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Sanctuary Resort
Rating Details »
3295 Dunes Rd
Marina, CA 93933
(877) 944-3863
Marina, CA 93933
(877) 944-3863
- Price Range:
-
$$$
19 reviews for Sanctuary Resort
Wow, didn't realize I've been w/ Boyfriend long enough for this place to get renamed...
We went here for our 1st anniversary...that was 2 years ago. Best parts = proximity to everything and your own golf cart. Worst parts = I felt sorry for the surfer dudes staying in the suite next to us 'cuz I realized the walls aren't soundproof (but they're not remotely paper thin either...we were just...not quiet).
Good grief this place was romantic. Now if only our anniversary was during a warmer month 'cuz at the time it was in the 60'sF, and I need it to be pushing 80F before I get into a bikini...'cuz that beach proximity...another awesome.
I'd totally stay here again if I hadn't accidentally found the room rate in the closet...oops. (This was suppose to be a surprise).
Edited to add/BTW: we got the best suite you could get...'nuff said.
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Yo! if you have not already been here your just lame. This is one of the most inexpensive mellow with a jaw dropping view places that i have been . Seriously it rocks. Great staff, great views , great room service makes you sort'ov feel special. We had just as much a great time in the room as we did by the sand and water. The rooms are plushed out with a fireplace and equipped with nice furniture nice and clean soft bed with down pillows........well at least it felt like it when i layed my big head on one of them lol........Yes indeed it was lovely. Then cruise on down to seven mile road while your at it only to be more relaxed by the ocean. Then swing on by the shops in monteray by the boardwalk for some good fish-n-chips or some of the best clam chowder you'll ever endulge in.
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Maximum relaxation + personal golf buggy = totally relaxed while driving recklessly. Onsite restaurant is a shambles.
This place oozes with sexual energy, from the terrycloth bathrobes to the balcony looking out onto the waves. How cool it was to sleep to the sound of crashing waves after watching the sunset...from our BED! Don't worry about the money.
Here are 10 cool things about this resort.
1.Everything is still new, or at least it looks that way.
2.I've never been to a resort, but the ones I've seen in pictures always seem to be surrounded by resorts. This one is surrounded by sand dunes and the ocean. I didn't see any kids, just couples having a quiet time.
3.Have fun driving around in your golf cart after having micro brews from the restaurant.
4.There were binoculars on the table to check out the scenery.
5.The beach is spotless.
6.No thugs, tourists, or loud parties anywhere. The tourists are in Pebble Beach.
7. Great restaurant on the premises with great unique beers. You never have to leave. Beach, foreplay, eat, go to room, sex, sleep, repeat.
8. Bathrooms are huge, with huge hot showers and separate sinks.
9. Close enough to Cannery Row and the aquarium.
10. Did I mention the golf carts?
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Looking for a romantic getaway place? Check out the Marina Dunes Resort. Right on the Marina Sand Dunes State Beach, this unusual hotel/time share place has great views of Monterey Bay.
I was giving a talk in Monterey and my hosts put me up here. We were given a suite which had a fireplace which was also the heating system for the suite, private deck overlooking the ocean and beach, and private golf cart. The hotel section of the resort doesn't allow cars, so guests are given a golf cart for an additional fee. It was fun to zip around on a golf cart, but it was so windy and cold that the cart had plastic zippered sides. At night, it was a bit difficult to see through the plastic as it's gotten slightly opaque.
The room had a small wet bar, split bathroom with a tub on one side and large shower on the other as well as two sinks. There were two televisions, one in the sitting area and another easily seen by the king size bed.
The resort also has a restaurant, AJ Spurs which was closed for dinner when we went. You can also get a massage and other spa treatments there. The prices for the spa treatments seemed reasonable as spa treatments go.
Turn down service is standard. The front desk staff was quite pleasant and helpful.
The resort is a short drive to Salinas/Monterey for other sightseeing and dining. But bring some wine, candles, bath salts and create your own little getaway with your honey for some down time from life's hectic pace.
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My wife and I stayed here for 3 nights and experienced absolutely no problems at all. Even on a busy weekend with the races going on nearby at Laguna Seca. Definitely a place you want to make reservations far in advance to ensure the best of stay - everything about ours was outstanding!
For a little over $400, we got a room overlooking the ocean, daily room service (breakfast), a bottle of wine with some glasses, and a fifty dollar gas card. Im not sure if this was a limited promotion, but damn, it was money well spent! I recommend bringing that complimentary bottle of wine to the pool side (careful now, the sign says no booze), then have some laughs while driving your golf cart full-speed (7.5 mph) back to your room. fun stuff.
If you're up for leaving your room at night, cannery row (where there's plenty of good eats) is only about 20 mins away.
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My girlfriend, or should I now say my FIANCE and I stayed here this past weekend. When I made the reservation, I noted that this weekend was going to be our anniversary and I was planning on proposing to her. I requested if they would just give us a room that would be a nice view with out worrying about noisy neighbors, so I booked an Ocean View Deluxe room. Sure enough when I got there, the front desk staff was very helpful and friendly and assured me that I had one of the nicest rooms available. We were given a golf cart and was escorted to our room. It was PERFECT... The place was clean, had a sony lcd flat screen over the fire place, stocked mini fridge, clean bathroom, nice decor, and the view from our window/patio was breath taking especially during sunset! We cracked our sliding door, laid in bed, and just listened and watched the waves crashing into the beach all morning.
The only slightly negative thing to mention was that when we left to dinner and came back, our golf cart was gone. I went to the front desk to ask what was going on and they apologized and gave us a new golf cart in less than 2 minutes. It wasn't really an inconvenience, but it would've been nice if our cart was where we left it.
We've stayed in much nicer resorts in Carmel and in Monterey, but the view, sounds and smells of the ocean was totally worth it! Try to request suite 711 for the best view! We definitely will be trying to stay here again in the future.
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If you want to be on the beach.. and have a relaxing stay.. I highly recommend Marina Dunes..
some advice.. always ask for a room on the beach.. and be sure to check their specials on the website. Last few times we got some really good deals with the Monterey Bay Package and the Lazy Day Special.
The part I like the best is that you get your own golf cart to drive yourself from the parking lot to your room.. something about "environmental protection for the habitat"... repeat.. you get your own golf cart!! that's all you need to know..
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Guys - if you want to impress your girlfriend, book a stay at Marina Dunes!!
My boyfriend and I came here for our one year anniversary and it is the most romantic place for a weekend getaway. We were so impressed by this resort that I had to tell some of my girlfriends about it. I swear its like one of the best kept secrets of Monterey.
I loved the fact that you do not need to deal with the annoyance of a car driving by in the middle of the night. You have to take a golf cart to your room, or bungalow if you will, because there are no cars allowed in the pathways. And how fun is it to drive golf carts every now and then??
The bungalows are so tastefully decorated when you first enter the room. Don't ask me why but I was so excited that they offered robes in the closet! If Marina Dune's goal was to get you comfortable, they certainly achieved it!! There is a tiny back patio which overlooks the Monterey Bay (I think you get this if you book the Ocean View Room). Pretty effin incredible and totally romantic. Try to stay here when the weather is warm and the winds are calm.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this place and I know you will too!!
I love this place! My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and it was fantastic. My favorite aspects of it were:
-The view.
-The luxurious room.
-The golf carts!!!!!
We came December 2, 2006. It was the most amazing time I have ever had. The rooms are beautiful and all the staff are friendly. We had a great view of the ocean. The fireplace was a nice plus.
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Definitely get a suite. Do not stay here if you can only get the hotel room. Only stay here if you can get an ocean view. They give you binoculars and there is a lot of wild life to see out in the ocean. The white fluffy robes are nice. The suite offers a walk in shower as well as a separate tub (not a jacuzzi tub however). Dual sinks. Really comfy bed. Nice, comfortable living room area. Two plasma screen tvs (one in living room, one in bedroom).
Just be aware., there is NOTHING around here. And i mean nothing. Monterey is a short drive away... but there are no restaurants, bars, even fast food places, really. They have a restaurant on site, but dont get anything other than a drink, you dont want to eat here. We heard from several locals that the food here is awful.
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Gwen Stefani should have shot her "Luxurious" video here.
Okay so maybe her standards of the word are a little different than the rest of ours; but even so, this place is fabulous. My first night in California was spent here, and let me tell you, it set some pretty high standards.
You check in at the front desk, which is a separate building from the rest of the smaller bungalows scattered among the otherwise untouched dunes along the ocean. They then drive you down to your room in a golf cart, which they leave for you to use at your leisure... so fun!
The rooms themselves are beautiful. Very clean, large, with a gas fireplace, CD player, huge bed with awesome linens, and a sliding glass door that leads out onto a patio with views (ours had them anyway) of the ocean which is really close. The bathroom is huge with 2 separate sinks. Two incredibly cozy bathrobes hang in the closets to use, which we definitely lounged around in all night.
Nothing quite like sleeping to a low fire and the doors open to let the ocean induce sweet dreams... eating breakfast in bed the next morning and then going for a walk along the miles and miles of unbuilt-upon beach. It felt like our own private beach - we only saw about two other people the entire morning.
Another tip: go on a Thursday night to get ridiculously cheap rates. They also have a spa if you feel the need to be even more pampered; we were relaxed enough already!
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This is a great place to escape from the city and just relax on the beach.
+
The resort is very isolated and calm
Everything (including breakfast) is served in the room
One minute walk to the beach
Great service
Surrounded by wildlife reserve and protected dunes
THE place to stay to visit Carmel and Monterey
We loved driving around in our own golf cart
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Can't really think of anything negative...
=
A true lovers paradise, just count the number of newly wed cars in the parking lot.
*~Ultra Romantic, gorgeous views, and the service you get here is awesome. You get your own golf cart to ride around the resort area as you will, private paths to the beach and the pool/hot tub are always heated. You get your own private bungalow, and even the smallest rooms are stocked, quaint and totally worth the buck. This place definitely help make memories you will never forget...~*
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Fellas... all I gotta say is that with the beach at your doorsteps and the 4 star room rooms... who gives a shite about service people are complaining about.... truth is if you did things right you wouldn't even bother the staff... my girl and I didn't leave our hotel room for 36 hours... awesome awesome awesome
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Okay, I've been putting off writing this review for a while because I wanted to keep it all to myself. I'm selfish like that. But... I guess I can't always be there so I'm sharing. Just because I'm giving Marina Dunes 5 stars doesn't mean it's by any means a 5 star resort, but I always leave feeling very relaxed and refreshed after a weekend here. The beach is breathtaking. When I arrive I pour myself a glass of wine, grab my sweetie, walk out our front door a few steps down to the pristine beach, where I chillax until it's too dark to take it all in.
The rooms are always nicely set up and very clean. It's even better if you're able to get one of their package deals. My favorite package is their lazy days pkg. We received breakfast in bed both days, a beach blanket, some wine, snacks, candles, and other goodies in a basket. I recommend getting a suite for your room and check their website for good rates. They have a lot of specials.
Great place off the beaten path. I've stayed in many a places, expensive to cheap, and this place does no wrong. You get your own golf cart! Room service is a time thing, but if you can read, you' ll do fine. Ice buckets were brought up in no less than one minute. Beds are not the best, but I've had worse. Love the bathrooms, very private. Literally 10 minutes from monterey/carmel or pacific grove. We saw a whale from our room, playing with it's family, what a sight. Friends were staying at the quail lodge.....no comparison. This place is pure paradise
stayed here one night last week while hosting a retreat for some clients and was thoroughly impressed- i love having the fireplace in my suite and relaxing on the couch and watching the sun set out the back door- perfect beach view - probably a hundred or so yeards to the ocean, and having my own personal golf cart to get around was just bad ass and it definately make the drive to my suite interesting after several drinks at a.j. spurrs- would love to stay here again in a heartbeat- and the turn down service was great and i suprise after i came back from a bonfire at the beach. they also have a decent mini bar and rather decent prices they charge
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i had no idea what to expect the first time coming here. i randomly chose this place. when i got there with my friends we thought it looked really nice. right in front of the beach. they give you a golf cart to get around the place. we went out around 11pm and sat on the beach and walked back to our room. we had a small party but didn't make any noise and weren't hassled about anything. i had a great time. and the beds are super comfortable. i came back a year later for two nights and coincidently got the same exact room and stayed for two nights. it was great again. and they have a package, which i got, for tickets to the monterey bay aquarium. so that's totally awesome.
