Hotel Villa Colonial is a charming Spanish Colonial boutique hotel that is well-situated for tourists looking to visit the city’s most popular attractions: Parque Colon, the Catedral Primada de America, and Playa Montesinos are all within a short walk of this nearly 100 year-old property. Its Spanish Colonial buildings are centered around a small, but lovely, outdoor garden courtyard with a pool. The 11 attractive guest rooms are quiet, clean, and come with modern amenities like mini-fridges and flat-screen TVs. Hotel Villa Colonial earned its top spot thanks to excellent freebies (property-wide Wi-Fi, continental breakfast, coffee, tea, and bottled water), excellent Zona Colonial location, and appealing boutique vibe.

Casa Sanchez Boutique Hotel has similar amenities and rates as Hotel Villa Colonial. Hotel Villa Colonial takes the lead because of its more charming rooms, but nonetheless, Casa Sanchez is a lovely boutique property that gets just about everything right. Its 10 rooms vary widely in size, and all include modern amenities like mini-fridges and flat-screen TVs. Spacious, apartment-style suites upgrade to kitchenettes and optional private balconies. A lap pool and rooftop sundeck with a hot tub and reading lounge offer far more social space than most boutique downtown properties. Not only are Casa Sanchez rates low, but they include free Wi-Fi, free filtered spring water, and free daily cooked-to-order breakfast that includes Dominican and American items.

Courtyard Santo Domingo has nowhere the charm and intimacy of Hotel Villa Colonial and Casa Sanchez, but it is among the most centrally located chain hotels in the city, and all 145 of its rooms come with air-conditioning, mini-fridges, iPod docks, and flat-screen HDTVs with international programming. Furniture is generic and traditional with hints of contemporary, although some pieces show signs of age. Free parking is available in a large lot staffed with 24-hour security. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms and in all common areas, and we found the service fast and reliable during our stay.

Like Courtyard, Dominican Fiesta Hotel and Casino offers free property-wide Wi-Fi and free secure parking. This traditional business hotel (which has no casino, despite the name) goes even further by including a breakfast buffet in its room rates, but Courtyard still deserves its higher ranking because of its more central location. Dominican Fiesta is about a 25-minute drive from Zona Colonial, but guests who don't mind being on the western edge of sprawling Santo Domingo will find plenty of features here to enjoy: a massive pool, spa, nine meeting rooms, business center, large gym, and a handful of bars with live music and panoramic city views.

Vibe-wise, Casa Naemie is more in line with Hotel Villa Colonial and Casa Sanchez, and the opposite of Courtyard and Dominican Fiesta. It's an unassuming boutique hotel with a bohemian-chic style -- surprising for a low-key budget property in Santo Domingo. Funky design details blending modern, antique, and tropical motifs create an infectious charm. The 11 rooms are private and cute, but some are compact and dark. All feature flat-screen TVs, en-suite bathrooms, powerful air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi (which can be spotty, especially on higher-floor rooms). The breakfast buffet here is free and tasty, and served in the hotel’s quaint cafe-bar in the lobby. It’s simple, but varied, with fruit, coffee, cake, and toast plus made-to-order eggs and juices. The hotel is right in the heart of Zona Colonial, and most major sights are a short walk away.

The downtown BQ Santo Domingo by BQ Hotels is a short walk to restaurants, markets, and Bella Vista Mall. Its 137 spacious rooms feature flat-screen TVs, minibars, mini-fridges, and free Wi-Fi -- modern amenities that almost make up for their bland design. If there’s a single amenity that helps differentiate this hotel from other area properties, it’s the rooftop deck. The panoramic space offers a sparkling outdoor pool, a beautiful open-air lounge, and sweeping city views in every direction. A crisp, white-on-white color scheme, waterfall, modern furniture, and live music or DJs all create an upscale, nightclub-style atmosphere. A light tapas menu and full bar are available. BQ Santo Domingo's rates are low and its freebies include a Dominican/American breakfast buffet and secure parking. However, the aging, mismatched decor in the common areas is subpar compared to Santo Domingo’s many other three-pearl, business-centric alternatives.

Hotel Conde de Penalba offers classic Dominican charm in a small, relatively basic package in the heart of Santo Domingo’s Zona Colonial. Each of the 20 rooms offers plenty of vintage appeal with contemporary touches, though they can be a bit worn. All do feature modern amenities, including free Wi-Fi, flat-screen cable TVs, air-conditioning, and (optional) balconies -- some overlooking Parque Colon and the Palacio Consistorial. There's also a popular cafe and bar on the street level. The hotel stays true to its Spanish Colonial roots in every respect, although some guests may find common areas to be a bit more dowdy than vintage. 

Though it's not quite as budget-friendly as Conde de Penalba, Hodelpa Caribe Colonial has more contemporary rooms and amenities and its rates are still good. All 54 rooms feature free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, and mini-fridges or minibars -- some even include balconies. Azul Restaurant, which serves Dominican fare day and night (including a free breakfast buffet), is the hotel's only feature, but it has a prime central location just off the city’s El Conde pedestrian mall.