Having searched for decades the arc of the Lesser Antilles in pursuit of the perfect tropical vacation, we may well have found it this Christmas past. We were quite familiar with Montserrat from 3 trips in the late 80s, but had always rented private homes. Although these journeys rated among our favorite Caribbean experiences, they lacked the familial closeness and genuine warmth we felt as guests of Lou & Shirley Spycalla, the irrepressible proprietors of Erindell Villa Guesthouse. Erindell is situated on a quiet back street of the Woodlands neighborhood, a block off the main road and a mile from the village of Salem, replete with good Creole restaurants, quirky bars dripping with island personality and more than adequate grocery shopping. Also within walking distance are the National Trust Museum, some of the Centre Hills rainforest trailheads and the sometimes-deserted Woodlands Beach—a gray sandy strand with nice snorkeling, a barbecue pit and restrooms. Dark sand beaches Old Road Bay and Bunkum Bay are a little further south and north. A few miles north in the town of Brades are gift shops, restaurants and an ATM-equipped bank. Further north are Carr’s Bay and Little Bay, port towns with some sailing & scuba diving services that Lou & Shirley can arrange for you. Unfortunately, I contracted a virus on the trip down and was unable to dive, although we were told that the reefs are pristine. Rendezvous Bay, a beautifully secluded white sand beach with excellent snorkeling, is accessed via a steep trail over the Little Bay headland—or better yet, hire a fishing boat to take you around the point. Nature at its most stunning, both breathtaking & sinister, can be observed at close range from St. George’s Hill, just inside the “daytime exclusion zone” where the Soufriere Hills Volcano (Chance’s Peak) has buried the erstwhile capital, Plymouth, under thick ash & debris flows. Major eruptions began in the mid 90s, followed by devastating pyroclastic flows late in the decade that resulted in abandonment of the southern half of the island. Be sure to arrange a day trip to this fascinating natural wonder to view the “Pompeii of the West Indies”, then stop by the observatory to see the displays and talk to the staff scientists. However, from the pool deck of Erindell, with views of the turquoise sea, the island of Nevis, and the emerald backdrop of the impossibly lush mountains, it seems as though you’ve entered another world. The nicely equipped (see the web site) and spotlessly clean apartments are separate from the Spycalla main house, where breakfast & lunch are served on the poolside veranda. Dinner is offered at the guests’ request in the main house dining room. This hostelry is shockingly affordable, dollar for dollar the best value we have found in all our tropical travels. Doubtlessly the most precious amenities at Erindell are the Spycallas themselves, who will treat you like valued guests, yet welcome you like family. Lou is the pleasantly roguish raconteur & chef, always quick with a quip or tall tale and ever sporting a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Shirley is a talented chanteuse, a poet, a born entertainer and the “office manager” in their partnership. Be sure to ask for one of Shirley’s calypso or operatic songs (she sings in Italian but doesn’t speak the language!) and ask her to read the wonderfully melancholy “egg poem”. We were there for the Christmas season celebrations, during which Shirley performed at several of the traditional events. We found the lack of pretension in the Spycalla house to be utterly refreshing—Lou & Shirley seem to take neither life nor themselves too seriously. The highlight of our week long visit was the Erindell Christmas Party with both traditional and West Indian food. The assemblage was an eclectic array of relatives, friends and house guests from many parts of the globe: Montserrat, St. Kitts, India, Trinidad, St. Vincent and America—each with a story or song to share, full of joy & warmth. It was truly like being at home in the tropics, an experience that we shall hold dear until we can return.