Decree 296-22 declares the hotel grounds to be of public utility. The 30 lots, located at the corner of Independencia Avenue and Abraham Lincoln Avenue, will be purchased from their owner, Palmeras Comerciales, SA, or expropriated if an amicable agreement cannot be reached.
SANTO DOMINGO - With the issuance this week of decree 296-22, in which President Luis Abinader declares the land where the Hotel Hispaniola Santo Domingo once operated to be of public utility, a chapter closes in the history of the iconic hotels of the Dominican capital, born during the era of the Trujillo dictatorship.
Along with the Jaragua, Hamaca, Embajador and Matún hotels (Santiago), the Hispaniola was part of the list of hotels built by Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in his effort to consolidate the image of modernity and avant-garde that the State wanted to spread of the Dominican capital.
The Dominican architect and architectural historian José Enrique Delmonte Soñé explains that the construction of high-end hotels to accommodate visitors was included in the event held in Santo Domingo in 1955, which included the construction of the Hotel Paz, also known as the Hispaniola. The design was developed by Guillermo González Sánchez.
Although it closed its operations some years ago, a search on the Internet reveals a description of its features and amenities, which assign the place three stars and highlight its strategic location and proximity to the Dominican boardwalk.
The description details that the hotel has a building with a total of 165 rooms spread over three floors. "The building features a reception area offering currency exchange, several shops, a souvenir shop, a travel agency, and a hair salon. It also has a bar, a restaurant, and a casino. You can park your vehicle in the hotel's parking lot or garage. To round out the wide range of services offered, you can also enjoy room service, laundry service, and car rental," according to the specifications posted online.
A large casino, an enormous swimming pool, a nightclub, a bar, tennis courts, a gym, and massage services were among the attractions promoted by the hotel; in addition to laundry facilities and a barber/hair salon. Room amenities included air conditioning, a refrigerator, an iron, a telephone, and a minibar.
Leisure activities include the casino, the outdoor swimming pool and the tennis court.
At its peak, the iconic Hotel Hispaniola Santo Domingo boasted several meeting rooms for conferences, congresses, groups, and all kinds of events. It had 15 meeting rooms with a capacity of 1,200 people in theater-style seating, 400 in classroom-style seating, 1,500 for receptions, and 900 for banquets.
A Convention Center will be built
It was at FITUR 2022 last February, where President Luis Abinader announced the project to hold conventions and exhibitions in Santo Domingo, the absence of which is one of the weaknesses cited by hoteliers; and with which more hotel room occupancy will be generated.
Abinader announced that the Madrid Trade Fair Institution Consortium (Ifema), the organization behind the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) and other fairs and conventions, will be responsible for its construction. The group was contracted through Banreservas, with technical assistance from the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur), to design the building's architecture.
The president added that the feasibility study for the project is already underway.
Decree
Decree 296-22 declares the hotel grounds to be of public utility. The 30 lots, located at the corner of Independencia Avenue and Abraham Lincoln Avenue, will be purchased from their owner, Palmeras Comerciales, SA, or expropriated if an amicable agreement cannot be reached.
"In the event that an amicable agreement cannot be reached with the owners of the aforementioned portions of land, the Director General of National Assets will carry out all acts, procedures and resources, both ordinary and extraordinary, in accordance with the laws, to obtain the expropriation of the same," the decree states.
In that location, he confirms, the Santo Domingo Convention Center will be built, an infrastructure project in the capital that will directly impact tourism for meetings, congresses, and business and professional conventions.
That center must meet "international expectations and standards, as has been demanded for years by the main players in the sector.".
For Yudit García, president of the Santo Domingo Hotel Association (AHSD), a convention center would be the engine of future demand and would guarantee that Santo Domingo's destination is solidified for the next decade.
“The demand is high, we can compete with other countries; but, without a doubt, the convention center positions us, because it's not just the location of the rooms, but having a hall with a capacity of 5,000 people,” García said.
The representative of the Hotel Association of the Province of Santo Domingo said that there are 8,000 established rooms in the area and another 8,000, but in alternative spaces.
Sources: Today and the Internet.
