The Dominican Republic has many fine resorts and beach front hotels, but we were pleasantly surprised to find a really nice hotel in a commercial-industrial area along the main highway out of Santiago. The last day of our trip to the Dominican Republic took us to the Santiago area. Since we were flying home the next day, we did not want to go back to the coast and then have another long drive to the airport in the morning. We found the Hodelpa Garden Court which is about five miles east of Santiago and about two miles from the airport. It compares favorably with upscale business class hotels in the US, but with some nice added touches. When we arrived, we were greeted with glasses of champagne, a very welcome touch after a long and difficult travel day. The lobby already was brightly decorated for Christmas. Our room was huge, well furnished, and had a king size bed with the most comfortable mattress I ever slept upon. I wish I could have taken it home with me!

The area around the hotel does not have any restaurants or anything else that you would want to visit at night. We decided the hotel dining room would be preferable to driving back into the center of Santiago. It turned out to be quite pleasant, with choices of several Dominican and international style dishes. The local seafood dishes were good. The service was friendly and attentive. The back of the restaurant opened onto an enclosed courtyard with a small pool and an outdoor bar area.

Wi-Fi, use of some lobby computers, the room safe, and secured parking all were included in the room rate. Breakfast was not, but the restaurant offed a full buffet breakfast with eggs and omelets cooked to order for about $7 to $8. The hotel also offers periodic shuttle service to the airport.

The Hodelpa Garden Court is a good choice for anyone seeking a hotel near Santiago or its airport.