We visited St. Lucia as a group of 4 (2 couples) and after considering Anse Chastanet for lodging and scuba diving, we decided to rent La Bagatelle based on the close proximity to all of the hiking and diving we planned to do, but with a more quiet setting and beautiful views. The house was extremely comfortable and peaceful and both of the bedrooms were equally comfortable. The views are probably one of the best in the whole region and for the most part, the temperature was comfortable, especially under the fans. I am a mosquito magnet, but they were manageable with bug spray and citronella candles and the mosquito nets on the beds kept them at bay all night. We loved all of the birds and Alvin regularly brought treats from the gardens!
We are all avid hikers, but the first afternoon after lunch and swimming at Anse Mamin we decided that multiple trips up the hill was not something we were looking forward to, so we ultimately rented a car. This may not be the best option for everyone, especially if you are not comfortable driving on narrow, unimproved roads, but we survived unscathed!
We mostly ate out at some of the delicious local restaurants and cooked our own breakfast and lunch in the well stocked kitchen. Definitely ask the locals for recommendations!
If you are contemplating using the laundry service, it cost us $40 for the amount of laundry that would fit in a carryon bag, so if you are on the fence, you might want to pack an extra bag.