Anse Chastanet Resort Rating: 4.0 Pearls

St. Lucia

Guests checking in at the reception desk

Before architect-hotelier Nick Troubetzkoy created his Jade Mountain masterpiece, he designed one of the world's first eco-conscious resorts with Anse Chastanet. Located on a 250-yard beach, the resort purposefully cut out unnecessary modernities like TVs, telephones, air conditioning, a fitness center, and a pool. Instead the resort offers nature-inspired luxuries like diving, water sports, beach yoga, and open-air dining. The scene here is a relaxed one, from days spent snorkeling, kayaking, and windsurfing to nightly live entertainment until 10:30pm on most evenings.

Rooms are spread out along a steep bluff and the beach, providing privacy for all guests. While the resort is designed for connecting with and savoring the simple pleasures of nature, the location on a steep bluff requires a certain level of fitness to move around the resort comfortably. More than 100 stone steps cover the distance between the beach and reception, with other rooms being even higher up. There are shuttles to move about, but some guests complain they aren't very timely or efficient.

View on a Larger Map

Just past the main town of Soufriere, a small, rocky road leads into a thicket of jungle. This leads to a small parking lot for Anse Chastanet, but first, cars must navigate blind curves and cross streams. After this adventure, a shuttle transports guests from the parking lot to the resort entrance. The location of Anse Chastanet on the southern side of the island offers amazing views of the Pitons. Beyond the town of Soufriere are the biggest attractions on the island, including cocoa plantations, volcano and sulfur springs, the Tet-Paul nature trails, and the Morne Courbaril Estate zip line tour.

• 45-minute drive to St. Lucia Hewanorra Airport
• 60-minute drive to George F. L. Charles Airport
• 2-minute walk to Anse Chastanet Beach
• 5-minute ferry ride to Anse Mamin Beach
• 15-minute walk or 3-minute drive to Diamond Botanical Gardens and Waterfall
• 15-minute drive to La Soufriere Sulfur Springs and volcano
• 15-minute drive to Morne Courbaril Estate zip line tour
• 20-minute drive to Fond Doux Holiday cocoa plantation (with several daily tours)
• 20-minute drive to the Tet-Paul nature trails

View from the wrap around terrace of the Standard Hillside room

Anse Chastanet offers a total of 49 rooms broken down into several distinct categories. There are 12 units located in a lush garden at the beach level offering direct access to the sandy shore, although these rooms do not offer views of the nearby Pitons. The remaining 37 rooms line a steep bluff and offer wrap-around terraces with mountain views. Farther up the steep slope are the resort's finest units, several of which are missing a fourth wall, placing the views of the Pitons front and center. All of the rooms feature original artwork -- artists visit the resort for weeks at a time creating new pieces -- as well as madras fabrics, authentic jalousie shutters, and four-poster beds with charming mosquito netting.

• Bathrooms with stall showers
• Gilchrest & Soames’ Zero Percent Collection toiletries
• Mini-fridges with one free bottle of water per day
• Welcome snack -- a tropical fruit plate -- upon arrival
• Four-poster beds with mosquito netting
• Overhead ceiling fans
• Extra oscillating fan in all bedrooms
• His and hers bathrobes and slippers
• 220-volt outlets throughout (converters and adapters supplied in each room)
• Coffeemakers and tea kettles in all units
• No air-conditioning, telephones, TV, or Internet
• Use of yellow bulbs throughout in order to deter mosquitoes
• All rooms feature original artwork.
• No room service

The Spa at the Anse Chastanet Resort

While the Anse Chastanet resort doesn't offer a pool or a fitness center, it does offer two beaches and plenty of features to stay active. Guests can choose between twice daily yoga classes at the outdoor fitness pavilion , extensive water sports, tennis courts, and a spa with outdoor treatment rooms.

• Two beaches: Anse Chastanet and Anse Mamin (five-minute ferry ride)
• Fitness pavilion on the beach
• One lighted tennis court
• Two boutiques selling beach attire, basic provisions, and snacks
• Free daily afternoon tea at Trou au Diable restaurant
• An extensive water sports center, including a PADI dive center
• Small spa with indoor and outdoor treatments rooms and a salon
• Art gallery filled with local paintings, sculptures and other handmade pieces
• A small library in Piti Piton Lounge with free Wi-Fi and two computer stations
• Two bars: the hillside Piti Piton and the beachfront Trou au Diable
• Bike rentals for jungle biking through the resort’s trails
• An activities concierge
• No pool

The Piti Piton bar

Each of the four restaurants at Anse Chastanet utilizes fresh ingredients grown on the estate and is open to the elements. Outdoor dining is one of the biggest pleasures here. The Piti Piton Lounge serves lunch, dinner, a special all-vegetarian menu, and memorable cocktails. The Treehouse serves tropical world cuisine for breakfast and dinner. Trou au Diable is located at the beach level and Apsara serves Indian cuisine. A fourth restaurant is located on the second beach, Anse Mamin, and serves a simple menu of wraps, sandwiches, and other light fare.