Stephen Cooper, the owner of Hotel Arcos, has sent me more information about Hotel Arcos. Here is his email message below:
Hi, Anthony,
The hotel is called Hotel Arcos. The address is:
Jardin Deportivo, Cabarete. I know that's a bit weak,
but there are no street names or house numbers in
Jardin Deportivo. Jardin Deportivo is 3 km from the
centre of Cabarete in the direction of Rio San Juan. A
guagua to here costs 10 pesos during the day and 20
pesos at night from the centre of Cabarete. Journey
time 5 to 10 minutes (depending how many times it
stops).
The telephone number is 1-809-571-2705. Email:
arcos@fonthot.com. The website for fontleroy hotels is
www.fonthot.com. This contains references to three
properties in Jardin Deportivo - all gay: two hotels
and a bar. The bar is called La Hacienda. The other
hotel is called La Plantacion and is currently under
construction, completion expected next month. Needless
to say, we have pretty much claimed Jardin Deportivo
for the gay community, and the beach here is now
Cabarete's gay beach.
I have attached some pics.
Thanks,
Stephen
-
Posts
24 comments:
Anthony, PLEEEEAAAAASE don't bother to respond to those last 2 posts!!!! PLEEEEAAAASE don't. It isn't worth the good you do for the rest of us. Keep hooking the real brothas who want to help each other out with your great contributions!!!
The first two posts are by the same person. Although I do agree on rates not being posted (not even on their site) and lack of some other details, it is obvious that this person needs help to deal with all his negative feelings. This person should get help from a professional asap. I wish him the best in his recovery.
Actually, the prices are posted on the website (under the booking section). Though I think it is a bit pricey, listing weekly stays. I don't know. It is all-inclusive and seems to be marketing towards the "gay couple" crowd.
I have never been in an all-inclusive resort. Although it would be fun to be pampered and not plan anything, I wonder how easy it is to get bored. Anyone else have gone to such "all inclusive" vacations?
I have been to all inclusive resorts in the DR several times, and I've always enjoyed them. I've stayed in resorts in Juan Dolio, Punta Cana, Cabarete and Sosua. Honestly, my opinion is that an all inclusive resort is nice if you are with someone special you want to spend time with. I would not recommend going alone. They will not allow you to bring an outside guest on to the resort unless you pay a seperate all-inclusive rate for that person. These rates are per person. But if you're with someone special, it is lovely. You don't have a care in the world. All your meals, drinks and entertainment are part of the price. If you like to drink, it certainly is a bargain! A tip here and there to a resort worker or bartender, and you get treated like royalty! Close to Santo Domingo, I recommend the Barcelo Talanquera Beach Resort in Juan Dolio (about a 45 minute drive from the Capital). It certainly is not a gay resort, but spending money makes people very gay-friendly. And yes, sometimes the resort workers can be had! www.barcelo.com.
The rates are waaaaaayyyy out of my budget for the right to look at other queens and their dates. As the above commentor said, there are some other all-inclusives close to the capital. Several in Boca Chica for considerably less I think. But as the above commentor also said, you best bring sand to the beach, because bringing it in later will cost you an arm and leg
I think Anthony should go to Cabarete and stay at the Arcos hotel and then report back as to whether or not it is suitable for us throneless queens. Do you think they will charge you $1050 Anthony?
I missed it, what did the stupid, dumb, crazy MF'er say in the first two comments, that is not fare Anthony, I did not get a chance to read it before you removed them.
Is this on the beach? I hope so. The prices definitely are a bit steep for DR. I wish them good luck though.
I've been to all inclusive resorts in puerto plata, punta cana,la Romana and boca chica, u can get deals usually 60-100 dollars per nite ALL INCLUSIVE and packages with air....some areas are more fun than others, punta cana is very far from a "real" town and very expensive to rent a taxi but the resorts and beaches are breath-taking...lovely for R n R for a few days...Gay life is very undercover at the resorts especially in Punta Cana. So do like I do, go for a few days for R n R, beach/sun/pampering then to STO Domingo for the nite life and other activities....!You can budget your whole trip~!
All inclusive resorts, as the other blogger stated, is NOT for going at it alone/solo but then again there are str8 adult only all inclusive resorts...hmmmmmmm!Probably to many "hot" fish at those adults only_hahahahahaha!!!
I enjoyed PUerto Plata A L O T! ;-) especially the resorts that had the locals visiting on weekends from Santiago. Some of the resorts have "private beaches" meaning no locals allowed...so do your research..!
Anthony, Glad you did your thing with that click button!
Last year, I went to an all-inclusive in Juan Dolio with my bf from Sto. Domingo. We enjoyed 4 days of beach, pool, and other (more private) activities. I would not recommend going it alone. You should at least go with some friends. And who knows? You could get lucky!
From Puerto Rico,
Rafael
Right on, Nena. I couldn't agree with you more. Last May was my first trip to the DR, after wanting to go for several years but never making it. I found Monaga on Google and telephoned Anthony. I told him I needed a few days to unwind and didn't mind going it alone. He suggested I stay 2 nights at his Monaga guest house so I could have a full day to acclimatize, exchange money, etc. and most of all to talk with him about various destinations in the country.
We sat down together at his computer and looked at a lot of potential places, finally settling on Las Terranas. He advised me to go by local bus..$6.75 for the four-hour trip. He had someone drive me to the bus station and wait with me there to be sure I got onto the right bus since I didn't speak Spanish at the time.
Anthony warned me the bus would drop me off about 15 miles outside Las Terranas and I would have to find my own way into town. The bus trip across the island was fantastic - modern Volvo motorcoach with televisions, merengue/bachada, and a crazy-ass but gorgeous driver. We stopped in several towns where I was able to get off and look around for a few minutes.
True to Anthony's word, I was dropped off in Sanchez, which was nothing but a cross-roads with a gas station. I was instantly swarmed by a horde of young guys on motor scooters looking for my business. Chose one for $5.00 and we went up over a mountain and down into one of the most picturesque and unspoiled towns I've experienced.
Anthony and I had identified three or four possible hotels, and I asked the cycle driver (whom I was sqeezing up against from behind....those damn motorscooters!..... to drop me at the first one, where I got a nice room and breakfast for $30 per night right across the road from the beach. The rooms were decorated early-YMCA, but the food, beer, pool, and beach were all I needed.
One day, I went with a local young guy to the town of El Limon and hiked 10 miles with him (just the two of us) into the beautiful Limon waterfall. On another day, a different young man took me to the almost unpopulated Playa Limon, where we found two young fishermen who cooked a lobster for us. (Anthony, feel free to post some of the photos if you want to.)
After four days of sleeping, eating, swimming, and meeting untold attractive young men (not ALL of whom I went to bed with) I called Anthony and told him I was ready for the Big City. I bought an $80 one-way ticket on a five-seater Dom Air flight to Herrara airport in the middle of Santo Domingo. (Anthony, you have a great picture of the beach taken from about 1000 feet.)
Anthony put me up for three nights at the guest house, then kicked me out because he was already fully booked for the Memorial Day weekend. But he sent me to the caribe Colonial with introductions, and I was treated very kindly for the rest of my stay.
So yes, Nena, I agree with you. Get out there on your own and you'll save money while meeting some of the friendliest people on earth and experiencing things you'll never forget.
Secondly, you won't find a nicer, more responsive, and considerate friend than Anthony to help you make your trip as best as possible.
Keep it up, Anthony....these are the kinds of posts you do best.
I look forward to seeing you in May/June for my third trip to the DR........George
I went to a "gay" all inclusive at the Cayo Limon Resort that was run by a "former" colleague of Anthony's named John Rodrigues. I hope this new place is better but I will not go unless I hear some rave reviews of it from others first. If this person at Arcos was smart he would send a taxi to pick Anthony up and bring him back and let her stay for a couple of days. Anthony then writes an honest review regarding the food selection, wine selection, drink selection, hotel accomodations, pool and beach review as well as a "country bugarrone" scout. After we get all this info THEN we can book a stay and not before. The Cayo Limon resort didn't even have a paved road and almost killed a few of us tourists who went. Be very careful about these remote locations in the North! The roads are horrible and not maintained.
Poor Cayo Limon. But that gets you for false advertisement. When he was at gay.com, he heavily advertised it as a 5-star hotel. When I asked him if there was airconditioning, he said no. A 5-star hotel without airconditioning? I swear that some of the Dominican businesses think foreigners are stupid.
George's trip is my kind of trip. Well-researched and independent. For those who are a bit timid to do what George did, may I recommend an initial trip to Sosua and staying at the tropix. Although the tropix has a policy of not allowing "guests" in their room, I am sure Brian won't mind if he can share (lol!).
One of the great things to experience in DR is the "gay friendly" atmosphere at most of the resorts/hotels/clubs/bars, etc that my partner and I have stayed at/ visited. My partner and I have stayed at many places over the island and never had a problem. Don't get me wrong, we're not slobbering all over each other and such, but we're open about who we are.
I'm disappointed to see a new gay identified hotel open up and specifically state it's for gay men only. First; is this legal in DR to openly discriminate against anyone who isn't gay? Second; where do you stop the exclusion? Will it be for white gay men only next? Sounds very Palm Springs to me. Please leave that crap in America and don't soil paradise.
Evenin' George,
wow, yours was most adventurous~I went by myself for a few days in PUerto Plata, went out to a club in the town, one guy took me to a "sex hotel" and I didn't know what it was until we got out the taxi...luckily he had introduced me to his family at his house before we went on our adventure..."whata night"LOL.... then some co workers came down...but I already had some of the island's temptations... I had 10 lovely nights in Puerto Plata now i'm more confident, i'm sure I will have a BIGGER Blast, haha!
I like your trip George....you have definitely sparked some interest here...and the anonymous"poor cayo limon" so much interesting information......thanks!!!
Yes, Anthony deserves a thurs-monday complimentary stay at that "gay resort" to definitely give his scoop but again that may put Anthony in an awkward position.
Food for thought~
Thanks, Nena - I'm sure you don't need any more encouragement. Looking at all your posts, I know you love this country and love to explore. I hope some time our paths will cross.
Re the post about the Caya Limon Resort...I agree.. Anthony had identified it as a possibility in one of our telephone conversations before I went to SD.. But by the time I got to the Guest House, he was aware that the thing was a fraud and advised me to avoid it.
This is one reason why I value Anthony's advice.
Another thing about that resort....when Tony took me to the beach and (later) the lobster, we went down the pathetic dirt road that passed the resort. As we passed the entrance with its big sign, I asked Tony to stop so we could have a look. He was at first reluctant, but acquiesced when I insisted. I told him I had heard about it, knew it had closed, but wanted to check it out.
We found a male and female caretaker on the premises and they showed us the whole place, including the rooms. The pool was empty, but otherwise they were keeping the place in pristine condition. I'm sure someone could make it succeed if they didn't start with grandiose "all-inclusive" ideas.
Anyway, when we were pulling away on the motorscooter, Tony asked me whether I knew it had been a place for "gays." I said "sure." "How come you knew that....?" Well, what do you think?" He said "You didn't tell me you were gay." I said "You didn't ask." He laughed and reached behind to grope me.
I'm telling all this only to reaffirmm what most of you know....sometimes the darndest things will happen if you lay back and let them unfold.
And Tony wasn't (isn't) gay. He is married with five of the most beautiful kids you can imagine. But he was open minded, and I'll leave it to you to decide if he was (is) available. After all, this IS the Dominican Republic.
Thanks again, Anthony.......George
The next time I get up North I will stop by and check out the place myself. Honestly, I'm not the all-inclusive type, but I think it is great that someone is trying to offer other alternatives.
I wish them much success.
Absolutely! Even if you don't want to stay there, I'm sure they'd welcome you at the bar across the street, and might even open up their hotel bar and dining room for us "discerning diners."
I stopped by Arcos this morning because I had read about it in this blog. It is as advertised about 3km east of town, just off the main road. Now... the hotel itself opens tomorrow. It is a group of rooms on two levels surrounding an attractive court yard. Everything looks new!! Tile, paint, woodwork, furniture and fixtures. They've done a great job & I suspect it looks even better at night. There is a nice, inviting lounge area with sofas, bar, and dining area on the lower floor. Rooms are as pictured on the internet, and are very spacious, clean and inviting. Bathrooms are well-equipped and the rooms are air conditioned. Although not officially open for business, the staff was gracious & took the time to show me around. For now, there is not a pool within the hotel itself, but immediately across the street in an associated hotel (which also looks good) there is an attractive pool within a walled area.
All in all, a very nice looking establishment, though a little away from the center of Cabarete. But, Cabarete is a verrry short ride away with beach, restaurant, and discos.
If you desire a comfortable, gay friendly environment for your lodging & daytime lounging... I'd say this is the place. It'd be a great place to relax and feel comfortable with your friends or boyfriend. I'd stay there with no hesitation and will recommend to friends in DR & US.
I would encourage a non-AI package and associated lower price. I'm sure I'd have many breakfast/lunch/dinners there... but not all the time. I'd most likely want to have lunch or dinner in Cabarete on occasion for variety.
Best Rgds,
T
** note, i have NOTHING to gain by giving this review other than helping all of you make an informed choice. i get a lot of information from this blog and wanted to give a little back! i call it like i see it - i just happened to like what i saw! **
Thank you very much for that review. It is very much appreciated.
i call it like i see it - i just happened to like what i saw!?????
am i the only one being told where to go, sure the last comment sounds like advertising.
love your blog , is so informative and accurate
Does anyone knows if this Hotel is running or has it been closed down for bussiness, as i tried to call but with no success, thank you all!
Hotel Closed Down,
Owner wanted for fraud.
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