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 Anse
Chastanet St Lucia
What were Caribbean hotels like before the trade winds
were replaced by blasts of air conditioning, when morning exercise was a walk on
the beach and not water aerobics, and when you sat watching the sunset instead
of cable TV? You can still find out at the Anse Chastanet Resort on St. Lucia's
unspoiled southwestern Caribbean coast.
Since architect Nick Troubetzkoy purchased the first 14 hillside units in 1974,
and throughout the expansion and renovation that have followed, design in
harmony with nature, complementing the island's natural beauty, has remained his
focal point. The 500-acre site is a lush garden of tropical foliage bordering
two of the island's best beaches, where soft silver sands dip into the clear
blue waters of the Caribbean. St. Lucia's trademark green peaks - the Gros and
Petit Pitons - make for a dramatic backdrop.
 No
two rooms at Anse Chastanet are exactly alike. Twelve beach-level units are
tucked away behind the coconut palms, just steps from the water's edge and the
resort's renowned SSI/PADI dive facility. Perched on the hill are Anse
Chastanet's original rooms: cheery white-washed cottages with wrap-around wooden
balconies. These octagonal-shaped "gazebos" offer splendid views of
the Pitons and the sea, framed by an abundance of flourishing blossoms. Chairs
and beds are covered in madras prints - a traditional island fabric of bright
plaid woven with the same colours as the ginger lilies, anthuriums and
bougainvillea found in every room.
Further up the hill are Anse Chastanet's deluxe suites, where Nick Troubetzkoy's
architectural imagination can best be appreciated. Roomy is hardly the word to
describe them. Immense is more accurate. And the sense of space is even further
enhanced by the fact that as little as possible was put between the guests and
their natural surroundings, leaving entire walls open to the vistas. Indeed it's
even hard to say where the inside stops and the outside begins: a flamboyant
tree drapes its red-blossomed branches gently over the balcony in one room, the
verandah of another was actually built around a red gommier tree. And the famous
showers-with-a-view in the premium suites are a unique luxury of Anse Chastanet
 While
the sensuous seclusion of the rooms provides some guests with a perfect excuse
for lazing away the day on their balcony, others head out for snorkeling on the
reef, tennis, or a nature walk among the ruins of a colonial plantation on the
property. There's also a casual beach-side bar, and a hillside terrace where
breakfast, dinner, and afternoon tea are served. Twice a week guests enjoy
evening barbecues on the beach, and every night, there's music by local
entertainers.
 Accommodations
Anse Chastanet has 49 uniquely designed rooms 37 of
which are scattered about a flower-decked hillside, and 12 of which are located
within a tropical garden at beach level.
 | Standard Hillside
rooms offer partial ocean views or garden views * |
| Superior Hillside
rooms are larger and feature twin or king size bedding with Piton or
oceanview * |
| Deluxe Hillside
rooms
are extremely spacious and individually designed with ocean or Piton views * |
| Deluxe Beachside Gardenview
rooms are the only rooms situated at beach level with lots of space * |
 All
rooms have fridges, electric tea/coffee makers, in-room safes, and wall mounted
hairdryers. Deluxe and Premium rooms have irons and ironing boards. The
furniture in all rooms has been individually designed and handmade in the region
with the exclusive use of the island woods such as teak, mahogany, green heart,
purple heart, red cedar and wild breadfruit.
Please note that there are approximately 100 stairs leading from beach level to
the mid-hillside level, thus making the property unsuitable for those with
walking difficulties or cardiac problems. This is never a question of age.
Facilities at the Resort include 2 restaurants and
bars, excursions and car rental desk, 2 beachside boutiques, the Kai-Belte
mini-spa, and a SSI Platinum /PADI scuba facility, Scuba St Lucia.
ANSE CHASTANET SELECTED
TOP HOTEL BY CONDE NAST READERS
Anse Chastanet has been selected one of the “Caribbean’s Top 15 Small
Hotels” by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. The results, based on over
26,000 reader responses, were published in the November 1999 issue.
“A&E’S TOP TEN ROMANTIC
GETAWAYS” FEATURES ANSE CHASTANET
The US television channel A&E named Anse Chastanet as one
of "The World's Top Ten Romantic Getaways" recently, ranking the hotel
at Number Four. The program celebrated Anse Chastanet’s extraordinary appeal
for those in search of romance. Anse Chastanet received a
similar honour in the United Kingdom where the BBC "Holiday Heaven"
program voted Anse Chastanet to be "The Most Romantic
Vacation Destination"!
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