a week.

Casa Coco (Calle Dominguez 8, www.casacoco.net, tel. 809/523-4409, US$35). This eight-room hotel has basic rooms that are clean with cable TV. There are also two furnished apartments you can rent that have kitchenettes, TV, and air-conditioning. This is a good option if you decide to stay longer. Safety boxes are also available, as is laundry service (upon request). The hotel is about a three-minute walk away from the beach but has a nice quiet pool area. Spanish, English, French, and German are spoken.

US$50–100

Midrange hotels are more difficult to find in Boca Chica than budget or pricey ones. One of the best options is Hotel Zapata (Calle Abraham Núñez 27, tel. 809/523-4777, fax 809/523-5534, www.hotelzapata.com, US$70–75 s/d, US$140 apartments) because it is one of only a few hotels located directly on Playa Boca Chica and is the most affordable of all of them. In this family-owned, 22-room hotel, you can enjoy a standard room complete with air-conditioning, safety boxes, and cable TV. Some of the rooms have balconies. Two-bedroom apartments that fit up to four people are also available. The restaurant on-site cooks up both Creole and international favorites.

The Hotel Residencial El Candil (Calle Juanico Garcia #2 at 20 de Diciembre, tel. 809/523-4252, fax 809/523-4232, www.comdata.nl/hotel-boca-chica-candil, US$50/room) is slightly cheaper and has more security (all outside guests must leave identification at the front desk). Prices include taxes and airport transfer from Las Américas airport when staying a minimum of four nights. Studios and apartments are available as well. Apartments have air-conditioning, refrigerators, cable TV, equipped kitchenettes, hot water, safes, and telephones. This gay-friendly colonial-style, 24-room hotel is 150 meters from the beach and has a swimming pool and bar.

US$100 and Up

The Hotel Oasis Hamaca (Calle Duarte 26 and Av. Caracol, tel. 809/523-4611, www.oasishamaca.com, US$150 d high season) is the all-inclusive grande dame of the beach and was recently upgraded by the Hilton hotel chain. If you’re looking for a worry-free Boca Chica vacation, this is it. It was the first hotel in town and is still considered by many the best. The Hamaca is the most posh, the biggest, and has the biggest portion of Playa Boca Chica blocked off for its own guests (even though it is technically illegal to do so), thereby keeping the beach peddlers off the property. It offers oodles of activities, including water sports, tours and excursions, three tennis courts, spa services, and a fitness center for hotel guests. You will never go hungry with the multiple restaurants on-site. The casino and disco are some of the most popular nightlife spots in town. Outside guests have to pay a cover for entry into the disco, but the casino is free to the public. Prices do vary, so it is best to check the website for frequent deals.

The Don Juan Beach Resort (Calle Abraham Núñez, tel. 809/523-4511, U.S. tel. 800/820-1631, fax 809/688-5271, www.donjuanbeachresort.com, US$160 s high season) is an all-inclusive alternative to the Hamaca with three restaurants, four bars, and an ice cream parlor on-site. Try to book this when there are specials. There are nine connecting rooms, so ask for this type if you are traveling with friends or family. Cribs are available upon request. All rooms have air-conditioning, cable TV, phones, safety boxes, and private baths with tub and shower. For nighttime entertainment, there is also a small disco, but the main draw to this resort is its connection to Treasure Divers scuba school, where you can get certified and go on great diving excursions. Some wheelchair-accessible accommodations are available.

© Ana Chavier Caamaño from Moon Dominican Republic, 4th edition