Sanctuary Cap Cana

We just got back from Sanctuary Cap Cana and overall had a really relaxing vacation. The property itself is absolutely beautiful — probably one of the prettiest resorts we’ve stayed at. It’s super quiet, never felt overcrowded, and there are so many places to just sit, relax, and enjoy the scenery. The pool area was one of our favorite spots, mostly because of Felix. He was incredible. Every morning he had our chairs set up and ready to go before we even got there. Honestly, he works harder than anyone there. If you want good pool spots, either get there very early or take good care of Felix because he makes it happen. The drinks were good and they definitely use quality/top shelf alcohol. The spa was also one of the highlights of the trip. We did the hydrotherapy before our massage and it was such a nice experience. Huge thank you to Sophia and Ana — truly one of the best massages we’ve ever had. Our room was great too. We stayed in the Premium Luxury Suite and it was spacious, clean, comfortable, and very quiet. Food was a little hit or miss depending on the restaurant. Capriccio (Italian) was probably the best overall experience. Service there was excellent. The eggplant parm appetizer was delicious. I’d skip the arancini though — kind of dry. My husband loved the bolognese and my carbonara was simple but good. The steakhouse was probably our least favorite experience service-wise. Everything took forever and we barely saw our server. The shrimp appetizer was nothing special but the pork trio was really good. My short rib was actually excellent but husband found the ribeye a bit bland. Blue Marlin was decent but again… very slow service. Crab cakes were good, shrimp tacos were bland, salmon was okay. Wok ended up surprising us in a good way once we finally got a reservation. The Geisha cocktail was amazing. I loved the black bao and Pad Thai. My husband thought his samosas and curry chicken were just average. Pool food was very good - burgers, fish and chips, nachos. Quick and easy. Buffet was lovely for breakfast. One important tip: download the Marriott Experience app BEFORE you arrive and start booking restaurants early. Reservations go FAST and I was literally checking the app every morning trying to grab times. You can use your reservation number to log in before your stay. A few negatives worth mentioning: The check-in process was honestly frustrating. It took over an hour after traveling all day. They seat you, take your passport, bring a welcome drink (which is nice), but then the process drags on while they try to upsell rooms, walk back and forth to the desk. At that point, you just want your room and to start your vacation and this process should not take more than 10 mins. The other downside was that service throughout the resort was generally very slow. Not rude for the most part… just slow. One bartender at the formal pool bar seemed especially annoyed anytime we asked questions. Our first day we asked what drinks people liked and she basically responded with “whatever you want, we have it” and acted bothered when we asked for a menu. Also — bring sunscreen, Tums, Advil, literally anything you may need because the prices in the gift shop are INSANE. A tiny bottle of Tums was $29 and sunscreen was about the same. Overall, we did have a lovely trip. It was peaceful, relaxing, beautiful, and exactly the quiet vacation we needed. I’m glad we went and experienced it, but personally I don’t think I’d return.

Sanctuary Cap Cana, Punta Cana Dominican Republic.

Awesome experience in a very relaxing and beautiful location. Appreciated every detail and the exquisite service.

We stayed here for an anniversary. The castle side of this resort is beautiful with quiet views that aesthetically feel like a sanctuary. As you walk the hallways of the castle there is a therapeutic rain shower feature. Our room had a balcony that led directly to the ocean and felt private. The fountains and ponds are also beautiful. This is all-inclusive. There is a buffet included but the food and coffee is not great, neither is the service. Don’t get the pineapple juice. There is a small cafe that has the best coffee, but the two women at the front desk were noticeably friendly to only certain customers. It didn’t help that we were the only ones tipping and that we required no extras. Since it was December, it was easy to book with the special restaurants. The Italian restaurant was our favorite and there was a Haitian waiter (I regret I can’t recall his name) who has worked there a while who was very knowledgeable about the food and wine and everything he recommended was on point. The steakhouse had a special we did for our anniversary but my favorite part was being serenaded by the 3-man band that goes around playing for customers . They are wonderful and it felt romantic. My main gripe is the lack of a detailed receipt at checkout and the idea that our flights were cancelled and we missed a night but the hotel just would not refund the night we did not use. They also charged the daily resort fee even though we were not there that day. Being lifetime Marriott members did not help.

Before this trip, I spent a lot of time reading recent reviews and noticed a wide mix—some felt sponsored, some came from very high point / status travelers, and others were heavy all‑inclusive resort comparisons. It definitely made me a bit nervous about what we’d actually encounter. We’re none of the above. We joke that we’re “standard passengers” in airport security lines and chose Sanctuary simply to relax and let someone take care of us for once. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay. The staff was outstanding and consistently went above and beyond to make guests feel welcome and cared for. A special thank you to Yesni, Gloria, Lucy, and everyone else who made our stay so lovely. As someone with a gluten‑free allergy, I’ll note that some restaurant menus can be hard to interpret, and breakfast and lunch signage can be confusing. That said, the staff was always happy to double‑check, ask the kitchen, or even bring out GF pasta or pancakes when requested. I had plenty of options, never went hungry, and didn’t need to rely on emergency snacks. Booking restaurants ahead of time was a bit confusing. It required a second Marriott app, and reservations depended on when each restaurant’s booking window opened (Wok five days out, Capriccio three). With help from the concierges, we were able to try both and enjoyed the experiences. We didn’t stay in the castle, opting instead for an oceanfront junior suite, which we loved. We did wander over to the castle bar a few evenings for a peaceful cocktail, which was a nice touch. We used the fitness center daily and found the equipment selection excellent. My only suggestion would be to add a few more mats in the stretching room, as it got busy during our stay. The spa was a highlight. The hydro experience includes both indoor and outdoor elements—don’t miss the outdoor portion. It was incredibly peaceful and relaxing. In the end, resorts may not totally be our thing, but if we do another, we’d absolutely consider returning to Sanctuary and would happily recommend it to others. Thanks again to the incredible staff for such a great experience!