Rum shop on Nevis (Textor)
Budget-seekers should love Villa Caribbean Dream. The nightly rates are low and the location, in the neighborhood of Moule-a-Chique in the hills adjacent to Vieux-Fort, is beautiful and green and quiet. Owner Brigitte, a German expat who's been in St. Lucia for several decades, is friendly and knows a great deal about the island. She's full of advice and information.
The four rooms are outfitted simply, and represent a very good deal. In the off-season, a couple can stay here for $50 per night. There is a kitchen for guests and daytime access to a big beautiful terrace, as well. Decor in the four guestrooms is minimal, and bathrooms are shared. There are also two cottages on offer, which are priced at $85 in low season and $90 in high season.
We highly recommend splurging for the breakfast, which is enormous and fortifying.
Two notes: there is no air conditioning, and it gets very hot in these rooms at night. You'll probably need to make sure you have the fan on, the windows open, and the mosquito nets fully drawn all night long. Secondly, it's quite a hike down the hill to town and the beach, about thirty minutes by our estimate. If you don't enjoy a nice—and, at midday, quite hot—walk, you might want to rent a car. (Several times during our visit our schedules synched up with Brigitte's and she ferried us to the beach, but she's not always on hand.)
Villa Caribbean Dream is a great option for budget and cost-conscious travelers who want to explore the relatively untouristed southern tip of St. Lucia on a reasonable budget.