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QUESTIONS
Please be sure to WhatsApp Nidia (our property manager) with a list of all the guests. First name and last name. If you have any questions or problems, just ask Nidia. She understands English pretty well. And, of course, you can contact Bert at any time at 001-650-814-7483, or Linda at 001-650-954-8855. Also best to text with WhatsApp. To text Nidia in WhatsApp add her to your contacts with her whataapp number +523271024974
SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS
There are 7 bedrooms, 3 in the main house and 2 in north casita and 2 in the south casita. The master has a king. The North upstairs bedroom has a King. The south upstairs has 2 extra long twins. Each Casita has one bedroom with a king and twin, the other bedroom has 3 twins. Total capacity is 18 without any tripling up 14. For flexibility you can push twins together to make a king. This layout may help.
GROCERY STORES
You don’t need to visit any grocery stores since Nidia does all the shopping for you. Nidia stocks the house with everything including beverages. Budget around $40 per night per perosn for food. You check out at the end. Nidia keeps track of all purchases and bills you at the end. You can pay with Zelle or Venmo in dollars.
LINENS
There are plenty of towels and beach towels and linens so you don’t have to bring any. Hang towels up to dry on the chaise lounges, not over the deck. It’s almost quicker than the dryer in the laundry room. Every bathroom has a hair dryer.
WATER
All of the water inside the house is purified: the taps, the showers and the ice machine in the house and swim up bar . But the two hoses outside of the house are not purified. Please put your name on water bottles with a sharpie. Or bring your own!
PHONES
Everyone in Mexico uses WhatsApp. It works really well. Be sure to get WhatsApp before you come down. It is also nice to make a group of your whole family for communicating.
Add these numbers to your contacts.
Nidia +52 327 102 4974
Juan +52 327 102 0759
Bert +1 650 814 7483
Linda +1 650 954 8855
ANSWERING MACHINE
In the master bedroom you pick up messages by dialing *86 and you hear them. Then press either 1 to replay, 2 to save or 3 to erase. Ask Nidia for help.
INTERNET
I am now hooked on a MacBook so I take it where ever I go. If you want a computer bring your lap top. We have hi speed wifi. The password changes from time to time. The password is taped to the inside of the cabinet above the coffee maker. The wifi works in the main house and in the casitas. We also have a cellular usb stick with internet in case the internet goes down. Ask Nidia for it. The internet is pretty good now that they ran fiber into Marina Chacala. But on major holidays like Christmas and Easter it can slow down since there are so many users.
TV
There is a large TV with SKY, a Canadian Satellite. There is no dvd player.
Stream on your lap tops. Again I would recommend downloading movies and tv shows onto them before you come down.
MUSIC
We have one large speaker for iphones and ipods players. It connects with bluetooth. You can point the speaker to the pool or dinning room.
ATMs
There are a couple of ATMs in Las Varas. There is a new one at the restaurant in the marina near baby beach.
GAS STATIONS
There are a couple of gas stations in Las Varas. They now take credit cards. Pesos best since they don’t give a great exchange rate.
SAFETY
Rarely there are small jellyfish that wash up on the beach. Apply white vinegar if stung. Tell your kids not to touch them. Be sure to use bug spray on your ankles especially in the summer at sunrise and sunset. Or even midday if it is rainy. The no see ums are what to look out for.
Wear booties when surfing at Chacala and Punta Mita since there are sea urchins.
In the summer watch out for lightning.
Please don't take food or candy into your bedrooms. We live on the edge of a jungle and ants or other bugs can arrive in your room much faster than you are used to at home.
Be very careful driving at night since cows come out on the roads supposedly to warm up. If you have to drive at night, stay behind another car.
In 16 years I have heard of three guests stung by a sting ray. That is 3 stings in my estimate of over 11,520 swims (16 years, 15 weeks/year 12 people/week, 4 swims/week). Two were walking in thigh deep water for over a half hour. Shuffle your feet when entering and exiting the water. If stung, soak your foot in water as hot as you can stand. The heat changes the shape of the protein and the pain ends in a few minutes. There is a first aid kit in the master bath. 2 out of three were in April. One just hapenned Thanksgiving 2023.
One guest was stung by a scorpion 14 years ago while putting a swim fin on. Be sure to shake out fin or shoes. If stung go to the medical center in Las Varas.
We now have a defibrillator in the living room. It is on the shelf under the tv.
TIME ZONES
Time zones are changing. Now in December of 2023, Las Palapas is one hour later than California. . Puerto Vallarta is two hours later than Californai. Plese check with your world clock. In the Spring of 2024 when the USA springs back, Mexico doesnt anymore. So in the spring las palapas is the same time as California and Puerto Vallarta is only one hour later than California.
PASSPORTS
Don’t forget to take your passport they are required. If you take a minor U.S. citizen without both parents you may need a notarized permission note signed by both parents.