Anse Chastanet: A Saint Lucia Love Story

The English translation of the Creole proverb “Fè sa ki dwèt pa sa ki ézé” is “Do what is right, not what is easy.”

It must have been what Nick Troubetzkoy had in mind when he purchased Anse Chastanet resort in 1974. Over the past five decades, Troubetzkoy has developed his vision for creating a resort that is in complete harmony with its natural environment. He is an architect with a passion for art and a flair for design. His background and interests, along with his desire to reflect the beauty of the island in an ethical way, have infused Anse Chastanet with a unique and vibrant aesthetic.

A stay at Anse Chastanet leaves guests rejuvenated and a bit smitten with the resort and the island. It’s as if they’ve taken part in the ultimate love story — one that continues to be “written” by Troubetzkoy and his wife Karolin. Their shared endeavor is a celebration of the island of Saint Lucia and its people.

The Resort

Located on the island’s southwestern coast, Anse Chastanet is a 600-acre estate (it shares the grounds with its sister resort, Jade Mountain) that offers a classic Caribbean experience — the turquoise and azure waters of the sea, two sandy beaches, lush tropical plantings and rainforest-crowned mountains are the backdrop for a resort that embraces the beautiful surroundings and the exuberant joie de vivre that characterizes the Caribbean lifestyle. Troubetzkoy was committed to an environmentally conscious development before “green” became fashionable in the tourism sector. The resort employs a number of sustainability practices, and in 2020, joined the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative and committed to eliminating the use of all unnecessary plastics by 2025.

From the beginning, Troubetzkoy wanted to bring the island’s stunning natural elements inside the walls of the accommodations and facilities at Anse Chastanet. He began by knocking out walls in the existing rooms and designing new cottages along the beach and on the hillside. No two rooms at Anse Chastanet are exactly alike, but one aspect is identical — guests have spectacular vantage points for viewing the surrounding gorgeous scenery, including Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the iconic twin peaks overlooking Jalousie Bay that are a World Heritage Site. Some rooms even have their “fourth wall” entirely open, yet entirely private. Today, this romantic resort hideaway has 49 individually designed rooms, each with lovely tropical flower-draped balconies and louvered windows and decorated with colorful original art and furnishings made by St. Lucian artists and craftsmen. You’ll notice touches of plaid madras prints in the décor at the resort. This traditional fabric forms part of Saint Lucia’s national dress. It is just one example of how this resort strives to give guests an authentic experience for those who want to sample the local food, arts and culture of Saint Lucia.

The Diving

In addition to designing the resort, Troubetzkoy pioneered the creation of the Soufriere Marine Management Area, a marine park that protects an abundance of underwater life. The resort is located along the heart of the park, with most sites within a 10- to 15-minute boat ride away and daily diving offered by the onsite dive operation, Scuba St. Lucia, a 5 Star PADI dive operation. All that conservation work has paid off. In 2023, the resort added a number of Scuba Diving Magazine Readers Choice Awards — including Top 5 rankings in several categories in the Caribbean/Atlantic region (Best Overall Dive Destination, Best Macro Life, Best Wreck Diving, Healthiest Marine Environment and Best Snorkeling) — to its already packed “trophy case” of awards.

Beginner divers will love the varied topography of the Anse Cochon South dive site, in just 25 feet of water. It’s also a great place to practice your macro photography skills. The Lesleen M, a 165-foot former freighter that is now beautifully encrusted with corals, will delight wreck lovers. Located in Anse Cochon Bay, it is a magnet for marine life, including yellowtail snapper. You can swim in and around the ship’s wide-open cargo hold, which has enough natural light to make it safe to explore. Piton Wall is located at the base of Petit Piton, which starts at the surface and then drops off into very deep water. Saint Lucia also has a few fun drift dives, including Superman’s Flight, which takes divers past some of the most colorful reefs in the Caribbean.

If you like shore diving, you don’t have to venture far — the resort’s house reef is just steps from shore. You can stay shallow, in as little as 25 feet of water, or you can drop down on a spectacular wall that offers much deeper depths. Hawksbill sea turtles, spiny lobsters, spotted eagle rays and schools of grunts are often found here. This is also a great spot to get in a night dive or two.

The Dining Experience

An enticing selection of menus is available in a number of intimate hillside and beachside locations, but if you want to add a bit more romance to your experience, you can also pre-book a private, candlelit dining arrangements at the water’s edge on the beach or in the spa cottage overlooking the Caribbean. You can chose to sample tropical Caribbean cuisine and exotic Creole flavors, or simple grilled fare. The resort’s culinary options include the Saint Lucia-Indian menu titled Apsara, a wholly vegan restaurant called Emerald’s, and the Jungle Grill for daytime laid-back dining on the resort’s beach Anse Mamin. Dine in two open-air treehouses overlooking lush tropical foliage and the Caribbean Sea. All these kitchens receive organic produce from the resort’s farm, Emerald’s, in the Soufrière Hills. The two bars — Piti Piton Bar and the Trou au Diable beach restaurant — are open daily and offer a wide selection of tropical cocktails, beers, liquor including also fine malt whiskeys, eau-de-vies and after dinner drinks. The resort staff can also arrange to bring a selection of canapes with wine or champagne to your balcony at sunset.

Things To Do

Anse Chastanet is a dive resort, but it is a very popular choice for honeymooners and couples seeking a romantic getaway. Because there is so much to do at the resort besides diving, it is a lovely choice for couples where one partner dives and the other doesn’t or for couples who like to share other activities besides diving. Here, the non-diver can choose instead to spend the day on either of the resort’s postcard-perfect beaches. If you love being pampered, make sure to schedule a spa experience at Kai Belté (“house of beauty” in Creole). Kai Belté spa is located at beach level between the beach restaurant and the scuba center. There are five air-conditioned treatment rooms, an open-air hair and nail salon, as well as anr open-air cabana, Kai Mer, overlooking the Anse Chastanet reef.

There are over 2,000 cocoa trees on the resort estates, including those grown at the Emerald’s organic farm. At the resort’s Chocolate Laboratory, guests are now able to not only taste chocolate but also to participate in the making of the chocolate.

As for hiking, Anse Chastanet has several trails along the coast. Guests also have free use of the tennis court and tennis equipment and watersports equipment (snorkel gear, ocean kayaks, windsurfing and sunfish sailing. You can also bike along the resort’s private trails or sail on the resort’s yacht.

If you like to venture beyond the resort on your dive vacation, you'll want to tour the nearby town of Soufrière, which was the original capital of the island. You can visit Sulphur Springs, the Caribbean's only drive-through volcano, and there are numerous hot springs and fumaroles. Soufrière Estate – also known as Diamond Estate — is an old colonial estate that is home to a botanical garden, sulphur baths and Diamond Falls. At Fond Doux Estate, you'll find a working plantation where cacao is still processed.

Plan a trip to Saint Lucia with a stay at Anse Chastanet. Discover why the national anthem includes these lyrics:

Sons and daughters of Saint Lucia,

love the land that gave us birth,

land of beaches, hills and valleys,

fairest isle of all the earth.

The Troubetzkoys have created a resort that honors the island’s history, culture and beauty. Their life’s work will make you and your favorite dive buddy fall in love with Anse Chastanet and Saint Lucia. All you have to do is book your reservation and pack your bags!

CONTACT

800-223-1108

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