Anse Chastanet

Offering a magical setting of flower-decked hillside and crystalline sea, this resort sits amid 600 tropical acres with two beaches. The twin Piton mountains rising from the ocean form a dramatic backdrop. A popular getaway spot, Anse Chastanet (Bay of Chastanet) lies at the end of a rugged, 2-mile forest road, a world away from real-world stress. Guests come here for the utter tranquility, the beach, snorkeling and scuba diving, the jungle mountain biking/hiking, the forest's nocturnal tree-frog chorus and the opportunity to be alone together.

A 250-yard beach curves between two rocky headlands, with the calm Caribbean lapping against soft, tan/gray volcanic sand. Thatch shades shield lounge chairs. Hammocks hang between coconut palms. The little bay's south end features one of the Caribbean's most notable and accessible snorkeling/diving sites, with fish, coral, and other marine life visible within a few yards of shore. The reef plateaus for about 50 yards and then steeply slopes to 140 feet. The resort provides complimentary snorkeling gear and includes a full-service diving center offering beginner lessons, certification courses, and reef, wreck, wall, and night dives. 100 stone steps lead from the main building down to the beach, but a complimentary shuttle can be arranged for those with walking difficulties or cardiac problems.

The resort furnishes water-taxi service to the picturesque town of Soufriere 2 miles south near St. Lucia's signature twin spires, called the Pitons.

Located at beach level, the Kai Belte Spa is designed in the same airy style as the rest of the resort and features seven air-conditioned rooms for massage and facials as well as a hair/nail/waxing salon. Classes are offered six times weekly in the yoga hut.

Dining at Anse Chastanet features herbs and produce grown in the resort's own gardens on the former sugar/cocoa plantation of Anse Mamin, part of the resort's 600 acres.

Dining:

Piti Piton Restaurant - Hillside site with panoramic Caribbean Sea view. Open-air under ceiling fans. A la carte breakfast daily. Dinner five nights weekly consisting of four-course meal with choices of appetizer, soup/salad, main course, dessert, served in candlelight ambience. Dress code: long pants or dress shorts, collared shirts for men.
Trou au Diable Restaurant - Open-air beachfront restaurant/bar decorated with carved wood figures. A la carte lunch daily of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, grilled foods, creole specialties as well as buffet. Buffet dinners twice-weekly featuring theme cuisines such as Italian and creole. Dinner dress code: long pants or dress shorts, collared shirts for men.
Piton and Trou au Diable bars - Afternoon tea is served daily. There is live music nightly in one of the bars (except Sundays).

49 guest rooms. Twelve rooms are located on the beach level in three two-story buildings constructed of whitewashed concrete and weathered wood and are nearly concealed by tall trees and dense gardens. One building is right next to the beach. The other two lie along a concrete path 50 and 100 yards from the beach. Scattered on hillsides above the beach, 37 other rooms are perched amid the forest in concrete/stone buildings with wood shingles. These rooms offer panoramic Caribbean Sea views. Some also provide views of the Pitons, St. Lucia's signature twin spires rising 2,461 and 2,619 feet from the shore 3.5 and 5 miles south of the resort. Rooms contain no air conditioning. Ceiling fans and louvered doors and windows provide cooling. Some hillside rooms have open fronts. No televisions, radios, clocks, or telephones. (Telephone calls can be made from the main building.)

Rooms feature terra-cotta tile or hardwood floors; furniture constructed locally of island woods such as mahogany, teak, breadfruit, greenheart, and purpleheart; and cushioned seating covered in plaid West Indian madras cloth. Original artwork, many created by internationally known artists who stay at Anse Chastanet, and locally made woven-straw area rugs, pottery, and carved-wood decorations, contribute color and visual interest. Yellow lights hang from the ceilings under woven-wicker shades, providing rooms with soft light.

Located 18 miles away from Hewanorra International Airport (UVF). Approximate driving time is 45 minutes.

Check in: 2 p.m.
Check out: Noon.