That, at least, is what Monocle discovers upon arrival at a regular gathering of the Colonial Town Owners and Residents Association in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (DR). She has led the way for a wave of foreigners to relocate to Santo Domingo, especially its 500-year-old historic quarter. Santo Domingo old town’s main drag, Conde Colonial architecture aboundsFor now, Santo Domingo has avoided the fate of old towns elsewhere in the region, such as Cartagena in Colombia, that are little more than historical theme parks. The boutique hotel is the work of Moneo Brock, a Madrid-based firm that has been active in Santo Domingo for more than a decade. When he arrived in Santo Domingo in 2003, he estimates that there were 50 restaurants, 10 of which were of decent quality.