Review: The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort

I’m a longtime fan of the St. Regis brand, having enjoyed memorable stays at several of its properties in the Middle East, including The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, which I consider one of the best beach destinations in the world. When I heard that St. Regis was opening a new property in the Dominican Republic, I was immediately intrigued.

The Caribbean, and especially the Dominican Republic, is bursting with all-inclusive resorts that cater mostly to budget-conscious travelers. I was eager to see how St. Regis would position itself as an à la carte luxury property in a market where that level of service is rare. Marriott clearly aims to shift the landscape, as the St. Regis Cap Cana is one of the first non-all-inclusive luxury resorts to open on the island.

I had the opportunity to visit just two weeks after its opening, giving me a firsthand look at both the promising aspects and the growing pains that come with any brand-new property.

Booking 

I was able to lock in a favorable industry rate for our four-night stay, just weeks after the property officially opened in spring 2025. Standard rates at the resort start around US$600 per night for a base level room and can climb to US$1,000 or more during peak periods.

As a first-time visitor to the Dominican Republic, I was a bit surprised by the rather high 18% VAT and 10% service charge added to all room rates and dining bills. These taxes are not unique to the St. Regis as they apply across the island, but they do make a noticeable impact. Especially since the St. Regis doesn’t offer any inclusions like meals or beverages, and given its luxury beachfront setting, food and drink prices are already high, and the additional 28% in taxes only amplifies that.

Award rates at this property typically hover just above or below 100,000 points per night during the low season and can climb as high as 180,000 points per night during peak periods. A redemption of around 100,000 points per night is a reasonable value in my view, but at 180,000 points, it represents poor value and wouldn’t be a great use of points.

Since I was traveling with my dad and wanted us both to have a bit of extra space while also treating him to a memorable stay, I applied four Nightly Upgrade Awards to our reservation. I was thrilled when they were accepted a few days before our arrival and were upgraded to one of the best suites on the property.

Resort Overview

The St. Regis Cap Cana is a recently opened luxury resort located in the exclusive Cap Cana neighborhood at the easternmost point of the Dominican Republic. Spanning 17 acres of beachfront, it is the brand’s first property in the country and was created to deliver a refined and elevated Caribbean experience.

Cap Cana, along with the greater Punta Cana area, is a private gated community with controlled access, allowing entry only to registered guests and approved visitors.

The resort offers 200 guest units, including 36 suites with private plunge pools and expansive ocean views. The property is evenly split between hotel rooms and residential units. At the time of my visit, none of the residences were completed, and there was a noticeable construction presence throughout the grounds, which significantly detracted from the experience. I’ll share more on that later in the review.

Guests at the resort enjoy the signature St. Regis Butler Service, a hallmark of the brand that is available throughout the stay.

There are nine dining outlets on-site, including Nina, the resort’s flagship restaurant led by Peruvian chef Diego Muñoz, which offers a mix of Latin and Nikkei cuisine. Additional options include a Mediterranean grill, a rooftop bar, a beach bar, a cigar lounge, and a private wine cellar offering intimate, chef-curated tasting menus.

The resort features four swimming pools, 800 feet of private beach, and a large St. Regis Spa with 14 treatment rooms.

Next door is Punta Espada Golf Club, a signature course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Guests of The St. Regis Cap Cana receive preferred green fees not only at Punta Espada Golf Club but also at several other courses throughout the Cap Cana area.

Check-in

When we arrived at the property, we were warmly welcomed by numerous staff members and the management team. This personal touch is something I have always admired about the St. Regis brand, where management makes a point to personally greet guests, and the team at St. Regis Cap Cana follows through on that expectation.

The St. Regis Cap Cana was designed by the same team responsible for The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Maya Riviera. From the moment you step into the lobby, you’re greeted by a stunning space featuring marble tile floors, a grand spiral staircase framed by a dramatic four-story indoor waterfall, and a sophisticated mix of dark wood and vibrant textured accents.

The check-in agent promptly acknowledged my Titanium Elite status and offered the choice between a daily complimentary breakfast or 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Naturally, I chose the free breakfast. At The St. Regis Cap Cana, this benefit is especially valuable. As a secluded luxury resort with no nearby alternatives, guests are largely reliant on on-site dining, and the hotel charges a king’s ransom for breakfast each morning.

Lastly, our agent walked us through some key hotel details, including restaurant and spa hours as well as other on site amenities, before introducing us to the head butler on property. While we always had a very pleasant conversation with the head butler each day, I found the butler service to be almost entirely absent during our stay and a significant departure from the level of attention I have experienced at other St. Regis properties.

Location

The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort is situated within Cap Cana, an ultra-luxury, master‑planned coastal community in La Altagracia Province, on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic. Cap Cana is a private, gated neighborhood located just a few kilometers from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), making it easily accessible for travelers.

Cap Cana distinguishes itself from the broader Punta Cana area as a more upscale, boutique-style resort community with exclusive hotels, private villas, and golf courses.

Adjacent to the resort is the hotel’s signature golf course: Punta Espada Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus‑designed course offering dramatic sea‑front holes and world‑class scenery. The Cap Cana community also features upscale amenities including a modern marina, high‑end dining, and retail.

Getting to and from Punta Cana International Airport is simple, with the resort located just 15 minutes away by car. The St. Regis offers a car service upon request for an additional fee. Alternatively, there are plenty of private transfer options available at the airport, and both Uber and Lyft operate within the Punta Cana area.

Parking

All guests have access to complimentary on-site parking, while valet service is available for an additional charge.

Room – Swim Out Palm Suite

We were assigned room 1011, a Palm Suite Guest Room with a swim out pool. All rooms with a swim out pool are located on the ground level of the resort. The Palm Suite is a massive 1,300 square feet and features a large combined living and dining room along with a separate bedroom and spacious bathroom.

Upon entering the room, you’ll be in a small foyer which leads to the main living space along with a half bath.

A large dining table sits at the center of the main living room as you step inside.

A welcome amenity featuring chocolate caviar and mini blinis was left on the dining table. It was a unique and thoughtful touch, and as someone with a sweet tooth for luxury chocolates, it was exactly the kind of indulgence I appreciate.

To the immediate right upon entering the main living and dining area was a wet bar, equipped with a sink, coffee maker, bottled water, and a mini refrigerator.

The room includes a Nespresso machine with a selection of coffee pods, as well as tea and bottled water.

It’s worth noting that the water in glass bottles comes at an additional charge. However, the resort provides complimentary water in tetra packs, which are replenished daily.

The mini refrigerator was stocked with a selection of bottled water, beer, wine, and champagne.

Against the wall at the end of the dining table, was a bar cart stocked with a selection of spirits, glassware, and an ice bucket.

A freestanding slatted wood feature provided a stylish separation between the dining area and the living room. The living room was comfortably appointed with a sofa and two armchairs; all arranged around a central coffee table.

The far side of the room features floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that open up onto the large outdoor patio.

A flatscreen TV was neatly built into the paneled wall. 

The bedroom is equally as spacious, featuring a king-sized bed positioned against the far wall. Like the living room, it has floor-to-ceiling windows that allow plenty of natural light in and provide direct access to the outdoor patio.

At the foot of the bed, there is a loveseat and a small coffee table, with an armchair and a reading lamp placed in the corner of the room. A flat-screen TV is built into the wall directly across from the bed.

As a newly built property, the rooms feature modern technology throughout. There are ample charging options at the bedside, including multiple power outlets along with both USB-A and USB-C ports. Room functions such as lighting, power-operated curtains, and the do not disturb notification are all controlled via backlit touch panels conveniently located throughout the room.

A spacious walk-in closet separates the bedroom from the bathroom and includes all the amenities you’d expect at a luxury property, such as a safe, luggage rack, shoe care accessories, plush robes, and ample space for hanging clothing.

The bathroom is elegantly designed, featuring a dual vanity setup and a large freestanding soaker tub. Recessed LED lighting is used effectively to create a modern, soft-lit ambiance that complements the warm earth tones of the marble and paneled walls.

The walk-in shower is enclosed in glass and has the standard rainfall and wall-mounted handheld fixtures.

The toilet was located in a separate toilet chamber with a door.

The highlight of the room was undoubtedly the outdoor patio featuring a swim out pool. The pool area immediately off of the patio is only about 1 foot deep, which makes for the perfect place to lounge in the cool water while soaking up the sun. 

It’s important to note that the swim out pool rooms share a single pool with around ten neighboring rooms. While it’s not the same as having a private pool, I still found it to be a better option than using the main public pool. In practice, we rarely saw anyone else using this pool, and when they did most guests tended to stay near the section closest to their own room.

That said, all swim out rooms are located on the ground level, which means there is very little privacy when you’re out on the patio or in the pool. Guests and staff walking to and from the main pool or the beach pass directly in front of the swim out rooms, with a clear view into your patio and even into the room itself. So, there’s definitely a privacy tradeoff to consider if you’re thinking about booking a swim out room.

Our patio was nicely furnished with a daybed, two loungers, and an armchair, all in pristine condition as you would expect from a brand-new property.

I found the Palm Suite to be absolutely wonderful. The spacious layout was beautifully furnished, extremely comfortable, and provided more than enough room for my dad and me to each have our own space. All the modern features you’d expect from a newly opened property were thoughtfully incorporated, including power-operated shades, extensive LED lighting, and digital panels to control the lighting and other in-room functions. The highlight of the suite was undoubtedly the large patio and the fantastic swim out pool.

However, there were several service-related issues affecting our room throughout the stay that are worth mentioning. On our second day, both televisions in the suite suddenly stopped working without explanation. It took several days before the issue was resolved. Not having a TV on vacation isn’t a big issue, but we had hoped to catch a few NHL playoff games after dinner, which unfortunately wasn’t possible.

Another issue we experienced was a complete lack of hot water in our room for an entire day. Once again, there was minimal communication from staff, and although the problem was resolved by the following day, no one followed up to confirm it had been fixed or to check in on the situation.

Lastly, there was one day during our stay when our room did not receive any housekeeping service. Now my dad and I are fairly easygoing travelers who don’t require daily service, but at a St. Regis, the brand standard is that every room receives both morning and evening service each day.  While I would argue that twice-daily service is probably unnecessary, it is something guests are expecting when staying at Marriott’s most premium brand. 

While each of these three issues may seem minor individually, together they contributed to an experience that didn’t meet expectations. Moreover, our in-room issues only served as just a preview of the many hiccups, miscues, and frustrations we encountered throughout the rest of our stay.

Restaurants & Bars

The St. Regis Cap Cana features seven restaurants and bars, and during our four-day stay we made a point of visiting each one at least once. From my past stays, I’ve come to expect St. Regis properties to provide consistently high-quality dining that, while often costly, is usually paired with attentive service and exceptional food. At this resort, dining was where the inconsistencies stood out most clearly and gave the impression that the property was still not fully ready.

Cassava – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Complimentary Breakfast

Cassava serves Latin American cuisine and is open in the mornings for breakfast and in the evenings for dinner. Thanks to my Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status, we were granted a daily complimentary breakfast each morning at Cassava.

Breakfast at Cassava includes both a full buffet and an à la carte made-to-order menu. The breakfast menu is as follows:

The buffet includes all the usual items you would expect to find at a luxury resort for breakfast. This includes, fresh fruit, yogurt, meats, cheeses, cereals, pastries, and more.

There is also a hot buffet station offering items such as bacon, steamed potato wedges, scrambled eggs, and broccolini.

Of course, we made an effort to try as many items from the menu as possible and found everything to be well prepared and served promptly. All in, breakfast at Cassava is a fairly standard affair for a St. Regis property. While I’ve encountered more impressive breakfast spreads at other St. Regis locations, the offering at Cap Cana is more than adequate and provides a solid start to the day.

I want to briefly address the cost of dining at this hotel, as it is extremely expensive. In particular, the 28% surcharge added to already high menu prices makes a significant impact on the final bill. While we anticipated elevated prices at a St. Regis, we still experienced some sticker shock when we saw the charge for breakfast on our first morning. The buffet is priced at US$50 per person, and that amount does not include any drinks.

We each ordered two specialty coffees and enjoyed the buffet. Once the four coffees, two buffets, and the 28% tax were added, the total came to a rather staggering US$180. Fortunately, this amount was waived thanks to the Marriott complimentary breakfast benefit. This is a great example of why earning at least Marriott Platinum Elite status continues to be worthwhile, despite our ongoing frustrations about the current state of the Bonvoy program.

For dinner, Cassava serves Dominican-inspired cuisine.

We ate at Cassava on our first night and I had the pork belly, which was excellent.

NINA

Nina is the resort’s fine dining venue, offering Peruvian-inspired grilled cuisine. While its specialty is premium wagyu beef, the menu also features a variety of dishes including fresh seafood, chicken, and lamb.

My dad ordered the grilled Costa Rican turbot, while I chose the least expensive steak on the menu, a wagyu coulotte priced at $50. We both agreed it was likely the best meal of our stay. Beyond the quality of the food, the service here stood out as the most polished and attentive we had at any of the resort’s restaurants.

Marola Mediterranean Grill

Marola Mediterranean Grill is situated beside the pool and serves lunch and dinner. On our first afternoon at the resort, we decided to share a pizza for lunch, only to be informed that the pizza oven had not yet been installed and therefore pizza was unavailable. This became one of our main frustrations with the property, as we often asked about menu items only to be told they either did not have the necessary ingredients or the equipment required to prepare them.

The dishes we tried at Marola were mostly excellent, with the lamb meatballs standing out as a particular highlight. However, the overall experience was somewhat diminished because, during nearly every meal, our server had to apologize repeatedly with, “Sorry, we can’t make that,” while we were placing our orders.

St. Regis Bar

Every St. Regis property worldwide features a St. Regis Bar offering premium cocktails and light bites. At The St. Regis Cap Cana, the bar’s menu includes several variations of the signature St. Regis Bloody Mary, each inspired by different St. Regis locations from around the world.

The menu at The St. Regis Bar is extensive and features a wide range of cocktails, beer, wine, and spirits. It also offers an Asian-fusion food selection that includes caviar, oysters, a raw bar, and many other finger foods.

We visited the bar almost every night for a few after-dinner cocktails. Since the St. Regis New York is famous for creating the Bloody Mary, and my dad is a big fan, he was eager to order one. However, he was told they didn’t have the necessary mix to make the classic New York Bloody Mary on our first evening at the hotel and to try again in a few days. 

In the meantime, he settled for the Dominican interpretation called the Quisqueya Mary, made with local rum and fried plantains.

He eventually did get his New York Bloody Mary a few days later, but the frequent unavailability of menu items was a constant frustration.

The Amber Room

The Amber Room is a cigar and rum lounge that opens in the evenings, offering both indoor and outdoor rooftop seating. Although we never took the time to sit down, I stopped by briefly to chat with the staff.

The staff were eager to tell me that the hotel has partnered with the Dominican cigar brand Arturo Fuente, which dates back to 1912.

Also on the menu is a wide range of local Dominican rum and imported rum from around the world.

Carey Bay Beach Bar

Carey Bay Beach Bar sits directly on the beachfront and offers both poolside and beach service for guests. Several staff members circulated around the beach and pool areas to take orders, but I found the service wasn’t very proactive, often requiring us to wave someone over or walk to the bar myself to place an order.

The menu at Carey Bay Beach Bar features classic poolside favorites such as quesadillas, burgers, and a variety of Caribbean-inspired cocktails.

Cielo Mio Rooftop Bar

Cielo Mio Rooftop Bar is an open-air lounge on the top floor of the main building, featuring comfortable lounge seating and sweeping views of the resort with the ocean in the distance.

This is also where the evening champagne sabrage ceremony is held each night, a St. Regis tradition observed at every property worldwide to mark the transition from day to night.

Since the property had only recently opened a few weeks earlier, occupancy at the resort was very low. Other than the evening sabrage ceremony, Cielo Mio did not appear to be open during the day, so we never had the chance to visit for a drink or a meal.

Facilities

One of the biggest draws of visiting any Caribbean island is the chance to swim in its warm, inviting waters, and the Dominican Republic is especially famous for its beautiful beaches.

Unfortunately, the beach at the resort was a major disappointment. It was heavily affected by sargassum, a type of sea algae that thrives during the warmer months, and our May visit coincided with peak conditions. This resulted in massive piles of this seaweed accumulating on the beach throughout our stay, rendering the beach essentially unusable.

Not only is this an eyesore, but even relaxing on a beach lounger isn’t very enjoyable, as the seaweed baking under the 30-degree sun all day releases a strong and unpleasant odor.

I obviously can’t fault the resort for this, as sargassum has become a widespread challenge for properties across the Caribbean. To the resort’s credit, they assigned a dedicated team to clear it from the beach each day, and for the most part they were successful. Unfortunately, by the next morning, it had accumulated again.

By late afternoon, the beach typically looked much cleaner, but there was so much sargassum floating offshore that I couldn’t be bothered to even attempt to swim in the ocean. Adding to that, a tractor was rumbling up and down the beach the entire day, which is far from the serene setting I envision for a thousand-dollar-a-night luxury beachfront property.

My understanding is that the resort is currently installing a barrier and netting in the bay to reduce the amount of sargassum reaching the beach. Until this barrier is in place, there is little that can be done to prevent the issue.

Visiting during the cooler winter months usually means less sargassum, so I recommend researching the best and worst times to visit before planning your trip.

Setting aside the issue of sargassum, the beach and bay are truly beautiful. Under better circumstances, it would be an ideal spot to unwind in the many comfortable loungers and cabanas that line the shore.

Pools

The St. Regis Cap Cana has three amazing pools. The main family-friendly pool is the largest of the three and sits at the center of the resort, a smaller adults-only pool, and a rooftop pool. There’s also a kids splash park.

Main Pool

The main pool is incredibly large and offers a wide variety of seating options around its perimeter, as well as built-in benches within the pool itself.

Despite the far from ideal situation on the beach, the pools did make up for some of that disappointment, and I found the pools were kept at a nearly perfect temperature. 

Adult Pool

The adult-only pool was situated right next to the main pool. Although smaller, it was still impressively large and featured plenty of seating options along with plenty of shade.

The adults-only pool featured about six cabanas arranged around its edges. Each cabana was well appointed with either one or two daybeds, a couple of armchairs, as well as a sink and a mini refrigerator.

Rooftop Pool

If you are looking for the quietest pool, the rooftop pool is usually the best option. Whenever I walked by, there were rarely more than one or two people using it. I also noticed that pool service was much faster here because the staff at the rooftop bar were always eager to help, likely due to the fact that few guests made their way up to the roof during the day.

Overall, the pool facilities at The St. Regis Cap Cana are outstanding and exactly what you would expect from a luxury Caribbean resort. The pools are massive, with ample seating and shaded areas, all complemented by consistently beautiful weather.

That said, the property was still very much under construction during our visit. None of the residence units had been completed, and other parts of the hotel were still receiving finishing touches. As a result, instead of enjoying the soothing sound of an ocean breeze through the palm trees and the gentle crash of waves, we heard the clatter of hammers and the buzz of power tools echoing from units overlooking the pools all day long. While I recognize these disruptions are only temporary, it certainly was not the ideal atmosphere one hopes for when staying at a resort of this caliber.

Fitness Center

The fitness center is tremendously impressive, equipped with brand-new Technogym machines and featuring tall double-story windows offering great views of the Punta Espada Golf Course.

All of the equipment was the latest generation from Technogym, each featuring a high-definition display along with technology such as Bluetooth connectivity and built-in wireless charging.

On the second level of the fitness center, is a spin studio. Instructor-led classes are offered throughout the day along with other wellness activities like yoga and pilates.  

The fitness center at The St. Regis Cap Cana is easily one of the most impressive I’ve seen at any resort, offering a spacious layout, state-of-the-art equipment, and a great setting with views of the golf course.

Spa

St. Regis properties are well regarded for their spa facilities, and The St. Regis Cap Cana was no exception in terms of quality. However, I was disappointed to learn that amenities such as the jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room were only accessible to guests who booked a spa treatment.

As expected with a St. Regis, prices are on the higher side, with the least expensive treatment I found starting at US$145. While I understand service standards differ in North America, my experiences at other St. Regis properties in the Middle East have always included complimentary access to spa amenities for all guests, regardless of whether they book a treatment. A very disappointing decision by the resort.

I did take a tour of the spa, which features multiple treatment rooms, including options for both individual and couples therapies.

The public areas of the spa all look great and feature all the usual elements, but as someone who enjoys using a steam room and sauna whenever possible, I was disappointed to find they were only accessible if I scheduled treatment.

There are also outdoor treatment areas on the terrace, providing excellent views of the resort grounds and ocean.

Conclusion

In its current state, The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort is very difficult to recommend. While the potential is undeniable, with standout features such as the impressive swim out suite we stayed in, beautiful grounds, as well as the excellent pools and fitness facilities, the resort is simply unfinished.

As I was staying at a heavily discounted rate, it was easier to overlook many of the shortcomings, and given the price we paid I would still consider the experience very pleasant. However, the resort is charging its full nightly rates to its other guests, in many cases exceeding $1,000 per night, which makes the incomplete nature of the property unacceptable in my view.

The staff were clearly friendly and well intentioned, but they appeared to lack proper training and direction in many areas. Surprisingly, the St. Regis Butler Service was nearly nonexistent, limited to a brief greeting from the head butler whenever we happened to cross paths. Partway through our stay, I spoke with the sales manager, who asked for our feedback on the resort. After outlining the issues we experienced, she candidly acknowledged that management is aware the resort has not yet reached the standard of service guests typically expect from a St. Regis.

I visited in the spring of 2025, and I would strongly advise waiting at least another 18 months before considering a stay here. That timeline would put us into 2027, by which point the construction should be complete and the resort should hopefully have had time to address its staffing and service challenges. There’s a lot of room for The St. Regis Cap Cana to grow into an amazing resort, and I’m optimistic it can become that.