We also stayed with Michael and Andrea for a week at Talk to Me Cool Spot. Our experiences were very similar but we readily walked into town every night and felt quite safe doing so. The walk up from the village is a killer though especially in the hot sun. Next time we'll rent a car. Andrea is a wonderful cook and Michael had great stories to share with us. A word about the showers: all fresh water comes from the rain forest and as it is still the dry season, water is limited. At times we had good pressure and other times we had absolutely none. They are at the mercy of the water company. Occasionally water is diverted from Soufriere village to Anse Chastanet resort, which doesn't seem right but the locals just shrug and accept it. The only problem we encountered was the prevalence of the "crop". It was everywhere which was uncomfortable when we had to explain to the children what was going on. We water taxi'd to Dive St. Lucia at Anse Chastanet and had a great experience there. Yes, Chester is a bit less expensive but his equipment is older and a bit suspect. We loved Soufriere because it is much more authentic. The noise from the village was bad on some nights -- the guest house is situated like an amphitheatre and we tried to drift off to the sounds of a loud preacher, Christian music, roosters, dogs and boom boxes. Take earplugs! We would definitely go back though -- can't stop thinking about it.

For those who travel to experience various cultures, Talk To Me is the hidden jewel of St. Lucia. Just minutes by foot to the beach and downtown Soufriere, a wealth of cultural immersion awaits anyone staying at Talk To Me. Simply mentioning this small inn and its keeper (Michael) to the locals will not only bring support and understanding but it goes a long way to warding off the overly helpful who, in turn, request money (don't call them "beggars"--they hate that--and, after all, they don't just sit and ask for money; they try to do some sort of service or give some sort of info for their money). At the very least, telling these people you are staying at Talk 2 Me helps to convince them that you may actually not be the rich tourists so many of them automatically assume you are. But, that's life in Soufriere (these people even hit up the locals).

Talk To Me was a great value for our money. No doubt, the food was excellent! (Although, one wonders how many mornings in a row can eggs be served?) The view was marvelous and, despite the unusually warm weather (highs nearing 90 F.), we were quite comfortable sleeping under our mosquito nets and ceiling fan with the well-louvered exterior wall (temperatures would drop to 68-70 F. overnight). Although certainly not the bayou, there were a few mosquitoes around which made the netting appreciated. Besides, it's rather fun to sleep more like the locals do than shutting yourself up in some air conditioned box.

If you have any questions about what to do or where to eat (Why even question this one? Andrea's cooking was the best, most authentic we found in Soufriere.), don't hesitate to ask Michael or Andrea. Michael pointed us to a great divemaster, Chester, and Andrea gave us some excellent insight on local attractions. Don't be fooled by Anse Chastenet's dive prices: they require a shore dive before each boat dive and charge the same "low rate" for both thus making the total price higher. Besides, you're much more likely to get better one-on-one treatment with Chester.

We highly recommend a drive to the rain forest while staying in Sourfriere. Everyone recommends a four wheel drive, but if the road is dry you'll find a small economy car will work just fine so long as you don't go too fast--we did. Road improvements on the upper portion are just about finished which make the corners much less prone to washout from rainwater. Michael offers rain forest transportation with prior arrangement. Be aware that nearly all rain forest trails in St. Lucia require a permit or guide provided by the local government and are open only for a short time during the morning and early afternoon. They put a lot of time and effort into building the trails and need to recoup their costs somehow.

In response to some of the problems other travelers have reported about places to stay in Soufriere… We had no troubles paying Michael with a credit card (Visa or Mastercard). We decided it is wise not to walk town at night--if you do, be very firm with the people who approach you and quickly turn them away (we remained safe, but not always comfortable). Indeed, a fair amount of noise (music until 10:30-11:30 pm, dogs, chickens, children, cars) came up the hill to this inn, but Sourfriere isn't exactly a quiet retreat to start with--we had few troubles sleeping, though. A note on hot water and water pressure: most homes and small businesses in St. Lucia are serviced by solar heated water. Naturally, if there isn't much sun, there won't be very warm water. Take showers in the evenings when the water is warmer from the day's sun. Besides, you can rinse off for a more relaxing sleep. We're not sure the reasons for the low water pressure, but I would assume it is mostly due to gravity-fed pressurization (we saw notes at one hotel to simply notify the staff so they can turn the pumps on).

Overall, Talk To Me was an excellent place to stay and we highly recommend it to those who are looking for one of the best cultural experiences on the island. (If you're looking for a quiet, secluded Caribbean retreat, this is not the place for you!) We were glad we spent more nights at Talk To Me than any other place on the island during our week long vacation.

Our rooms were reasonably priced, clean, and had great views, but a lot of noise came up from the town below. We would definitely recommend the restaurant. The food was good and there was plenty of it. Also, before we left, the owner requested payment for our rooms in cash, not by credit card.

I can not say enough great things about Talk to me Cool! Located on a hillside overlooking Soufriere (awesome view of the Pitons) this guest house is so much nicer then staying in town. THe rooms are lovely, spacious and cool, it they all have a view. Michael is a great host full fo cricketing stories.