New first-class hotels are springing up all over the country, primarily on the north shore area. A service charge is added to hotel bills, by law, but tipping is left up to your discretion. Although the streets of the capital city of Santo Domingo and several other cities were re-paved recently, the condition of most of the roads and highways is still considered to be poor and in some cases dangerous. De Las Americas and Aeropuerto Int'l. De Barahona Buses provide service between major cities, however, the quality of service is questionable.
Road conditions range from excellent to very poor.
Traffic laws are similar to the U.S., but undisciplined driving is common, due to a lack of adequate traffic controls. Travel at night on inter-city highways and in rural areas should be avoided, due to vehicles being driven at excessive speeds, often with malfunctioning headlights. The Dominican Republic has one of the most advanced telecommunication networks in Latin American. Information Major business newspapers and business or specialized magazines can be purchased locally. U.S. cable TV is also available locally.