Two miles from the small, sleepy village of Soufriere in the south west of the island, Anse Chastanet is set on a steep hillside amongst 600 acres of lush vegetation and has dramatic views of the ocean and Piton mountains.  It has two quiet sandy beaches, and is approximately 1 hour from the airport.
 

Facilities:
The hillside restaurant has magnificent views over the sea, and the nearby Piton mountains, and the beach side restaurant and bar is casual and relaxed, and there is live music most evenings.

Perched midway between the beach and most of the accommodation is the Hillside restaurant

Fine views of the Marine sanctuary from both sides of the restaurant and the waitresses wear local costumes when serving the evening meal, often to the accompaniment of a Shak-Shak band.

There is live entertainment most evenings.  Water-sports are available from the secluded beach where snorkelling, sunfish sailing and windsurfing are free to guests. 
Near the famous twin Pitons, some of St. Lucia's best snorkelling and diving is available here. The resort offers two beaches, two restaurants and bars, three boutiques, a mini-spa, excursion desk, water sports, PADI/SSI scuba school, complimentary water taxi from Anse Chastenet beach to second beach at Anse Mamin and town of Soufriere, almost five miles of exclusive hiking and biking trails, an art gallery, library and mountain bike rentals. In keeping with Anse Chastenet's philosophy of total relaxation and quiet there are no TVs, telephones or radios in the rooms.

The Eco tour at Anse Mamin next door takes you through the ruined sugar mill next door. Carol and I spent a delightful afternoon discovering the healing and nutritional values of many trees and shrubs, as well as a potted history lesson of the arrival of the first slaves through their decades of misery until their freedom was eventually granted.

Considered as one of the Caribbean's Top Ten "most romantic getaways", this small, beach front resort just north of Soufriere has forty-eight spacious rooms that ramble up the hillside of this 600 acre resort with two beaches. Rooms are open and airy with locally made furniture and madras spreads. Designed to be in harmony with nature and allowing for natural flow of air, the rooms do not have air-conditioning. All have balconies and ceiling fans. Anse Chastanet has received many awards for its romantic setting and is a favoured honeymoon destination as well as being world renowned as a premiere dive location. The reefs start in shallow water so there is excellent snorkelling as well as diving off the beach.

This hotel has 48 rooms: (36 scattered up the hill and 12 beachside deluxe)
All rooms feature ceiling fans, fridges, electric tea/coffee makers (with sugar and milk), wall mounted hair dryers and in-room safes. All deluxe and premium rooms also have irons and ironing boards. Rooms are built in harmony with nature, allowing for a natural flow of air which makes air-conditioning unnecessary. The furniture in all deluxe and premium 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. Anse Chastanet is quiet retreat. No radios, TV's or phones in the room. 

Standard hillside rooms: slightly smaller than the superior rooms. Standard rooms have 2 twins or 1 queen. Piton and/or ocean view. Clay tile or hardwood floors, either glass or wooden jalousie louvre windows, ceiling fans and balconies, ensuite bathrooms with shower and WC.

Superior hillside rooms: octagonal or rectangular in shape and feature 2 twins or 1 king. Piton and/or ocean view. Clay tile or hardwood floors, either glass or wooden jalousie louvre windows, ceiling fans and balconies, ensuite bathrooms with shower and WC.

Beachside Deluxe rooms are very spacious with either 2 doubles or 1 king bed, ensuite bathrooms with 2 sinks, shower and WC. Clay tile or hardwood floors, wooden jalousie louvre windows, ceiling fans and large balconies or terraces. All beachside rooms offer a tropical garden view, just a few steps from the water's edge.

Hillside Deluxe rooms are extremely spacious and individually designed in a very airy style, with dramatic open roof dormers, clay tile or tropical hardwood floors, kind size bed, wooden jalousie louvers, ceiling fans, balconies and very large ensuite bathrooms with 2 sinks, showers and WC. Piton and/or ocean view.

The Premium rooms offer picture postcard perfect views of both Piton mountains and the surrounding sea by virtue of their elevated locations.

Wedding Packages:

Anse Chastanet has received numerous awards for its romantic setting, including being voted on of the World's Top Ten Most Romantic Resorts by A&E television.

Package includes: lawyers and registrar's fees and includes all messenger and transportation services, a wedding cake, wedding bouquet, buttonhole for groom, decorated wedding location and a bottle of champagne. Cost in 2003: $750 in conjunction with your stay at Anse Chastanet. Surcharge for some locations.

Optional Extras (2003 prices): Video ($390), photography, (including 72 undeveloped prints @ $210). Traditional St. Lucian wedding costume ($280), live musical entertainment (from $200), romantic day sailing ($350) and witnesses can all be arranged at additional cost. Surcharge for "Off the Beaten Track" wedding locations $180 - $250.

Documents required: Passport or birth certificate.
If you are divorced the original divorce decree (decree absolute) with stamp and seal is required.

Residency: Only two days of residency in St. Lucia are required for foreigners to be married in a civil ceremony. Paper works needs about three or four days so that couples can be married six days after arrival on the island. Church wedding can also be arranged but they need at least three months of planning ahead. By law, weddings must be performed after sunrise and before sunset.

Wedding Groups: Bride and Groom travelling with more than 6 additional persons (3 rooms) will receive a complimentary upgrade from one room category to the next. Groups of 5 rooms and more, minimum 3 night stay, receive a 15% discount on daily room rates (not packages). Offer not combinable with other offers. Group space must be requested.

Diving Packages:
The Coral Kaleidoscope Scuba Package includes: 7 nights accommodation in room category chosen, breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, all tax and service, airport transfers both ways, welcome cocktail, drinks package in room fridge and basket of local fruit on arrival, 12 beach or boat dives, substitution of a day dive to night dive to maximum of two. Also included in the package are usage of tennis court and tennis equipment, water sports equipment (snorkelling, kayaking, mini-sailing, windsurfing), beach chairs and towels, complimentary resort water taxi to Anse Mamin beach and town of Soufriere and complimentary escorted plantation walks.

Opinion: Totally un-spoilt and an escapist's paradise, this hotel is quiet, romantic and secluded.  
Steep hills and lots of steps make it unsuitable for young children and those with walking difficulties.

Anse Chastanet Photo Gallery

Activities  Beach  Dining  Diving  Exteriors

www.ansechastanet.com   e-mail: ansechastanet@candw.lc

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