"We recently returned from a week at Sanctuary Cap Cana. Overall, our experience was mixed. The resort is visually striking, with architecture that feels far more unique and historic than a typical all-inclusive. We stayed in the Castle section, which was beautiful and full of character.
The best aspect of the resort was the staff. Nearly every employee we encountered was gracious, professional, and consistently went above and beyond to help guests.
The biggest issue was the sargassum seaweed. Large amounts washed ashore daily, piling several feet high across the beach. In the heat, it produced a strong sulfur-like odor noticeable throughout parts of the resort. Crews worked constantly to remove it using heavy trucks and machinery.
Unfortunately, our original room was beside the truck route, so for the first two days we dealt with nonstop noise, diesel fumes, and odor. When we requested a room change, despite the resort appearing far from full, the only option offered was a paid upgrade costing nearly $2,000 more on top of the roughly $7,000 we had already spent.
The upgraded room had incredible views and a private pool, but the pool was unusable for almost 48 hours because the water was dirty and eventually had to be drained and refilled. Management declined any compensation.
While the staff and architecture were excellent, management’s handling of these issues left us disappointed and unlikely to return."
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