Staying at Aanola Villas was a great choice for my husband and me. When visiting a beautiful and fascinating country like St. Lucia we have no interest in being cooped up at a resort with other foreigners. That would just feel phoney. Instead we rented a spacious, nicely appointed, not luxurious but comfortable apartment at Aanola Villas and got to see what a Castries neighborhood was like. The air conditioning, mosquito nets, washing machine and lovely view of the Caribbean were much appreciated. Having the well equipped kitchen meant we didn’t have to pay outrageous prices for restaurant meals in touristy places. We bought fabulous fruit, veggies, spices and provisions from the local market vendors and cooked for ourselves. We were glad to support the local economy in this way, and also to rent from a St. Lucian, instead of lining the pockets of some foreign-based hotel corporation. We didn’t want to rent a car so we took the nearby shuttle (about 2 minutes walk away) to downtown Castries. It leaves every hour and costs about US 60cents! If you want to lay on the beach and drink, this is not the place for you. If you want economical lodging that helps you experience the real St. Lucia and aren't looking to hang out in a pampered gated tourist community, then I'd recommend Aanola Villas.