Table of Contents
[circuit type=review circuit_id=”9157″]
It had been a very long time since I’d stayed at an all-inclusive resort within the Caribbean, so final 12 months, when a pair of mates introduced their engagement — together with plans to get married at Sanctuary Cap Cana, the first-ever Marriott Luxurious Assortment all-inclusive resort — I jumped on the alternative to attend. I used to be to see if the property would upend my impression of all-inclusive resorts as uninspired resorts with mediocre meals and an excessive amount of low-cost alcohol.
Spoiler alert: It did simply that, as we had a terrific (albeit too quick) keep.
Right here’s every part you might want to learn about visiting Sanctuary Cap Cana.
Associated: Finest all-inclusive resorts within the Dominican Republic
What’s Sanctuary Cap Cana?
Sanctuary Cap Cana is an adults-only, all-inclusive resort within the Dominican Republic, lower than 20 minutes south of the Punta Cana Worldwide Airport (PUJ). Despite the fact that the property has been round for greater than 15 years, it didn’t change into part of Marriott Bonvoy till the autumn of 2022 — and it couldn’t open till early 2023 as a result of impacts of Hurricane Fiona.
Associated: 19 enjoyable adults-only, all-inclusive resorts for a kid-free trip
It’s now a part of Marriott’s Luxurious Assortment, permitting Marriott loyalists to earn and redeem factors on their stays.
Learn how to ebook Sanctuary Cap Cana
The resort has its personal web site, however as a Luxurious Assortment property, it’s also possible to ebook immediately by way of Marriott’s normal channels — together with marriott.com and the Marriott Bonvoy app. Doing so will make sure you earn Marriott factors on your keep, although my expertise reveals that you could be nonetheless earn factors by way of different websites.
The couple getting married employed a journey adviser to assist friends with their journey preparations and resort reservations, together with a block of rooms at a reduced charge. Sadly, the group contract required a minimal of three nights, and work schedules meant that my spouse and I might solely be there for 2. Fortunately, the resort was nonetheless in a position to provide a reduction of about $80 per evening in contrast with reserving by way of Marriott, so we opted to make the most of that possibility and forgo the factors.
We wound up paying $540 per evening for a Fort Junior Suite (extra on the room under), which might’ve been $620 by way of Marriott.
At check-in, I used to be allowed so as to add my Marriott quantity to the reservation, and after the keep, I did earn 7,779 factors (5,186 base factors and a couple of,593 as a Platinum member). This meant that just one evening of the keep was posted to my Bonvoy account — although since technically I wasn’t eligible to earn any factors, I took these for the reward that they had been and didn’t submit a declare for extra factors.
In the event you’re trying to ebook Sanctuary Cap Cana, charges for 2 adults in 2024 begin at $456 per evening (largely in July and August), however they will method $1,000 per evening within the winter. And regardless of Marriott’s 2022 implementation of dynamic award pricing, a free evening is constantly 120,000 factors (for one, two or three adults).
Word that charges are typically the identical on the resort’s web site and thru Marriott — although for those who don’t care about incomes factors, there are a number of interesting causes to ebook immediately with Sanctuary: The property runs particular promotions that may prevent cash, and reserving immediately contains financial savings on spa remedies and different add-ons throughout your keep.
Rooms and suites at Sanctuary Cap Cana
The luxurious resort boasts 324 complete rooms and villas spanning 19 completely different classes, however the smallest junior suite nonetheless spans 646 sq. ft, making certain that each one friends have loads of area to calm down. Sadly, 19 room varieties can create loads of confusion in the case of selecting one.
The very first thing to notice is that the resort is technically divided into three areas. The primary buildings are thought-about the “Colonial” part, whereas there’s a separate space known as the “Fort” part that’s meant to be a extra unique enclave inside the resort. Fort rooms embrace a separate check-in space plus VIP providers upon arrival, together with a bottle of glowing wine within the room, butler service and help with unpacking and packing your baggage. Some even embrace swim-out entry to a pool that wraps across the Fort part.
Lastly, there are roughly two dozen villas scattered throughout the property, providing much more area (they begin at over 1,100 sq. ft).
For the reason that wedding ceremony and reception had been occurring within the Fort part, we opted to ebook the oceanfront Fort Junior Suite — and we had been glad we did.
Our 840-square-foot room was on the bottom flooring and was break up roughly in half between the dwelling space and bed room. Fortunately, although, there wasn’t a wall between the 2 parts — only a TV shelf that jutted out from the wall, a vertical help column on the alternative facet and a darkish wooden horizontal beam (with recessed lighting) overhead.
I used to be instantly struck by the welcoming seaside vibes of white and cream with blue accents — but the darkish wooden trims added a contact of luxurious that was placing but understated on the similar time.
We had been grateful for the big sitting space, as we took our (complimentary) room service breakfast there on Saturday morning.
A relaxing bottle of glowing wine and a small field of goodies had been ready for us — and the minifridge had additionally been stocked with water, sodas and Dominican beers forward of our arrival.
The lavatory was an honest dimension, together with his-and-her sinks, a soaking tub and a separate bathe — which was stocked with toiletries (and replenished all through our keep).
However the true deal with of the room was what ready simply outdoors the sliding glass doorways.
Ordinarily, I’m not a fan of ground-floor lodging, preferring the views from rooms on larger flooring. Nevertheless, a ground-level junior suite within the Fort part of Sanctuary Cap Cana meant a big terrace full with two chairs and a small desk plus two comfy chaise loungers.
From there, a picket walkway successfully served as a bridge over some sandy water that will replenish at excessive tide, and past that, a large grassy space gave technique to sweeping jap views of the Caribbean Sea.
It was the proper “residence base” for our keep.
Meals and drinks at Sanctuary Cap Cana
As an all-inclusive property, all your meals and drinks throughout the property are included (with a few minor exceptions), and there’s a vary of choices from which to choose. The first restaurant was Casa Bella, the buffet possibility within the coronary heart of the Colonial part that served breakfast and lunch seven days per week (plus dinner on Fridays). I have to admit that I’ve by no means been a giant fan of buffets, however this one far exceeded expectations.
Our first meal there was lunch, which featured an enormous number of stations — together with a salad bar, a number of kinds of ceviche, made-to-order Asian stir fry, an array of desserts and even a gelato case.
For sure, we didn’t go away hungry.
We went again to Casa Bella on Sunday morning for breakfast earlier than leaving for the airport, and once more, we had been impressed by the choice. Past conventional gadgets like eggs, hash browns and sausage, you would get made-to-order omelets, construct your personal salad or carb-load with a wide range of breakfast pastries.
Simply outdoors was a mimosa bar with six completely different juice picks.
The large factor to notice about Casa Bella is that a lot of the meals wasn’t assist your self; as an alternative, it was behind a glass partition and served upon request by Sanctuary employees members. Within the aftermath of the pandemic, that was a refreshing possibility.
Past Casa Bella, there are 4 specialty eating places:
- Blue Marlin — a seafood restaurant open for lunch and dinner
- Wok — an Asian restaurant serving sushi and teppanyaki-style meals for dinner (closed Tuesdays)
- Capriccio — an Italian restaurant open for dinner
- The Steak Home — an American steakhouse serving dinner (closed Fridays)
Sadly, we solely had been in a position to attempt Blue Marlin throughout our two-night keep, as the opposite dinner was served on the wedding ceremony reception. However, we loved our meal on the open-air deck over the water, together with the fried calamari and grilled octopus — together with a serenade from the native band.
It’s price noting that each one 4 of those eating places have a “Informal-Elegant” costume code; extra on that under.
In the event you’re feeling snackish outdoors of regular meal occasions, there are a number of choices:
- Seize a chunk at La Yola Snack Grill, simply off the primary pool. We stopped by there shortly after arrival since we had been hungry, and we loved a few Dominican Yaniqueques — that are served extra like delicate tacos at Sanctuary.
- Head as much as Ocean Bar within the Fort part, serving a small menu of snacks together with cocktails subsequent to the small Fort pool.
- Go to the espresso store within the foyer for a caffeinated beverage and/or pastry of your alternative.
- Order room service, obtainable 24-7.
We took benefit of room service our first morning, having fun with an omelet and a Dominican breakfast alongside tea and occasional, all from the consolation and privateness of our room.
In fact, one massive enchantment of all-inclusive properties is the truth that alcoholic drinks are included, and at Sanctuary Cap Cana, there’s no scarcity of libations — whether or not swimming as much as Freshco Bar on the most important pool, ordering a frozen drink or smoothie on the beachside Vacation spot bar or grabbing a pre-dinner cocktail at Love Bar, a piano bar in the primary foyer.
Lastly, if the above choices (someway) go away you wanting extra, take into account a jaunt to Sanctuary City, the on-property village that options a number of extra eating retailers — together with a burger joint, an Italian spot, a sushi restaurant and a sweet store. Solely Rincon de Paco, the Spanish restaurant, requires an extra cost for friends.
These institutions are solely open for dinner, and whereas we didn’t get an opportunity to attempt any of them, it’s nice to have extra informal choices for these not in search of a proper, sit-down dinner.
Past the room and eating choices, many different issues stood out throughout our keep.
The property itself is beautiful
If the feel and appear of a resort is vital to you, Sanctuary Cap Cana has you coated. We had been amazed at how beautiful the grounds had been, and the employees clearly took pleasure in sustaining that magnificence.
From the foyer to the pool areas to the walkways, simply strolling across the resort put us in trip mode — earlier than we even became our bathing fits or put a chilly beverage in our fingers.
I’ll let the images converse for themselves right here.
Past the decor, I beloved the actual fact that there have been six swimming swimming pools — and regardless of what gave the impression to be comparatively excessive occupancy, I by no means noticed any of them even near full.
We beloved our time within the Fort part
Staying within the Fort part was a beautiful expertise for us, ranging from the second we arrived and had been whisked away in a golf cart to the non-public check-in space.
Don’t be fooled by the unassuming exterior. Simply inside was a double-ceilinged foyer with greenery accents that added to the texture of being in a real-life fort.
After checking in, we had been handed frozen coconut-and-lime drinks at Ocean Bar, which we loved within the air-con.
The primary pool on this space of the resort is elevated, offering sweeping views of the ocean. We visited twice and located it to be a haven from the extra get together environment of the primary pool space.
Our assigned butler — Eric — confirmed us to our room, and he insisted that I program his quantity into WhatsApp, as that’s what we used all through our keep for requests like extra bottles of water and selecting up our luggage earlier than checkout.
And whereas we didn’t have a personal plunge pool, the placement of our Fort junior suite was spectacular, because it was separated sufficient from the remainder of the resort to really feel non-public — although additionally a brief stroll of simply 5-7 minutes to achieve the remainder of the motion.
Don’t skip the spa (and hydrotherapy circuit)
My spouse loves a very good spa, and I’m a keen companion in crime, so we booked the 90-minute “Higher Collectively” bundle. This included an 80-minute therapeutic massage for every of us but in addition gave us an hour to benefit from the hydrotherapy circuit.
This was a brand new expertise for me, however the facility featured a sauna, scorching tub, steam room, chilly pool and dynamic pool, permitting you to energise your physique by exposing it to completely different environments and temperatures.
I’ve no clue if I did them within the optimum order and even received to all of them, however it was a good way to destress. It additionally helped that the whole spa facility was beautiful.
You may keep as busy (or as laid again) as you need
One other beauty of Sanctuary Cap Cana is which you could pack your day filled with issues to do, lay round doing nothing or discover a mixture of the 2. Moreover indulging in scrumptious meals and drinks throughout your keep, the property provides many actions as a part of its all-inclusive bundle — together with yoga courses, bike excursions, seaside volleyball, water aerobics and extra. There was even nightly leisure, although our wedding ceremony festivities prevented us from collaborating in any of those.
Shortly earlier than our keep, we had been despatched a QR code to obtain the resort’s digital concierge, which, when added to your cell phone’s residence display, basically features as an app to assessment every part the resort has to supply.
If in case you have an upcoming keep, be at liberty to discover what’s on faucet earlier than your arrival.
Deliver respectable apparel for dinner
As famous beforehand, the upscale eating places all have a “Informal-Elegant” costume code. This implies slacks, a collared shirt and closed-toed sneakers for males. Girls have some added flexibility, although the property nonetheless requires costume sandals or closed sneakers.
Sadly, we didn’t know this forward of time. In consequence, when the Friday evening seaside reception wrapped up, many wedding ceremony friends had been hungry and headed towards Blue Marlin (the property’s seafood restaurant). Nevertheless, given our apparel, we had been informed they couldn’t accommodate us. Fortunately, the employees in the end acquiesced and allowed us to sit down, however it was admittedly fairly irritating to should struggle that battle in any respect.
The property does a terrific job with weddings
Past simply visiting the property for trip, I’d extremely advocate Sanctuary Cap Cana as a vacation spot wedding ceremony spot primarily based on our expertise.
Friday evening was a welcome reception on the seaside — no sneakers allowed. The drinks flowed freely, and the resort had even arrange a personalised “canoe” of beers for the grooms.
It was so peaceable to attach with mates whereas the light Caribbean waves crashed on the seaside behind us.
The ceremony on Saturday was held in a lobby within the Fort part, making for a particular backdrop as Tyler and Bradon tied the knot.
Cocktail hour was upstairs on the Ocean Bar, which provided phenomenal views over the water.
Then the primary occasion was again downstairs in a big ballroom, full with a buffet that rivaled any wedding ceremony we’d been to.
All through all of it, the employees took nice care of not simply the grooms and the marriage get together however all the friends, making for a memorable celebration.
Solely burn your Marriott factors in particular conditions
As famous beforehand, free nights at Sanctuary Cap Cana are constantly 120,000 factors per evening. And this value holds whether or not you’ve one grownup, two adults or three adults within the room (something extra and also you’re pressured into a bigger room that’s not obtainable as a redemption). With paid charges that usually hover within the $500-700 vary, this isn’t a terrific use of factors.
Nevertheless, paid charges at Sanctuary Cap Cana improve as you add a second after which a 3rd grownup to the room — so this will make it a greater possibility. And while you layer in Marriott’s fifth-night-free profit on award stays, chances are you’ll come out forward.
For instance, a five-night keep from Sunday, March 31, by way of Friday, April 5, would set you again $4,479 for 3 adults in an oceanview junior suite.
That very same room could be 480,000 factors — providing you with a redemption worth of 0.93 cents per level.
Not solely is that this above our valuation of Marriott factors; however you’re additionally getting all your meals, drinks and lots of actions included.
I’d solely advocate utilizing Marriott factors when the paid charges are excessive, and you’ve at the very least two adults within the room. In any other case, I’d strongly take into account reserving the room as a paid keep and banking your Marriott factors for a future redemption.
You want greater than two nights
In case it wasn’t clear, we missed out on a lot throughout our keep. We solely received to attempt one of many specialty eating places, and we didn’t partake in any of the on-property actions. I walked by way of Sanctuary City however didn’t pattern any of the meals. A part of this was due to the marriage festivities, however we had been additionally on the resort grounds for lower than 48 hours.
Merely put, it wasn’t sufficient time.
In the event you’re contemplating a visit to Sanctuary Cap Cana, I’d recommend an absolute minimal of three nights, however 4 or 5 could be even higher. The overwhelming majority of the marriage friends had carved out extra time for his or her journeys, however resulting from work commitments and childcare limitations, we couldn’t. And we remorse it.
Accessibility
From an accessibility standpoint, we had been fairly impressed with Sanctuary Cap Cana. The bottom flooring of the Fort constructing led out to a stone walkway (no stairs concerned) that took you proper to the primary space of the resort, together with Casa Bella, Blue Marlin, the seaside and the primary pool space. Two of the swimming pools had been additionally zero entry, and there have been in depth wheelchair-friendly elevators throughout the property — although they had been smaller within the Fort space.
The property provides a number of ground-floor suites which are totally geared up for friends with particular bodily wants. Options embrace bathtub grab-rails, roll-in showers, alarm clock and phone ring signalers, lowered door deadbolts and lowered retailers. Service animals are welcome at Sanctuary Cap Cana.
Trying out of Sanctuary Cap Cana
Our time at Sanctuary Cap Cana got here to an finish manner too quickly, and like our arrival, we had organized for shared transportation again to the airport by way of the grooms’ journey advisor. The pleasant resort employees picked up our baggage at 10:15 a.m. forward of our 10:30 departure, and after settling our invoice (for the spa therapy), we had been on our manner.
As we pulled out of the resort, we tried not to consider the opposite friends, lots of whom had been simply beginning their days and looking out ahead to hours of rest. However that simply means we’ll must plan a return journey — this time for for much longer.
Associated studying:
- The award vacationers information to Marriott Bonvoy
- One of the best Marriott bank cards
- What’s Marriott Bonvoy elite standing price?
- One of the best bank cards to achieve elite standing
- Which bank cards provide probably the most profitable rewards for resort stays?
- One of the best resort rewards applications on the earth
- Finest resort bank cards
