Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia

For vacationers looking to put as little as possible between the Caribbean and themselves, St. Lucia’s Anse Chastanet offers a place where the barriers between guests and the great outdoors are frequently as minimal as three exterior walls. Not for families with young children due to open walls and steep walks, this resort works best for school-age and older kids.

This hillside resort rises from a quiet bay and palm-lined beach to offer views of St. Lucia’s spectacular twin Piton mountains. This resort is known for its unique guest accommodations with features that offer visitors open-air showers, trees that sprout right up through guest rooms, and open walls where views are uninterrupted by windows or screens.

The simple guest rooms are decorated in West Indian style, with furniture that is produced on St. Lucia, usually from the Soufriere region. Beds, chairs, and couches are covered in a simple madras, the national cloth of St. Lucia, and covers are changed every three months to provide a different look for frequent return guests. Rooms are all oversized, ranging from 900 to 1,600 square feet.

Although they’re not always necessary, for guests’ convenience mosquito nets are provided, along with electric mosquito coils. Telephones are not available in rooms; an outdoor bank of phones for guest use is located near the main office. Guests check for messages on a chalkboard posted nearby.

Special Family Features

Although it has long been considered one of the most romantic resorts in the Caribbean, Anse Chastanet also is a family experience for families with children five years and older. (Open walls and steep walkways make it inappropriate for families with infants and toddlers.)

Marine biology classes are held two times a week for children age 5 to 11. Children 12 and older can participate in a Learn to SCUBA course to lead to certification. Another choice for children 12 and over and adults is the “Dive ‘n’ Discover” course to introduce non-certified divers to the reef.

Tel. 758/459-7000, Fax 758/459-7700. Toll-free reservations Tel. 800/223-1108

Back to St. Lucia with Kids