Hotel Shakey (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)

Guests find the hotel's staff to be absolutely amazing. Not only can they speak good English, but they are also very friendly and attentive and you feel well taken care of.

Guests are delighted with what they get for a very reasonable rate - namely a self-contained apartment with kitchen facilities, as opposed to a simple bedroom. The units are very spacious and kept very clean. If you're lucky you'll get a nice sea view too!

Security is a big issue in the Dominican Republic and guests feel reassured by the 24-hour security offered by the hotel.

Guests often report problems with dysfunctional air-conditioning units - essential in the tropical heat of the Dominican Republic. However, it is not the broken units that seem to be the main problem, but the fact that the living area isn't fitted with one at all, as it can get very hot.

The street outside is very busy and noisy for most of the day and often disturbs guests in their room. Guests also warn that there are many unsavoury characters hanging around outside. You can be regularly pestered for money or by the many prostitutes who trail around.

Guests are a little surprised to find that their fully-equipped kitchen doesn't even include a microwave - which is seen as a minimum requirement. Many say that they had been led to believe that they were provided, so are naturally disappointed when they are not.