Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicColonial Zone
BILLINI HOTEL HISTORIC LUXURY
Modernist convent conversion
Colonial Zone Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Opened
2014
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Heritage LocalOutside the door
Modernist convent conversion
A sixteenth-century convent outbuilding has become an unapologetically modern hotel, setting raw colonial brickwork against sharp contemporary style.
What it’s good at
Notable
Twentieth-century fashion photography and modernist furniture fill suites set within sixteenth-century stone.
Notable
Original sixteenth-century convent walls and arches frame the suites and central courtyards.
Listed
Castil serves traditional Dominican dishes framed by excavated 450-year-old stone columns.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
It’s housed in a 16th-century convent, and proudly displays certain well-preserved architectural elements.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
The front doors open onto Calle Padre Billini, steps from Regina Angelorum Church and the cobblestone plazas of the Ciudad Colonial.
The rooms
Modernist furniture and vintage fashion photography sit against raw colonial masonry, finished with Bang and Olufsen sound systems.
The rooftop pool
Bring a swimsuit.
Sun loungers line the rooftop infinity pool, looking out over the neighboring colonial church dome and the city skyline.
The spa and gym
Massage tables sit in pale green treatment rooms, and the mirrored gym has cardio machines and free weights.
At the table
Moon serves tapas and cocktails on the open-air rooftop, and Plus Bar pours drinks against crimson walls downstairs.
How it began
The buildings stored munitions for Napoleon's troops in 1804, decades before local educator Father Billini founded his school here.
Santo Domingo
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.