Casa Pastorale

The accommodations were provided by Good Samaritan Hospital located in La Romana. Don't expect lavish furnishings in this dormitory-style building that is surrounded by concrete walls topped with barb wire and broken glass. Don't expect jet-massage showers or potpourri-scented bathrooms.
Rule # 1: Setting expectations is a precursor to disappointment. Rather, coming with no expectations at all is less likely to leave you dispppointed.
Casa Pastorale is in the midst of downtown La Romana. Traffic and human activity are inevitable. For those used to rural-town living like me, brace yourself for a cultural shock. Forget the sounds of ocean waves beating on the shore or the gentle rustling of tall grass in the wind. You'll be greeted by one of the following, in no particular order, and often occuring simultaneously:
1. barking dogs possessing owl-like qualities that prevent them from sleeping during the day,
2. roaring motorcycles - the preferred mode of transportation for Dominicans - with missing mufflers,
3. cars or trucks that have been transformed into loud boomboxes on wheels (literally, I kid you not) vying for the "who can play the loudest music" contest,
4. time-disoriented roosters whose internal alarm clock has been set at 2:30 am with the snooze button going off repeatedly, or
5. that mysterious sound (we suspect from the nearby factory) that blares it's air horn on schedule at night and early morning, like a gigantic alarm clock reminding the people of all La Romana that it's time to turn off the lights or time to wake up.
Rule # 2: bring a set of ear plugs, or as Joel did, aircraft-standard ear mufflers. I'm still kicking myself because while packing, I took the earplugs out of my luggage thinking to myself, "I won't be needing these over there."
There is a nice courtyard where vendors display their craft and artwork during the weeknights. It's also a great place to chat and hangout in the cool of the night. There are even lavish fruit trees producing bountiful mangoes which look and probably taste delicious when ripe. The problem is that humans aren't the only mammals who concur with that. I used to think that bats live only in caves. I think we all learned something new about the nocturnal activities of bats living in CP.
Rule # 3: stand at your own risk while lounging in the courtyard at night, or at least have on some sort of head-covering. A few people have been unfortunate enough to experience what it's like being bombed, some even twice! For the most part, these nocturnal creatures are otherwise harmless.
What makes accommodations truly great is not so much the exterior design or decorations (although plain and lackluster, CP was clean and tidy), it's the people in the building that make a difference. The staff at Casa Pastorale where we stayed were truly wonderful. Even though the accommodations were dormitory-style, and the shared bathrooms were not what we are used to by American standards, it was probably better then the lavish Embassy Suites near the airport. The hospitality and the home-cooked meals cannot be adequately described.
Rule # 4: expect great hospitality and food. Don't expect to loose any weight, rather be prepared to even gain some pounds because you won't go hungry.