Haiti – the first country in the world to abolish slavery – is a cheaper travel option than its neighbor, the Dominican Republic. The country is home to beautiful beaches and tropical weather, as well as to two casinos. Haiti is a great option for those looking for a cheap Caribbean vacation at a typical resort facility. The El Rancho in Port-au-Prince, is home to one of Haiti’s casinos, and provides the basic resort experience in the country’s capital.
The El Rancho Casino, open daily from 5PM to 3AM, presents guests with a variety of games. You can play on one of the 50 gaming machines – slots and video machines – or you can try your luck with the 15 table games with Blackjack, Poker and Roulette. For more questionable – by American standards – gaming, betting on cockfights is legal in the country and is regularly found throughout the island nation.
The El Rancho Casino is housed in the El Rancho Hotel, one of the best hotel facilities in the city, if not the country. Choose from 130 rooms, each with air conditioning and garden, pool or mountain views. Each room also has satellite television and Internet access. Remember though, that crime is relatively high for the Caribbean, so take care should you decide to leave the hotel grounds.
When you get hungry, head down to one of the hotel’s two restaurants. The Continental offers breakfast, lunch and dinner menus and serves up what reviewers call “reasonable international meals.” There is also Le Gourmet, an upscale restaurant that serves French-Haitian specialties. When you’re done, you can get a beer, wine or cocktail at the Lobby bar.
El Ranch offers much in terms of relaxation facilities. The tropical garden provides an escape to the natural beauty of the country while the fitness center provides great workout facilities with both free weights and cardio machines. There’s also a swimming pool and a tennis court.
At night, El Rancho comes alive. You can get different types of music at the resort’s three bars or you can take in live melodic tones at the piano bar. There’s also occasional live entertainment throughout hotel complex. Located in the Petion-Ville region of Port-au-Prince – which surrounds the hotel – where you can often find a bumping dance scene or casual bar experience.
To find the El Rancho Casino, fly into Port-au-Prince International Airport and take a 15-minute drive to Rue San Jose de San Martin, Petion-Ville, Port au Prince, Haiti.
