Sanctuary Cap Cana

The entire resort was well built. So many places to visit. We stayed in the castle side in the honeymoon suite facing the ocean. The view was unreal. We even had our own personal butler. Camacho was very accommodating and informative. Anytime I had a question or needed a ride to the pool or dining we would be there or make sure someone else did. Great experience!!

We went May 1-5. The resort is very close to the airport, very easy transfer. The grounds are very well kept, everyone was very professional and welcoming. TLDR Resort Overall: 5/5 Room: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Food: 3.5/5 Beach: 3.5/5 Ocean View: 5/5 Spa: 5/5 We stayed in a castle garden view. The room was perfect. Ours was over top of the Wok Restaurant. No issues at all. Rooms are very well sound proofed, even with a concert at the resort behind us, with the door closed, it was silent. We also didn't spend much time in the room. Our Butler, Hector was always trying to think ahead. He solved a problem right away. I was unable to book reservations a few days ahead of our arrival even though I tried. He was able to get a great time slot for dinner. He also created a core memory for my wife on Saturday when an outside florist dropped the ball on an order. He went above and beyond. There are many pools. We didn't even use all of them there are so many. There was never really an issue finding a chair. Covered seating is slightly competitive, but we always seemed to find one, sometimes with a little help. The beach is small, but very private. If you go for a walk along Juanillo Beach, you will see the contrast right away. Juanillo is right next door, and is public. Good for walking. Sanctuary's beach is for laying in a chair. The beach was clear of sargassum the first two days. It did hit hard the last two days. Since it's such a small beach, the crews were out there removing it as soon as they could. I do wish there wasn't competing music around the pools and beach. Friday was particularly obnoxious because the main pool was blasting country music (gross), and the beach side bar was playing classy island cabana music. The food was fine. There doesn't seem to be a focus on any one cuisine, which I think is unfortunate. They try to be all things to everyone, and it's what you would expect. The Italian restaurant was the nicest setting. Wok had the best food. The steak House had the best service. Blue Marlin had the best views. The buffet was mostly the same each day, but lunch had some variation. There needs to be more options for non-meat eaters for dinner. That was a struggle. The buffet covers just about everyone, but it's not open for dinner. You wont go hungry, that's for sure. However, you might be eating after 9pm on some nights, so plan ahead. It wasn't an issue for us. The Spa was top notch. We both mentioned that it was one of the best we ever received. We walked through sanctuary town a couple of times. It was dead and a bit odd. No one was really there. It felt like a film set honestly. Come to this resort if you want to avoid loud drunk people. It's quiet at night, and that's a good thing. We're not old, just not looking for a party resort. It's not an uptight resort at all. A peaceful sanctuary is how I would describe it. One thing I keep wondering though, why did they play that Kelly Clarkson song every morning at the pool for the noodle exercise? lol We are already discussing a return trip.

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.