Rental Car in Santa Domingo

[mrc1961]

Has anyone rented a car in Santa Domingo? We will be arriving on Feb. 08, staying near the airport, and driving to Boca Chica, La Romana, and the Colonial Zone.

 

National and Alamo have rentals that we can pick up at the airport and return either there, or to their location on Av. Independencia.

 

I don't see many posts on rental cars, however this seems like a much cheaper alternative than 40 - 50 cab rides and transfers during the two days.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Jennifer

[smokinjoe64]

your in for a real treat if you rent a car, we just came back (carnival Destiny) 1-20-08 to 1-27-08. it's like a human game of dodgeball

[smokinjoe64]

about going to Boca Chica, BEWARE !!!!!!!, we stopped there on our way to Santo Domingo from La Romana, a man will greet you and tell you he has a nice place on the beach for you, he'll have a spot for you to park and will bring you to the beach. to a nice table right on the water. what he won't tell you is, that the table is 11.00 to 13.00 dollars and that the tax is 26% and don't order a light beer or a diet coke there almost double the menu price... he bought himself a drink and added it to the bill (15.00 dollars). so the price for 2 beers and 2 sodas and 1 order of fish and fries was 75.00 dollars. we argued it down to 45.00 dollars, still way to much. plus the peddlers are non-stop in your face... so beware !!!!!!

[smokinjoe64]

just a little more info, there are 3 million people in Santo Domingo, so traffic is a nightmare from about 2:30 on. watch for the thousands of scooters coming at you from every direction, as well as the locals and there livestock. and prey you are not driving at night. we did and boy was it fun. not very well lit and things coming at you from everywere. once you leave S.D. the roads are labeled pretty good, just remember La Romana is a dirty shanty town, masses of people and chaos.

[smokinjoe64]

and even more info, when we arrived back after are 2 day adventure. 1 day to Santo Domingo and 1 day to Punta Cana, we found out that we could have hired a driver for 160.00 dollars instead of 60.00 for the rental car THAT WAS WITHOUT INSURANCE !!!!!!. get the ins if you rent 'cause it's total chaos and easy for someone to hit you. plus we had a blowout in the middle of nowhere. didn't charge us thank god. gas was 50.00 so 160.00 isn't bad and you get to keep your sanity. and by the way, when we left Boca Chica after are shakedown by the local. they had are car blocked in and had to pay 5.00 just to get out of a plain parking spot, they claim it's a fee for watching your car ?