Anse Chastanet Resort review: a Saint Lucia sanctuary with missing fourth walls
Anse Chastanet Resort video tour by Rosie Bell
1) The backstory
Tucked between the Pitons and the Caribbean Sea, Anse Chastanet Resort is a 600-acre hideaway where hammocks are big enough for a lazy daydream duet and tropical birds keep a watchful eye. Privately owned, there’s no corporate polish, no TV, and no hurry whatsoever—just yellow night lights that keep the mosquitoes at bay, two pristine beaches, and a commitment to sustainability.
Before the architectural marvel of Jade Mountain emerged, there was Anse Chastanet, the soulful, bohemian elder sister. Created by late Russian-Canadian architect Nick Troubetzkoy, this resort was the first to grace Saint Lucia’s dramatic southwestern coast. Nick and his German wife Karolin brought their own brand of eccentric charm to this Edenic estate, culminating in a place that feels lived-in, loved, and never off-the-shelf.
2) The rooms
Some rooms have their fourth wall entirely open, offering unobstructed views of the Piton peaks. The room categories are Premium Hillside Rooms (the highest level), Hillside Deluxe Rooms (on various levels), Beachside Deluxe Rooms (the beach-level category I was in), Superior Hillside Rooms (on various levels), Standard Rooms, and the Piton Pool Suite. There is also a super spacious beach house, which is the only part of the resort that’s modeled after 18th-century French architecture. All lodgings accommodate a maximum of three guests.
The rooms are individually designed and always named after plants, flowers, root vegetables, and fruits (like Wiri Wiri, Star Grass, Sundew, and Selaginella). My room was 10D Breadnut, and I loved that I had two beds to choose from. A drawer at my bedside had a hair dryer and an extension cable, which comes in handy for bringing your phone charger cable closer to you. Branded slippers and eye masks are yours to have. The bathroom was sprawling, with a double sink and rainfall shower (no bathtub). Air conditioning was available in the room area only; the living room was hammock-having and open to the elements.
Image courtesy of Anse Chastanet Resort
3) Food & drink
Come hungry and prepared to be wooed. Dining here is a culinary love letter to the island, with menus that change and ingredients plucked straight from the resort’s organic Emerald Estate farm. There are decadent views at Treehouse Restaurant, and Trou Au Diable provides daily beachfront dining and a weekly cocktail reception on Tuesdays. The all-inclusive rate covers all meals and most beverages served by the glass.
Since they do not wear jewelry, servers clad in Saint Lucia’s national dress wear a headdress that denotes their marital status. The number of points in the wrap signals whether they’re single, engaged, or married. This is the first time I have come across this type of tacit headdress-related messaging anywhere in the world.
Anse Chastanet is a partially all-inclusive resort, meaning guests on the all-inclusive plan will still need to sign bills for services, though no charges apply for included items. The plan covers all meals (breakfast, lunch, snacks, afternoon tea, and dinner), non-alcoholic drinks, and most wines, cocktails, and alcoholic beverages served by the glass. Guests have access to all restaurants and bars on-site, with any exclusions clearly marked on the menus.
Image courtesy of Anse Chastanet Resort
4) Services & amenities
There’s no communal pool, because here, the beach is the pool. Who needs chlorine when you’ve got the Caribbean Sea lapping at your toes and a reef just offshore? There’s snorkeling, paddleboarding, and kayaking available at a whim, and the on-property dive shop can whisk you away to one of Saint Lucia’s two dozen dive sites.
For land dwellers, there’s a robust spread including a tennis court, pickleball, a fitness center, and guided jungle hikes and mountain biking trails across the estate’s 600 acres that feels like your own personal rainforest. And if you’re feeling more meditative than muddy, yoga classes are held in an open-air pavilion with the sea murmuring in the background twice a day, in the morning and afternoon. There are also beachside art classes, where you can paint your version of paradise, and a Piton-facing reading nook that’s the perfect place to get lost in a good book.
A lovely rarity, there’s an art gallery where you can find something gorgeous and bright to adorn your home with, while threads and island finds can be purchased at the beachfront Sa Nou Men boutique.
Anse Chastanet’s Kai Belté Spa has an inviting array of treatments and the ingredients are often edible. Saint Lucia grows some of the best cacao in the world and the spa smartly makes a ritual out of it.
Twice-daily housekeeping keeps things fresh, and instead of a phone in your room, you’re given a mobile device with reception on speed dial. This is the resort’s answer to staying connected while staying blissfully off-grid.
Anse Chastanet is located in Soufriére, about an hour’s drive from Hewanorra International Airport. If that drive sounds too taxing, you can opt for a helicopter transfer, landing directly on the resort’s private helipad. Once there, know that the hotel is built into the hillside and there are a lot of stairs. If you don’t feel like trekking up and down, the resort runs a shuttle service on demand, and they’ll gladly ferry you between beach, room, restaurant, and wherever else you’re headed.
5) Style, decor & character
It’s rustic and romantic with local wood and Saint Lucian madras textiles everywhere. The rooms are designed to remind you where you are.
Image courtesy of Anse Chastanet Resort
6) Location & nearby sights
You’ll find Anse Chastanet after traversing a bumpy, winding road that tests your patience and your car’s suspension. But what’s waiting on the other side is thoroughly worth it. The hotel is located in Soufrière, where you’ve got the UNESCO-listed Pitons, nature trails, botanical gardens, and the world’s only drive-in volcano.
7) Who it’s right for & what to pack
This resort is for those who can handle stairs and foodies who want substance with their seasoning. Vegans will relish the plant-based Emeralds menu.
Bring sandals with grip (forgo heels) for the stairs, a book you don’t mind abandoning for the view, and a special someone. Couples and honeymoons adore Anse Chastanet.
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