Sanctuary Cap Cana

My husband and I really enjoyed our first visit to the Sanctuary Cap Cana. It’s a smaller and quieter resort than some of the others around Punta Cana, and that’s what we were looking for. While there were planned activities each day, it wasn’t an overwhelming schedule and there wasn’t a constant blaring of loud music or emcees on the microphone leading conga lines around the pool. We weren’t looking for a spring break vibe, so we appreciated the laid back atmosphere. The food was decent at all restaurants, with our favorite being the Blue Marlin. What impressed us the most was that the portions were greater than expected, especially for an all inclusive resort. The breakfast buffet was outstanding, with a ton of variety and good quality items. And there were other dining options at Sanctuary Town which were not included in the all inclusive resort package. We didn’t try any of them, but we heard rave reviews about the pizza. The best part of our trip was the butler service that was included with our ocean view room at the castle. Alex was so attentive and took care of everything for us including dinner reservations, coordinating airport transportation, setting up our beach chairs and shuttling us around the property. He gave us details about the daily activities every morning and even decorated our room with a surprise champagne service. He was outstanding! Just a few other observations, the property has an interesting layout. There’s no big grand entrance, with a sweeping lawn large impressive fountains and ornate landscaping. It’s a very small driveway and the main doorway is a bit understated, so first impressions were slightly underwhelming. There’s also several different types of buildings spread out across the property, from one and two bedroom villas to a traditional hotel building and then the castle where we stayed. They’re all built with different design styles, which could lead one to believe there may have been several property acquisitions which were combined into the one resort. Highly recommend a room in the castle with butler service or one of the villas,, which also includes butler service. We will be looking into a villa next time. The beachfront area is also very small, so if you’re using a lounge chair, expect to make friends with your neighbors, as everyone is literally sitting right on top of each other. We did enjoy friendly conversations with our immediate neighbors at both the pool and the beach, as guests were very friendly and they mostly skewed on the older side (40s, 50s, 60s), which suited us just fine. One final note, is that the sand is anything but soft. There’s even posted signs for guests to expect to feel rocks under their feet. If you’re looking for super soft sand, then try Destin, Florida - as the sand there has been compared to fluffy mashed potatoes. We did appreciate the netting structures that kept the pesky seaweed away. If we’re nitpicking, the downside was their presence in any beachfront photo ops. Overall, we had a very relaxing stay that was made even better by our excellent butler service and the excellent weather. Hopefully these thoughts will be helpful to others who are looking for a nice Caribbean getaway.

We had an absolutely amazing time at Sanctuary Cap Cana for our anniversary and our butler, Frank, continuously went above and beyond to ensure our stay was truly special. Thanks Frank and everyone at this fantastic resort for an unforgettable experience!!

Sanctuary is a quiet, private, gorgeous property for those seeking a sanctuary from life. Check in was swift, guided by our amazing butler Hector. Immediately upon arrival he swiftly transferred our luggage and drove us to our check in area., where we received prompt attention; we were in the steakhouse enjoying drinks and surf & turf for Valentine’s Day within an hour of arrival. The room was breathtaking! It was beachside landscaped to allow the ocean inches from our private deck. We wouldn’t have had to leave the room! The castle offers large suites with thick downy comforters, coffee, good a/c and a stocked fridge ( restocked daily). Héctor sent us the resort map, made dinner reservations and answered our questions in real time. He arranged special touches for us that made the trip even more memorable. The spa’s water therapy (sauna, steam room, cold plugged, outdoor pool and hot tub) was a perfect way to start. The staff is universally top-notch and we especially appreciated the smiles and positive attitude of Grace and Yessia from the buffet, who presented their food with love. We also appreciated Belén, who made each meal a truly indulgente experience. We watched stunning sunrises from a couples cabaña right outside our suite, and never saw another guest! There is nothing more rejuvinating than listening to the waves falling into the shore from our sunny patio, but in case you want more the pools were impecable clean and the liquor top shelf. Our biggest decision was which of the restaurants to visit, and each were stunningly beautiful (especially Wok) with a 3-course meal and dessert. The resort is designed around romantic spaces and a chill vibe. We will look no further! This resort has it all.

After reading countless reviews and watching multiple videos rating Sanctuary Cap Cana a perfect 10/10, we decided to book our stay with very high expectations. Over the past few years, we’ve vacationed at Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun, Live Aqua Beach Resort Punta Cana, Excellence Riviera Cancun, and Riu Palace Baja California. Like any resort, each of those had its pros and cons — however, Sanctuary Cap Cana was the first time we left a trip feeling genuinely disappointed… almost misled. Let’s start with the positives: the hotel itself and the grounds are absolutely beautiful. The architecture is stunning, the property is well maintained, and our room in the Castle section was clean, comfortable, and visually impressive. A couple of the restaurants were good, though many were just average. Unfortunately, after a few days, the shine started to wear off and we found ourselves rethinking all the glowing reviews and videos we had seen prior to booking. The overall experience simply didn’t match the “5-star luxury” label that’s often used to describe this resort. In our opinion, it feels closer to a 4-star stay. We could go on about the smaller issues we experienced throughout the week, but listing them all would likely come across as petty. What stood out most to us — and interestingly, something we heard echoed by other guests we spoke with — is that Sanctuary Cap Cana doesn’t seem to know what kind of resort it wants to be. For the price you pay to be there, it lacks consistency in many areas that you would expect to be seamless at a true 5-star property. Our takeaway from the week was that while the setting is beautiful, the overall experience just doesn’t live up to the reputation or cost.

We have so many good things to say about the Sanctuary CapCana but most importantly it’s about the staff that made our visit so special. Starting with Esperanza Richiez who is the concierge supervisor extraordinaire and was responsible for making so many happy memories for us. She personally took charge of a couple extenuating circumstances and went above and beyond to make sure that we were satisfied. In addition to her, there were several other staff members mostly dining room and beach bar, who went out of their way with hospitality. Their names are Chavelin, Valentina, Levis, Elvie, Jacobo, Katia and Alix. I’m sure I have forgotten some but overall the level of customer service and hospitality at this hotel is over the top!! We stayed for a week in December 2025 and this review is a little late but necessary nonetheless, to commend the wonderful staff and mention the beautiful property and grounds of the Sanctuary Cap Cana.