Anse Chastanet

Our first trip to St Lucia; we picked it for a much needed break based on, 1. Low Covid numbers in St Lucia, 2. Government resort certification, 3. No self-isolation on return. 4. Its in the Caribbean St Lucia has the situation well under control. Airport arrivals were well organised and our negative test certificate and temperature were checked at arrival without undue fuss or delay. We were tagged (just a wristband) and our approved transport took us directly to the resort (where we were untagged). We were told on arrival that we would love our room – “we bet you say that to everyone” we said – but they were right - we were delighted to find that we had been upgraded to Royal Palm – the room in the brochure – with postcard views of the Pitons. Just look at the photos… It’s a fantastic room and really made our week. Thank you very much Anse Chastanet. We had a fantastic week. We were only allowed off resort for water based activities, although the Volcano apparently opened half way through our stay. The resort wasn’t very full and consequently all of the restaurants (and their menus) were consolidated into the Beach Restaurant. We were a bit disappointed not to be able to try the Vegan Restaurant (we’re veggies) but there was plenty of choice for us and the staff were so charming and friendly it really wasn’t an issue….and mostly we were just so glad to be there. Temperatures are checked on every entry to the restaurant and it was reassuring that everyone was under the same regime. There is hand sanitiser strategically placed by the reception, bar and restaurant entrances. The resort is quite big and includes Anse Mamin. There is a beachside track…or you can take the jungle taxi (boat). There are also lots of hillside tracks and trails between Anse Chastanet and Anse Mamin that take a bit of finding but are good exercise if that’s what you want. We were on AI and all the food and drink was excellent. Wine is by the glass but the service is prompt so that wasn’t an issue. Masks are required in all public areas and staff set a good example. It is amazing what you can get used to, although mask etiquette takes a bit of mastering. Beach service was also great. Loungers are set up with fresh towels for each new arrival and then sprayed (using quite an impressive device) on changeover. Planting a flag in the sand summons a waiter who ferries drinks and snacks from the beach restaurant. All very civilised. We loved our stay there and would highly recommend it.

This was my wife and my first stay in St. Lucia. A very unique island stay and there is a lot we really liked about the country and the Anse Chastanet resort. We stayed in a superior category room and opted for the all inclusive option. We had a pretty good view of the pitons and a great view of the beach and sea. The room organization is centered around the view of the pitons. The higher up the hill, the better the view, the more expensive the room. The Property is one big hill and is quite steep. Be prepared for lots of walking up and down hill/ steps. There is a shuttle if needed, but it’s a bit of a hassle. The resort is upfront about this, but beware. The room itself was adequate in space, clean, a functional bathroom, but no frills. The room is open air with screen and open slat windows, no AC, has privacy curtains. We were able to close about half our curtains and have privacy in our room. We had a great wrap around deck and loved drinking coffee out there every morning. Housekeeping kept our room very tidy and well stocked. Fresh coffee pods every morning. Some drawbacks of the room: the mosquito netting around the bed is highly necessary, and a few still managed to make it into our bed area. A lot of the time the nature sounds are nice, but at times the roar of frogs and insects from the forest are a bit much and interfered with sleep. They do provide earplugs which help, but we didn’t love it 100% of the time. If you like climate control, the lack of AC can be bothersome as well. We knew this about the resort and enjoyed doing something different, but it’s not something we would choose on every trip. The beach is beautiful. Black or “silver” volcanic sand. The water is perfectly clear and is the color of leaded crystal. The snorkeling right of the beach is amazing. Beach service is some of the absolute best we’ve ever had. Each set of seats has a flag you stick in the sand to call for assistance. The service was amazingly fast and friendly. Some highlights of the all inclusive, we were able to get buckets of beer and the full beach lunch menu as part of the all inclusive. We’re used to resorts excluding or charging for some of these perks, or requiring that you be part of a more expensive preferred club in the resort. This was a nice bonus. Dining was so so, but we would give them a pass for the challenges of COVID. All restaurants were consolidated into the restaurant at the beach. It seemed they were restricted on variety. Almost every dinner entree came with the same roasted veggies and potatoes. Steaks were above average for the Caribbean/ all inclusive and well grilled. A nice perk of the all inclusive was a $300 resort credit to be used towards lobster, bottles of wine, or dinner at the luxury Jade Mountain resort at the top of the property. We ate dinner at Jade Mountain twice. Both dinners were incredible. The service and food were outstanding. Jerome, the Jade Club manager was fantastic, as was our server Lawrenceson and the sommelier, Dwight. The view is fantastic, and it is very nice that Anse Chastanet guests are able to go up and enjoy Jade Mountain. We did two excursions while here, the Gros Piton Hike and the volcano tour/mud bath. My wife and I finished the hike in a little over 4 hours. We expected it to be hard, but it was seriously tough. Getting to the top is a challenge, and then the climb down almost felt endless. Beware of the difficulty if you’re considering attempting it. The volcano tour is about 20 minutes and then you can spend your time in the mud bath. The challenges of COVID were highly apparent at both locations. It was clear the people are struggling due to lack of tourism. We were happy to go and spend some money there, but they need a lot more people to return. Overall it was a great trip. If you like mountains and jungle, being close to nature, and scuba diving, Anse Chastanet is a great choice.