I was staying elsewhere in Santo Domingo, and happened to pass by the property. It was inviting from the street, and even better inside.
The property has a cool, hip lobby ("W" type), but done tastefully and not overboard (a little of that can go a long way - and esp when I'm looking for local charm when I leave the country).
The rooms are clean, lovely.
The breakfast is outstanding - beats the standard fare I had elsewhere.
i also like the outdoor patio, nice place to sit and watch the city go by between touring and dinner.

I'd stay here again in a minute, would recommend it to anyone.

My husband and I stayed at the Hodelpa from 11/30-12-3. It was in a great location- walking distance from everything. the staff was nice and helpful most of the time. The room was... SMALL- very very small- we laughed when we walked in and just said "oh well" for the time you spend in your room it was fine for us. then we tried to shower and well that had us in a laughing fit because the water would run for about 2 mins and then we'd have none- then it would come back after a minute and so on.. after the first time we learned to soap us fast and wait for the water to rinse off.. we were on vacation and instead of complaining and ruining everything we just took it for what it was worth and LAUGHED. It was located in the perfect spot to walk everywhere and not worry about anything. We never felt unsafe either.

I travel a fair amount, stay in a lot of dives, and sleep well anyplace. That may color my opinion, but I just love the Hotel Odelpa! Some of the accommodations are small--that is true. But they greet you with a fresh drink. The staff dress stylishly. And the rooms are appointed well with a touch of class without overdoing it. The food is excellent and economical. At the same time that the neighbors are living a lower class lifestyle, the historical sites and shopping areas are a block away (or less). We got lost once and found someone who drove ahead of us to show how to get there, then refused a gratuity. It was different enough to make it an adventure, and enough like Florida to make it more like home. And if you like cigars, there plenty. Just be careful of the fake Cubans, even if they are usually pretty good too. If you are visiting more remote locations, go there on the way out of the country and have a ball!

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.