01/2014 - Good Places to Change Money in Santo Domingo

[enquisitive]

Hi, I've been reading a few reports and have done some searches but I'm still not sure of the best place for me to change money in Santo Domingo. I'm staying at the Hotel Riazor on Avenida Independencia and am looking to change mainly Pounds Sterling, though I have some dollars that I may change to. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm happy to travel across town to somewhere, but the nearer the better in terms of getting money back to my safe. Not sure if this thread should be here or in a Santo Domingo thread!

[BigLongBeach]

Hi, I've been reading a few reports and have done some searches but I'm still not sure of the best place for me to change money in Santo Domingo. I'm staying at the Hotel Riazor on Avenida Independencia and am looking to change mainly Pounds Sterling, though I have some dollars that I may change to. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm happy to travel across town to somewhere, but the nearer the better in terms of getting money back to my safe. Not sure if this thread should be here or in a Santo Domingo thread!

Any bank, western union, caribe express, or casino/hotel

[Jimmydr]

Hi, I've been reading a few reports and have done some searches but I'm still not sure of the best place for me to change money in Santo Domingo. I'm staying at the Hotel Riazor on Avenida Independencia and am looking to change mainly Pounds Sterling, though I have some dollars that I may change to. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm happy to travel across town to somewhere, but the nearer the better in terms of getting money back to my safe. Not sure if this thread should be here or in a Santo Domingo thread!

If you don't want to use an ATM machine you can change money at the Jarragua Hotel which is in front of the Raizor.

[enquisitive]

Thank you. I'd heard Western Union were good - it's just knowing where one is! Only one shows up on Google Maps, I could head there. Similar for Caribe. I'll give the Jaragua a try - I asked in the Casino yesterday but they only pointed me in the direction of the Cashier who didn't speak English and I didn't get a vibe they'd do more than dollars. So I'll head straight into the hotel this time. Cheers for the advice.

[JDR]

Thank you. I'd heard Western Union were good - it's just knowing where one is! Only one shows up on Google Maps, I could head there. Similar for Caribe. I'll give the Jaragua a try - I asked in the Casino yesterday but they only pointed me in the direction of the Cashier who didn't speak English and I didn't get a vibe they'd do more than dollars. So I'll head straight into the hotel this time. Cheers for the advice.

I think that is where you change money. Ask at the front desk. Changing money in the Capital was easy.

[Passport Playa]

There are several places to perform currency exchanges on El Conde.

PP

[JDR]

There are several places to perform currency exchanges on El Conde.

PP

I wouldn't want to be walking around there with 20,000 pesos unless my hotel was there.

[Passport Playa]

I wouldn't want to be walking around there with 20,000 pesos unless my hotel was there.

JDR:

Based upon where the OP is staying, he can perform every-other-day exchanges. Not to mention, he can also find some "talent" if he is not afraid to step-outside-the-box.

PP

[JDR]

JDR:

Based upon where the OP is staying, he can perform every-other-day exchanges. Not to mention, he can also find some "talent" if he is not afraid to step-outside-the-box.

PP

From his Hotel to the Conde there must be 20 places to change money and lock it up.

[enquisitive]

I've got the money sensibly tucked away, so it shouldn't be known about until a make the change. And yes - I'm not taking all of it at once. I tried the Jaragua - they do change money at the front desk, but only US dollars. I think the challenge will be changing GBP (preferably at a reasonable rate). That's GBP as in pounds, not the popular afternoon pleasure location :) I've done a search for "Banco" and can see quite a few so will take a look.

[BigLongBeach]

There are several places to perform currency exchanges on El Conde.

PP

I stopped going to street places in rd. Too many banks and wu's to have to deal with hustlers/fake money.

I always use atms too but don't like to see me with money

[enquisitive]

Phew, that was a bit more of a mission than I intended! I wandered into a few banks along Av Maximo Gomez. I asked in a couple, some didn't show any signs such as currency boards and they had a long queue so I left. Started off with Dollars or Euros only so I was beginning to despair a little, although I did have the Western Union location as a backup (bit far to walk). Finally wandered into Banco Santa Cruz near Supermercado Nacional. Small branch, quiet but I noticed a few currencies on the board. I asked, the lady stared at my sample note I had ready very carefully, and passed it round some other staff! Unfortunately she didn't speak any English which made things challenging for us both. Items on my Passport are labelled in English and French, and I think she struggled to find the country for her drop down - I knew Inglaterra was England but didn't know United Kingdom. Couldn't get a data signal inside the building to help - it is "reino unido". I was in there for ages while this got sorted out, fortunately she was great looking with a reasonably busty top so I was happy to stand there! Rate was pretty reasonable - think the flat rate is about 71 today, I got 69.6 which is a lot better than the 62 I got at home for the small amount I brought with me.

All done for now. I'll need to do some research on changing the rest - probably in Sosua, I think if I went back to the same place in SD the poor girl would quit her job! I think I need to offload some of this cash onto some friendly company to relax!

[Jimmydr]

All done for now. I'll need to do some research on changing the rest - probably in Sosua, I think if I went back to the same place in SD the poor girl would quit her job! I think I need to offload some of this cash onto some friendly company to relax!

Going all the way to Sosua rather than Boca?

[enquisitive]

We'll see once I've read your trip report! :biggrin:

[Jimmydr]

We'll see once I've read your trip report! :biggrin:

My report is 90% completed.


Going to suck when you need to take that 5 hour bus ride back to catch your flight.