Sanctuary Cap Cana

Pam Sikkink

Arelci, Christian, and Endy were the most exceptional wait staff in the whole resort. They were so good at their job and made you feel extra special and appreciated. The resort itself has changed a lot in the past few years. The staff in general is not as outgoing and don't seem to be as happy as they once were. They don't interact like they used to. The poolside activities are almost non-existent. The entertainment staff they have are very nice, but they really don't have much (activity wise) to work with. We miss a lot of staff that were there for many years. They were such good employees that remembered you and interacted with everyone! A lot of visitors are thinking that Marriott has turned Sanctuary into a typical corporate resort. It doesn't have the same feel as it has had in the past 12 years.

Gregory Dial

Pros - solid location, check in and check out was a breeze. Well laid out property with beach and pool options. Cons - Service was really hit or miss. Food was limited and most were average at best. We would have gladly traded higher quality to pay for it. Not atypical for all inclusive. Pool also really cold and the jacuzzi wasn't heated. If you like all inclusives and to drink away the day, this might be for you. More cruise ship feel than luxury.

Alejandro Perdomo

The architecture is simply breathtaking, with all of the warm travertine and limestone creating a cozy but updated Spanish castle setting. Never have we experienced a more friendly and gracious staff and customer service experience. Our butler Juan Lugo was sure to tend to our every need and go the extra mile whenever possible. Claribel, our wedding planner, was an incredible guide and beyond helpful at every decision-making and planning step of the process. The food was also great, with many of the restaurants offering spectacular vistas. The vibe was also perfectly balanced, as there were certainly many activities and nightlife to take advantage of, without feeling surrounded by a crazy, partying type of energy. We can’t wait to plan our next trip to return here to the beautiful Sanctuary

Edith Peterson

The resort itself is absolutely beautiful with lots of pools. Drinks are okay. The staff is very kind and pleasant always ready to help. The restaurants don't have a lot of waiters and you will have to wait for drinks and everything else. Or like us we went for burgers but they didn't have tables available so no burgers or tacos or pizza because they didn't have tables 🤦🏻‍♀️. You are far away from any walking distance shopping or other restaurants. Their old town inside the resort is just restaurants and three little stores and not enough sitting. Very limited activities to do. Restaurants get booked way before you arrive to the resort. Activities get full way before you sign up or you sign up for the workshop and then you arrive and say sorry we are full like they did to us for the larimar workshop one day before we left. Nothing to do. If you want to just relax and not eat then go ahead and this is the perfect place. No night life or life shows.

Buy and Sell Maryland

Our stay at Sanctuary Cap Cana started off magical — and unfortunately ended in what was one of the most disappointing customer service experiences we’ve ever encountered. From the moment we arrived at the gate, everything felt luxurious. Our driver provided our names and passports, and we were escorted to the main hotel entrance. When the doors opened, the valet informed our driver that we had been upgraded to “The Castle” and directed him to drive us up the private driveway. We were warmly greeted by two attendants who thanked us for being Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite members and told us we had been upgraded from our oceanfront room to a Castle Oceanfront Suite, which included a butler. Naturally, we were thrilled. They explained the perks of staying in the Castle and having a private butler, and it truly felt like our loyalty status was being recognized. We were even invited to grab a drink and relax before heading to our suite. However, things began to feel off when one attendant stepped away to verify that we were staying one week instead of two (we had modified our reservation through Bonvoy, though apparently the change had not reflected on their end). After returning, they offered us a brief golf cart tour of the property. What struck me as odd was that our luggage was loaded onto the cart. After a short ride, we stopped in front of a different building — not the Castle. The bellman unloaded our luggage. I immediately told him there must be a mistake, as we were told we had been upgraded to the Castle. He responded that we had “views of the Castle,” but were not staying in it. When he opened the door, it was clear this was not our room. There was a chilled bottle of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries with a welcome card addressed to a completely different guest. I asked him to please call the front desk because this was clearly an error. He handed me the phone after explaining the situation. What happened next was incredibly disappointing. The front desk manager on duty stated that there were no upgrades available and claimed that no one had told us we were staying in the Castle or mentioned a butler. He said if we wanted to stay in the Castle, we could pay an additional fee. He could not explain why we had been explicitly told about the upgrade, thanked for our Titanium Elite status in that context, or placed in a room prepared for someone else. He even suggested that if we “really needed a butler,” one could be arranged — for a fee. To be clear: we originally booked one of the best oceanfront rooms on a high floor and were perfectly happy with that. It was only after the staff enthusiastically informed us of our upgrade to a Castle Suite with a private butler — due to our Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status — that expectations were set. To then retract that upgrade, deny the conversation occurred, and attempt to upsell the very same accommodation felt deceptive and unprofessional. The initial excitement followed by the reversal and denial made the situation far worse than if no upgrade had been mentioned at all. The experience left us feeling misled and that is deceitful. While the property itself is beautiful, the handling of this situation overshadowed what should have been a celebratory and relaxing stay. One thing I did notice, was at one of the pools they had speakers set up with very loud dance music during the day which didn't give "santuary" vibes. Reservations for dining are encouraged, but don't make them online because they won't honor them. Your better off finding a wait staff member to tip and they will find a table for you. It's not an "Adult Only" resort, plenty of unsupervised preteenagers traveling with parents.