Sanctuary Cap Cana
Sanctuary Cap Cana inspires loyalty from its fans and real disappointment from guests who arrive in a bad sargassum month. The castle architecture is the signature: a Spanish Colonial castle with a rooftop pool, a Castle section with a pool only Castle guests can use, and a 5,500-square-foot Castle Island Suite on its own island. The resort closed in May 2018 for a $35 million renovation, reopened that September with two new towers adding 140 suites (324 in total), and joined Marriott's Luxury Collection in November 2022. It sits on 21 acres and roughly half a mile of beachfront inside the gated Cap Cana community.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Castle-themed Spanish Colonial architecture, including a castle with a rooftop pool and the private-island Castle Island Suite, an aesthetic no other Dominican all-inclusive replicates
- +Dual personality property: the Castle section is secluded, with a pool reserved for Castle guests, while the main pools and beach have livelier cabana energy
- +Castle suite and Villa guests get a butler for restaurant bookings, excursion planning and special requests, plus luggage packing and unpacking
- +Food is a real strength, with food-focused travelers ranking it among the best all-inclusive dining they have had, and the steakhouse and the Asian restaurant drawing specific praise
- +Five pools for 324 suites, including a saltwater pool and swim-out suites, so the pool deck rarely feels packed even when the beach disappoints
- +Tips and gratuities are built into the package, so there is no daily cash-tipping routine unless you want to reward standout service
- +Adults-only, with a calmer, older crowd rather than a party scene
- +Inside the gated Cap Cana community, about 15 minutes from Punta Cana airport and close to Punta Espada, the Jack Nicklaus course that anchors Cap Cana golf
Cons
- −The beach is small and sargassum is a recurring problem: staff clear it daily, but the floating barriers offshore do not keep it out, and many guests end up spending their days at the pools instead
- −Sargassum buildup can make ground-level oceanfront decks unpleasant in bad months, which hurts most if you paid extra for an oceanfront category
- −Evening entertainment is quieter and less polished than at Excellence-style resorts, better for relaxed evenings than for nightlife
- −Lunch is the weakest meal period, with fewer appealing choices than dinner
- −Butler service is only for Castle suites and Villas, and even there some guests find it uneven depending on the butler they get
- −Plenty costs extra: spa and beauty treatments, golf, the omakase table at Wok, romantic and lobster dinners, Rincon de Paco, certain specialty wines and spirits, laundry, excursions and airport transfers
- −In low season, guests report that restaurants rotate closures each evening, so not every venue is open every night
The beach is the honest liability. It is small, sargassum is a regular visitor, staff work daily to clear it, and the floating barriers offshore do not stop it, so many guests default to the five pools instead. Dining is the counterweight: the restaurant line-up includes Casabella, Blue Marlin, Wok, The Steakhouse, Capriccio and La Yola snack grill, and food-focused travelers rate dinners highly, with lunch the weakest meal. Tips and gratuities are included, but plenty is not: spa treatments at the 20,000-square-foot spa, golf, Wok's omakase table, romantic and lobster dinners, Rincon de Paco, some premium wines and spirits, laundry, excursions and airport transfers all cost extra. Butler service comes only with Castle suites and Villas, and in low season restaurants take turns closing.
Sanctuary suits couples who want a distinctive, food-forward adults-only stay and plan to live by the pool, especially if they book a Castle suite for the butler and the private pool. Golfers get Punta Espada in the same gated community, and the airport is about 15 minutes away. It competes with Secrets Cap Cana and Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana for the same couples, and travelers who rank the beach first should look at the wider sand on the Bavaro side instead. Check recent photos from your travel month before paying for an oceanfront room.
Common Questions
How does Sanctuary Cap Cana compare to Secrets Cap Cana and Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana?
Is the beach at Sanctuary Cap Cana really that bad?
Does every room get a butler?
Do I need to bring cash for tips?
What is not included in the all-inclusive package?
Is it close to Punta Espada golf?
Restaurants (5)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Italian | Capriccio |
| Asian | Wok |
| Steakhouse | The Steakhouse |
| Seafood | Blue Marlin |
| International & fusion | Casa Bella |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown.
What's nearby
Bávaro Beach35 min drive · 17 mi
Macao Beach45 min drive · 29 mi
Cap Cana Marina11 min drive · 4.3 mi
15 min drive · 4.8 mi
More things to do (23)
- Playa Blanca · beach20 min drive · 8.6 mi
- Juanillo Beach · beach11 min drive · 4.3 mi
- Scape Park · adventure park15 min drive · 4.9 mi
- Punta Espada Golf Club · golf11 min drive · 2.6 mi
- Higüey · town55 min drive · 36 mi
- Arena Gorda Beach · beach40 min drive · 21 mi
- Cabeza de Toro Beach · beach60 min drive · 20 mi
- Marinarium snorkel cruise · excursion60 min drive · 20 mi
- Los Corales · town35 min drive · 18 mi
- Deep-sea fishing charter · excursion11 min drive · 4.3 mi
- Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park · nature12 min drive · 5.0 mi
- Catalonia Caribe Golf Club · golf25 min drive · 14 mi
- Dolphin Explorer · adventure park30 min drive · 16 mi
- Cocotal Golf & Country Club · golf30 min drive · 18 mi
- Vista Cana Golf Club · golf35 min drive · 18 mi
- White Sands Golf Course · golf35 min drive · 21 mi
- Iberostar Bávaro Golf Club · golf35 min drive · 21 mi
- Barceló Bávaro Golf · golf40 min drive · 17 mi
- Cana Bay Golf Club · golf40 min drive · 23 mi
- Hoyo Claro · cenote40 min drive · 17 mi
- Dolphin Island Park · adventure park45 min drive · 18 mi
- Cabo Engaño Beach · beach55 min drive · 18 mi
- Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia, Higüey · historic site55 min drive · 36 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Punta Cana gets sargassum, typically worst May through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.5 · 2,840 reviews
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Exceptional Service, Beautiful Property, and Truly Caring People Sanctuary Cap Cana is an exceptional property, and the people are what make it unforgettable. From start to finish, the care, professionalism, and attention to detail made t...”
“We chose this luxury resort to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary after doing a lot of research. Before coming, we saw a few reviews that made us a little uncertain, but we decided to experience it ourselves — and we’re glad we did! This resort...”
“Our stay at this resort was excellent! We had an absolutely great time as well as rested.well Great friendly staff service, food, location and entertainment. .Our butler Carlos did everything he could to make sure our stay was extra special. He wa...”
