Details

Housekeeper: We have a housekeeper who comes two times a week to clean, change sheets, and do laundry.  

Gardener: The gardeners are at the house on Mondays and/or Fridays (and stop to get the trash according the pickup schedule) for a few hours per day. They clean the patios and water and care for the plants/ lawn. 

Water: The house has filtered water throughout so you can drink out of any of the faucets, including the casita. The outside hose bibs are rain water and are not filtered. There is also a hot water spigot to the left of the kitchen faucet. That is for hot tea, press pot coffee, etc… 

Internet: There is wireless internet in the house. The main modem is located in the mechanical room downstairs, but there are wifi devices in the kitchen, casita sala, and one of the side bedrooms and the upstairs bedroom. 

Kitchen: All of the appliances in our kitchen are electric because we have a large array of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof to power them. They have all been chosen for their efficiency as well. The stove is an induction cooktop. This is similar to electric but extremely efficient and fast. You will find a laminated sheet with instructions for use in the drawer to the left of the stove. There is an electric oven, microwave, coffee maker, blender, press pot, and lots of cookware.

In the front entrance, there is an herb garden in the planters closest to the kitchen. There are also lemon, lime, orange, and papaya trees in the garden. Please feel free to use whatever you’d like!  To harvest the citrus fruits, gently twist the fruit until it comes off, otherwise the branches can easily break.  (Thank you!)

Tv/ dvd: There is a tv in the family room downstairs. You will find the remote for the tv and dvd player sitting next to the tv. We have a small library of dvds (in the family room downstairs) that you are welcome to use. It is a “smart” tv and can be connected to a laptop for mirroring if desired. We have ROKU on the tv and do not have cable. 

AC/Heat: Like most places here in San Miguel, Casa del Toro does not have heating and air conditioning. The climate is such that the nights are typically cool, and the days warm up nicely. That said, we can get some chilly evenings in the winter months. For that reason we have two gas fireplaces, one in the casita and one in the den off of the kitchen. There are also individual heating units in the smaller bedrooms off the courtyard. Every bedroom has an overhead ceiling fan. 

Fountain: The switches for the fountain and the fountain light are right inside the front wood door and to the immediate right. Outdoor grill/ pizza oven: There is a wood burning outdoor pizza oven as well as an outdoor grill. You can purchase charcoal and/or firewood at the supermarket or from the San Juan de Diós market. We try to maintain some firewood and charcoal at the house as well. 

Pool: We recommend keeping the cover on when you are not using pool in order to keep it warmer and cleaner. 

Terrace firepit: The rooftop terrace offers the best view of the sunsetting over the mountains. Here you will find a large firepit as well, to add to the ambiance or to warm up on a cooler evening. 

Gas: The gas tank should be plenty full for your stay and it is easy to check by pushing the small button on the digital reader in the pantry, next to the refrigerator. The gas level will be noted when you arrive and when you leave we just ask you to replace what you used. We normally call Sonigas 415-154-5055, they are fair and honest. They typically come the same day or the next morning. The house manager and housekeeper can you help you with this as well. 

Electricity: The electricity can and does go out in San Miguel occasionally. Typically this is not a major inconvenience, as they usually have it back up and running quickly. 

Books and Games: Feel free to use any of the books and games at the house. You will find all of the games in the family room downstairs and books on the various shelves throughout the house. We have left them here for you to enjoy (& please leave them for the next people.) 

Make yourselves at home and have a great time. Enjoy the weather, the sights, and the sounds of San Miguel (even if the sounds sometimes mean fireworks at 6am!) Feel comfortable exploring all the little roads and alleys as well as the many restaurants and shops! 

Check In: 3pm - flexible

Check Out: 10am -flexible

The house manager will meet all arrivals and make sure guests have the keys they need and know the lay of the house. We are happy to accommodate late check-outs and early check-ins if we do not have other guests arriving/ leaving the same day. The house manager will also manage all check-outs, and review gas usage and any corresponding charges with guests before they leave

Minimum age limit for renters: 25 

(House is not ideal for children under the age of 12. The bedrooms with twin beds are separate from the house, with an outdoor walkway connecting them to the common area and kitchen. The casita bedroom is also accessible through the outside only. The pool is in the central courtyard with no fencing and is over five feet deep in the deep end. Please inquire with any questions.)

House Rules:

• Additional guests are not generally allowed. Failure to notify us in advance of additional guests will result in forfeit of security deposit. 

• Late checkout: Unless otherwise agreed, please checkout promptly as we have a very short time window to prepare the house for new guests. $100 per hour will be charged for late checkouts after a grace period of 30 minutes. 

• Lost Items: Lost keys will incur a fee of $30 per set; lost garage door opener will incur a few of $100 per opener. 

• Clean up: We ask all guests to leave the home in a reasonably clean manner; we ask that you leave dirty towels on the floor or in the hamper, all dishes in the kitchen by the sink, and all trash in waste containers.  

• Renters shall advise our house manager of any necessary repairs or maintenance during their stay and agree to allow reasonable access to the property should repairs or maintenance be necessary during their stay. 

• All additionally incurred fees will be deducted from the security deposit. 

• No smoking

• No pets

• No parties or events

Payment Policy - due upon reservation. 

Cancellation Policy - Full refund for cancellations made within 48 hours of booking (if check-in date is at least 21 days away) or 60 days before check-in date.

Of course, it is totally voluntary and up to you, but an average guideline for housekeeping is about 50-100 pesos per day worked per houseguest. You don’t need to tip the gardener. For the house manager, of course, he too would appreciate a small tip if you feel he’s working hard for you. People have left him anywhere from 200-3000 pesos, depending on the level of work. And again, this is all just guidelines, only sharing because so many people ask. :)

RENTAL CONTRACT – Prol. La Quinta 4, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico 37777

1.     Parties   Contract between ____________ (‘Renters’) & Janan MacDonald (‘Owner’).

2.     Date  This contract is made on _____________.

3.     Property  This contract is for rental of: MAIN HOUSE and casita, for _________(no. of adults and children).   The house sleeps eight (8) guests in total.  Any additional guests need to be approved ahead of time and will pay an additional $50 per night if approved.

4.     Terms   The rental period is from _______________ until __________________.   Check in is at 3:00pm and check out is at 10:00am.  If different times are needed, please request ahead of time and we will do our best to accommodate you. A late checkout, unless approved ahead of time, is subject to extra rental charges at the rate of $100/hour after a grace period of 30 minutes. Guests may arrange for extra nights in advance to avoid any late checkout fees. Extra nights are charged at the daily rate and may be granted if available. PLEASE checkout promptly, we have a very short time window to prepare the home for new guests.

5.     Rental Rate   The agreed upon rental rate is for $680 per night, all of which is due in order to secure the rental. If payment is handled directly through a third party, that third party may or may not charge their own fees.  If payment is made directly to the homeowner, it can be made via PayPal or wire transfer. Any necessary additional payment information will be forwarded under separate cover. In the event of a cancellation more than forty-five days prior to check in there will be a full refund.

6.     Security Deposit  In addition to the rental, a security deposit of $500 is due upon reserving the house and will be held on security of the property, refundable to the Renters in full provided that the property is returned in reasonable condition allowing for fair wear and tear during the rental. The cost of any damage to the property, excessive disorder, or missing or lost items (including lost keys or garage door opener) will be deducted from this deposit and additional payment may be required.  If there are no deductions necessary, the full amount will be refunded within 10 days.

7.     Terms of rental  The Renters are entitled to quiet enjoyment of the property during the term of the rental. The Renters agree to allow reasonable access to the property to the Owners and their agents for the purpose of carrying out repairs, maintenance and improvements, and for undertaking periodic inspections if deemed necessary. The Renters agree that, during their stay, they will not do any activities forbidden by Mexican laws. Additional guests are not permitted on the property without the consent of owners or owners’ representative. Guests are not authorized to have parties at the house without explicit permission from owners.  Included in the rental is housekeeping service on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Additional housekeeping and/or cooking can be arranged for an additional charge. Gas levels will be noted upon arrival and Renters are required to restore to same level upon departure. There is a digital meter in the kitchen to make this very easy. All other utilities and taxes are included in the rent.

8.     Repairs and Maintenance   The Renters shall advise the Owners and/or their agents of any repairs and/or maintenance that becomes necessary for the proper upkeep of the property during the term of the rental, and the Owners agree to ensure that such repairs and/or maintenance are taken care of in a reasonable amount of time at their own cost unless the repair/maintenance is required due to negligence on the part of the Renters in which case the cost will be paid by the renters, either separately, deducted from the security deposit, or both. Emergency repairs shall be accorded all possible priority.

9. Keys  Renters will be met at house upon arrival in order to get keys and have any questions answered about the property. All keys and garage door opener must be left at the house. There is a $30 fee for lost keys and a $75 fee for lost garage door opener.

10.  Clean-up  Renters agree to leave the property in reasonably clean condition. Please leave dirty towels on floor or in hamper, all dishes in kitchen, trash in waste containers. 

11.  Contact information Janan MacDonald, Jananasfour@me.com

Owner: signature & date____________________________________

Renter: signature & date ____________________________________

# of adults_________       # of children (<18yrs)  _________

address________________________________________________________

phone   _________________________________________