Challenging but rewarding! - It is a very difficult climb and decent. Only four miles out/back but technical - lots of big rocks/boulders and rather steep. But totally worth it!

Excellent support for Piton Hike Day - The transportation service to and from Gros Piton was well catered for. The pickup was timely and efficient. The driver explained where to meet after the hike and waited patiently. The vehicle felt great after a long climb. We also visited nearby attractions (we were not rushed). The drive was safe even on some of the narrow roads. Communication before arrival helped us plan timing properly. This service let us focus on enjoying the hike and the scenery around Soufriere.

Perfect timing and clear communication - We went for the Gros Piton hike and also saw some nearby attractions. I appreciated that our pickup was on-time and the driver handled it in an organized manner. He explained where we would meet and where to wait. The vehicle was also very clean and comfortable and great after every hike. There was clear cut communication throughout the whole trip which made things simple to plan out. Because of that things also ran smoothly and on schedule. It was a reliable option for going around the island.

Ideal for for the Pitons & mud baths - We booked private taxi service for our hike to Gros Piton and later to the mud baths. On-time early pick-up, without any rush, though. We were glad to receive helpful tips regarding our hike, water breaks, as well as the eateries close by. Our visit to Sulphur Springs and the waterfall stop was memorable. We felt secure during our drive through Soufriere, even on some of those narrow roads. It was easy to plan right from the start. This is the type of service we look forward to using again in the future.

We took the kids to the Diamond - We took the kids to the Diamond Botanical Garden. They loved the colorful flowers and the old mill. The waterfall at the end was really cool. A perfect family outing and a nice break from the sun.

All right. - Very reliable taxi service. The driver was kind and careful on the roads. We used this service several times to go to the beach and restaurant Always on time and the car was clean.

Gros Piton Hike and Guide Experience - The hike itself was very rewarding but challenging. I would say it’s more of a rock climb than a hike. We were somewhat prepared. Main thing is to have enough water and good walking shoes. The mandatory guide was disappointing. She was not supportive or encouraging and left us at half way point which was fine, she wasn’t feeling well. However, she didn’t want to go back down without us, because she thought it would look bad. At the end of the hike we stopped to have popsicles and a drink. We sat down for a few minutes and she got mad at us because she wasn’t friends with the ladies working there, who were super nice. We got into an argument with her because we were tired at this point after 5.5 hours of hiking in total. The guides don’t seem knowledgeable about the area or trail, more information and encouragement would have been way better. We climbed on our own which was more than fine. Don’t see the purpose of having a guide. Some of them are older and I think doing this hike 3-4x a week is a hard job. Considering this is a UNESCO heritage site, having better guides who can provide information about the area and flora and fauna and also encouragement during the hike would be valuable. The views at the very top were ok….i preferred the views along the way and at halfway point of the Petit Piton. It was quite rewarding to sit at Sugar Beach the next day and enjoy the view of the Gros Piton, knowing we had climbed it the day before. Not an easy feat and most locals have not even done it. Good luck, you can do it:)

High priced taxi booking. Shop around! - The “climb” up the Piton is a fantastic experience and well worth the 50USD entry fee and guide. Don’t forget to tip them. I would say that the taxi fare is extortionately overpriced, this is why I have rated it low.

Very disappointed. Felt misled and unsafe. - The service is via Cool Vibes taxi and intends to provide excellent transfer to/from the entry point to Gros Piton climbing (hiking guide and park entry fees are paid separately ($50USD per person) at the park). I had anticipated that it would include narration of the local sites, to and from the hike site, water for our hike, and prompt transport with the same driver, after reading the service description before booking. Alas, it was not a great experience for us. We were sent a replacement driver, Brent(?), who picked us up at 5am at the hotel in his private vehicle because he said our CoolVibes driver, Kevin, was running late and would meet us halfway. Brent was very nice, and the vehicle very new and comfortable- but Brent was seemingly doing the pickup as a favor for Kevin? We transferred and Kevin mentioned enroute that he did not have water for us, but would stop to get some. He also mentioned that the park didn't open for hikes until 7am- so we had an extra 30-45 min to kill. He asked if we had had breakfast, and we hadn't, so we were grateful for the stop in Soufriere to visit a roadside vendor who had breakfast sandwiches and coffee/juice available at that early hour (630am). I offered to pay for the breakfast for Kevin and he politely declined. So we had 3 breakfast sandwiches and 3 drinks. I asked Kevin about the water to be provided and he said the most guests brought their own, but could get us some along the way. It was part of the pickup/drop off service package, so I was grateful he was amenable.. Kevin found somewhere in Soufriere to get a single big bottle of water, but still needed 2 more so we would each have one- and all the markets were still closed. He said he would get 2 more at the park for us. We carried on and got to the park in good fashion, by 7am. As he dropped us off, I reminded Kevin that he had promised to get the 2 additional waters and he said "OH yes!" and went to get them. Once equipped, we set off on our hike-- 715am--- and were back at the bottom, ready for departure by 1215pm. For some reason, Kevin seemed reluctant to leave and kept asking me what the plan was. And I said, "I think the plan is to go now" and he seemed in no hurry to leave. Now, I believe he was actually coordinating with someone, Shakil, to meet up with us along the return journey, so that Shakil could take us all the way back to our hotel "in a much larger, more comfortable vehicle." Kevin's vehicle was very new and comfortable, so this transfer was not necessary for us and significantly added to the time (and worry!) for us, as you will read. Kevin mentioned on the way to the drop off point, which turned out to only be about 10 minutes down the road, that he suddenly had to go off to the airport to pick up another passenger instead of taking us back to our hotel. He didn't want to leave that person stranded, so he was helping them out. But he reassured us that the new driver, Shakil, was his best driver, and would take good care of us and had a much larger vehicle. This is where things got VERY stressful. We switched vehicles at the drop off, 5-10 min into our return journey to Rodney Bay.... although I had already tipped Kevin for taking us back to our hotel itself $25 USD, and paid him $40 USD for paying for our breakfast in ECD at the street vendor. After transferring to the other vehicle, Shakil pulled over just 2-3 minutes into that journey, because his front left tire was making a terrible sound, and the van was giving all sorts of warning bells. It turned out the tire had been replaced that morning, and whomever put it back on, had not tightened all of the nuts and the tire was half way off the axle by the time we stopped-- which was VERY alarming. The driver tightened it by hand with a lug nut tightener. and Kevin came back to supervise. And although I expressed concern, Kevin reassured us that Shakil's van was now completely fine and that we should continue on our way. He also said he would call me on WhatsApp, because he could see from the look on my face that I was quite worried. And we were off again, although a few minutes into the journey, the back right side began making a grinding sound that was alarming. As the journey went on, it got more pronounced, especially when the vehicle accelerated. Alf and I wanted to stop and see if it was a tire again-- or the bearings? It sounded like it needed to be urgently addressed and driving around Saint Lucia is not for the faint of heart ---even in a vehicle that is quite well maintained. The driver did not stop and said he knew exactly what the sound was and it was not the tire. To drive for the remainder of the journey, with that sound, was very disconcerting and felt unsafe. We did not talk at all. I felt I had no options at that point to demand that we stop and get a new ride provided. The engine seemed to have little power going up hills, and we had to go very slowly. I had thought we would be back to our hotel in 1.5 hours after we reached the parking lot at Gros Piton, when our grueling hike was over. But, sadly, it was almost 3 hours--- 310pm before we got to our hotel. I felt really bad for Shakil and knew that he likely needed some extra money to get his van fixed, so I tipped him $30USD. Kevin never called to check in with me that night on WhatsApp, or emailed. In the end, I was left feeling like I had overpaid ($300 USD plus $55 USD in tips and $40 USD for breakfast repayment) for the service provided. I did not get a smooth, stress free experience getting to and from what was a very memorable and lovely hike. I believe that for the price we paid, we should have been met with waters on hand, had the same driver all the way through, and we would have gotten back to our hotel much earlier and with less fear. Very disappointed.

Cool Vibes Shuttle stood... - Cool Vibes Shuttle stood us up at the resort stating we didn't respond to emails and didn't specify which resort to be picked up from even though it was clearly defined in the initial purchase package. The phone number provided was not operable as myself and the resort tried several times We were left stranded with no alternatives but to stay in our rooms for a day A waste...Viator is excellent, Cool Vibes St. Lucia, a huge disappointment with zero accountability.