Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Bavaro Rainbow GLBT Hotel

In July 2008, I wrote about (click here for the post) I received a couple of emails from people who had been swindled by John Rodriguez (a.k.a. Juan Rodriguez). He is involved with a company called Dominican Gay Tours & Travel (a.k.a. Dominican Tours & Travel). Through this company they supposedly run: Caribbean Paradise Villa, Bavaro Rainbow GLBT Hotel, and the Cabarete Colors Hotel. John/Juan is a very smooth operator. He is a gay Dominican who speaks English well, and all seems on the up-and-up. But, once he has you on the line he has you send a deposit using MoneyGram. Wrong move! You should not send any money to anyone you don't know, unless you are using a credit card. This way, if you are swindled you can have your credit card company get your money back for you (or at least try to).

I am starting to get several emails from unsuspecting gay tourists asking the same questions again. If you see the name Dominican Gay Tours & Travel, Dominican Travel & Tours, Caribbean Paradise Villa, Bavaro Rainbow GLBT Hotel, Cabarete Colors Hotel, or John or Juan Rodriguez, you should RUN!!!!!!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the heads up... I am thinking of visiting first weekend in June and either staying at the Camilo house, Discovery Hotel or the Mercure... Any suggestions or tips? I know the Camilo wants a deposit via paypal or CC should I be concerned? Thanks for the awesome blog I'm a faithful follower.

Santo Domingo Colonial Zone Apts said...

Any of the places listed above are fine. I am biased though, as I manage the Camilo House Apartments.

Anonymous said...

The Discovery and the Mercure both charge rather substantial fees if you have a visitor come to your room. $10 to $17 per visitor. I don't believe that the Camilo House has that charge.

CASKET SHARP said...

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!! WHEN YOU SEE OR HEAR THIS QUEENS NAME!

Anonymous said...

Could this be the work of Dr. Leon coming back to haunt us?His probation should be over this year and he should be able to travel aywere he wants........

CASKET SHARP said...

Dr. Who ever Leon has 5 years Probation and blocked form coming to the Dominican Republic.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Leon was released on May 14, 2008 with 3 years of probation,since he was doing Federal Time he should only have about 18 months to do. He was not CHARGED with any crimes in the DR. Be ye ever ready because just like JESUS HE'S COMING BACK AGAIN!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I recall John when he worked for you at the old Monaga, he seem like such a nice/good quality person until after he left you, sad how some people turn out on the end. You think they are one way and years later you find out it just wasn't the way you thought they were AT ALL..Then you wonder what tripped them out or sent them off in another direction(or off the deep end)and you find out there not at all what you thought they were,and say to your self, what happen???Very sad, however life goes on.Don't be a fool this can also happen in friendships has well or what you thought was friendship.People are not always what they PRETEND to be.JIM from Houston,Texas

Anonymous said...

Why any gay traveler who plans to entertain guests would stay at the Mercure or the Discovery and pay extra is beyond my comprehension.
Stay with Anthony at Camilo House and get an apartment for the cost
of a room at any other place. The
guests are free of charge. Well,
sort of....
From Puerto Rico,
Rafael

Anonymous said...

Anonymous, he was taken by the US Marshall's and because he spent most of the money he stole in the Dominican Republic, Houses, Bar, Van, etc. his terms of Probation says he cannot travel back to the Dominican Republic, and has been added to the no fly list for that region.

Public Notice, please research

Anonymous said...

Rafael, I like your sense of humor. The hotel does NOT charge for visitors but I am certain that there is a charge.

Anonymous said...

I will second that realistic statement,you know it..LOL LOL LOL..Nothing is free there or here(U.S.) there is always a hidden charge(or one agreed upon) of some sort...thats life in the real world in which we live...

Unknown said...

Anthony is Correct. I was ripped off at a "resort" complete with thousands of cockroaches en El Limon in the North of the Country in the Samana Region. It was to be a "Gay Resort" and there was no one there. We were ripped off for over $1900 for a couple for 3 nights and 4 days, the food not eatable, the drinks were suppose to be included but the only thing they had was Presidente and Brugal, nothing more. We were to have access to a disco, and there was one there, but because there was only the two of us they refused to "spend the funds to pay employees to open it" so we went without. There was nothing anywhere around there in this small town. The road to get there was horrible in the rent a car and the airbags went off and we cracked the bottom of the motor on a huge boulder and that cost us an additional $4985.00 US Dollars. Then a few months later there were "strange charges on my Amex card" and it turned out they were for a company in Spain (the owners of the resort in El Limon) but the charges were traced by American Express to the Dominican Republic. Huh? I wonder who? This was in February 2006. I see the scammer is still up to his old games. In the end, I got my refund from American Express for the stolen RD$126,000 pesos that were charged to my card but the company in Spain got hit with the bill for the charges that were refunded to me. The whole process was nerve wracking as it took more than 3 months with all the international tracking between the USA, Spain and then to the Dominican Republic. Stay away from anything to do with this John Rodriguez. I would love for Anthony, or any blogger, to post a photo of John (he is like 6 foot 4" tall and pretty good looking and a real charmer so watch out) so that people will know who it is they are dealing with and can recognize him no matter what name he uses.

Jimmy

Ricky said...

You should put his picture and how you know him go to the police.
He must be in jail, but what we can do know is tu put in internet everything about this man, pics, names and the places he is involved, so nobody go to those places. The one called Cabarete Colors is closed, nothing there. And maybe the another in Bavaro dosnt work.
So everybody muast write about this criminal named: Juan Rodriguez or John Rodriquez.

Anonymous said...

Someone PLEASE post a photo PLEASE!!! A 6 foot 4 charming Dominican? I am a weak woman and could easily fall under the spell... photos PLEASE!!