How I Planned a Last‑Minute St. Lucia Luxury Trip on a Budget
I successfully pulled off a last‑minute trip to St. Lucia, planned less than a month ahead, and still managed to make it feel pretty luxurious without blowing our budget. The biggest win was finding round-trip flights from Pittsburgh for just 24k miles each, which made the idea suddenly doable.
We split our stay between Anse Chastanet and Calabash Cove, both definitely on the luxury end, but totally worth a little splurge. And for even more luxury, check out Jade Mountain, right next to Anse Chastanet, with sanctuary rooms with private infinity pools and unobstructed views of the Pitons and the Caribbean Sea
At Anse Chastanet, in our open-air, no fourth wall room, we woke up to the view of The Pitons from our bed, and even the open-air shower had a view of the Pitons. Then, falling asleep to the sounds of the gentle waves, frogs, and night insects, felt like we were in the middle of a rainforest. What a peaceful sleep! Calabash Cove was quieter and more intimate, with a cottage and plunge pool and lush flowers and trees around every corner. We enjoyed the swim up pool bar and free paddle boards.
To save money (and avoid driving on steep, winding roads on the left side), we booked private transportation companies instead of going through the hotels. Transfers between the airport and both resorts were smooth, cheaper than the hotel options, and let us just enjoy the scenery instead of stressing about the curvy, bumpy roads (where they drive on the left side!)
If anyone’s curious about the miles redemption, the transfers, or what it was like staying at both places, happy to share more.
