Good to Know
We know and understand that every home has its tradeoffs and every home will not be suited or ideal for everyone. We believe that transparency helps to manage expectations and possible misunderstandings. Below are some facts that we think may help you make a well informed decision about staying at Villa Escondida. We are happy to answer any questions that may not be answered by the information below.
HOUSE ACCESS The great views the house offers are due to the property being elevated. This results in a somewhat steep final approach to the house which may be challenging to people with mobility issues, also the house is built on three levels and to fully enjoy what the property has to offer, e.g. views, rooftop terrace and its amenities climbing stairs will be necessary. Our normal routine is to walk down and return by car. A taxi would take between 80 and 100 Mexican pesos or 4-5 USD (prices as of January 2025) depending on pickup and drop off points. More if distances are long or outside of San Miguel proper. The house also has plenty of stairs that may not be suitable for small children and or those with mobility issues.
MAINTENANCE Except during statutory holidays and for stays of a week long or over cleaning and gardening services are provided up to 3 times per week Monday to Friday on a set schedule at no additional cost to guests. We ask guests to vacate the house in good order and in a state that will not result in inordinate cleaning. Guests will be charged MXN 1000.00 Pesos or USD$ 60 per additional hour of cleaning otherwise.
NOISE In San Miguel there are fireworks on a regular basis, sometimes starting early in the mornings and ending late evenings, these could be quite loud and are heard in all parts of town. Also, in Mexico it is not uncommon for people to keep dogs on terraces so to hear barking dogs at random times is not uncommon.
PARKING People can park for free outside of the house. We ask guests to park at the very end of the street in front of the house to avoid interfering with other residents' vehicles as this is a dead end with limited space. If preferred we can arrange for a secured nearby parking lot for an additional fee.
WATER
There is excellent water pressure through the property, but hot water may take a while to come out in sinks particularly when the showers are in use.
There is a reverse osmosis water filter in the kitchen, so you can have peace of mind drinking the water from the filter.
HOUSE TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT
Though the house is not air conditioned, there is an extractor fan at the top of the house that will pull out hot air to keep the house cool. The house temperature is quite pleasant and very ecologically managed.
HEAT
There is an extractor fan at the top of the house to pull out hot air out of the house.
Keep curtains closed to keep the sun out along with the heat that comes with it.
On afternoons where there is no breeze try and keep windows and doors closed to keep the hot air from coming into the house.
Do leave windows open later in the day if It is cooling down.
Use ceiling fans at night.
COLD
Try and keep curtains open to allow the sun and heat in during the day.
Keep windows and doors closed when very cold and breezy outside.
Enjoy our fireplace in the living room and the fire pit in the roof top terrace, always being mindful of the potential risks of being around open fire and following the safety instructions provided for the fireplace in the living room.
Make use of our regular spare blankets and our electric blankets.
KEYS Two sets of keys will be provided to you on arrival. These will be collected by our team member on your departure. The keys are for safety locks that require special locksmiths and a code for duplication. Kindly keep in mind that, as it is quite expensive to replace these, in the event keys are lost each set will be replaced for USD$125.00 at the guest expense.
HOUSE MANUAL Two copies of the house manual are available in hard copy at the house. One at the coffee table in the living room on the first level and a one on the second level in the landing between bedrooms 1 and 2. The house manual also includes the house rules, wifi details, restaurant recommendations, and other useful local information.
