****PLEASE READ BEFORE & AFTER ARRIVAL****

 

  • TOILETS:

* As in all of Mexico & Central America, with the exception of all inclusive resorts, NO paper or feminine products are to be flushed in toilets. The waste systems are not suitable AND IT CAUSES HUGE PROBLEMS!! Hence, you will always find a garbage can beside ALL toilets EVERYWHERE. Flushing of paper is only to be done on the rare occasion of dire necessity, as it will clog pipes, and hinder proper drainage via the small piping underground. 

*Damage to the piping and/or cement removal to repair, is at the inconvenience of and financial responsibility of, the tenant. * Please note in Mexico, toilet seats are seen as unsanitary and you will occasionally find them missing in restaurants and public washrooms. All of our rentals will be supplied with basic seats.

  • UTILITIES: * Basic wifi ( ADEQUATE FOR SKYPE & ONLINE WORK) is included in all properties. If an upgrade is requested, it is at the cost of the tenant. 

* Network & passwords are on the modem, and if service fails, please try restarting the modem/router first. Cable TV is not supplied.  Tenants can use their Netflix, Firestick, Roku, or an HDMI cord with their computers.  If there are channels on the tv, please try the ´cambiar idioma´ setting to find English channels if there are any that can be changed from Spanish. * Electric is NOT included and will be paid by tenant every 2 months or at the end of term, as per owner. As AC tends to DRAMATICALLY increase the cost, please conserve energy where possible to ensure your electric remains as low as possible. Per kwh costs vary depending on location of house, time of year, consumption of previous tenants, size of house and amount of items drawing power.  As an example…a studio apartment can be from 200 to 2,000 pesos per month depending.   All electric owing MUST be paid prior to departure. PLEASE USE AC sparingly!  What you use can affect the 6 months after you leave by increasing the per KW rate dramatically.  All owners will monitor your usage and you may be asked to pay double your electric bill to compensate for excessive AC use.  A great tip is to use the ´dehumidify´setting on the remote, designated by a ´drop´ or ´dry´ symbol.  This works extremely well to cool and uses 1/10th the amount of electricity!

* Please expect occasional brief outages of wifi, electric or water.  This is normal in Mexico. The most consistent services are in Progreso & Chicxulub.  Chelem, Chuburna and Uaymitun can vary greatly. 

* For gas refills, please message and we will arrange.  Tanks are usually on the roof.  One full tank is supplied, cost of refills are the tenants responsibility. Garbage pickup is generally a set day, but changes frequently. We recommend asking a neighbor or watch when others put bags out.  Please bag soda cans/soda plastic bottles & beer cans separately from garbage, the collector will recycle them.  There is no recycling of tin cans, milk jugs or glass jars/bottles unless you take them to the SMAPAP office on Calle 80 in Progreso.

* Houses often have cisterns, pumps and tinacos (rooftop tanks) for tap water. They should work automatically, and it is common for the tinacos to overflow when filling. Hot water is supplied by a hot water tank, electric with a button nearby to turn on prior to using, or gas outside with a pilot light.

* A lot of houses have hot water in the showers, but NOT in the kitchens.  Sofas are often wicker with cushions, as mold is an issue for cloth or leather furniture.

* There are a few of our homes outside of towns that are not accessed by city water, and rely on water to be trucked in.  These tanks will be filled for your arrival, additional fills are at the expense of the tenant.

* Majority of homes here do not have laundry facilities. Lavanderias are everywhere, and they wash, dry & fold for a very small fee!  PROGRESO:  La Burbuja Lavanderia on calle 50 y 27,  969-935-5435, HOURS M-F 8-1 & 3-5, Sat 8-3 OR Yucalpeten Lavanderia on Calle 31, 122 y 124.  CHICXULUB: Lavanderia Splash on Calle 10 y 27.

 

  • HOUSEHOLD ITEMS:

* All rentals have screened windows, at least one set of linens for beds, and basic towels. * Please keep in mind these homes are used by their owners only in the summer and/or for Semana Santa (two weeks during Easter). They often use hammocks to sleep in, and bring most items for the house with them every time. The houses are often left empty for the remainder of the year, unless rented out.  Quality of household items cannot be guaranteed, but will be sufficient. * The most common bed size is matrimonial (double).  Occasionally there is queen or king size.  As in many foreign countries, bed softness is not always what visitors are accustomed to at home. * Kitchens have basic cooking pans, dishes, plates, cutlery.  Microwaves & coffee makers are often supplied. Toasters are seen as a draw for ants and are rarely included.  Some houses do not have ovens.  All rentals have at least one tv, size varies. * There is no standard list of household items supplied, as each owner varies in what they supply.  Tenants often choose to purchase any missing smaller items for the kitchen that makes their stay more comfortable, such as a water jug or a fruit bowl, at a local dollar store, of which there are many. * Spices, seasonings, condiments, light bulbs, toilet paper, dish soap, cleaning supplies, paper towels, napkins, etc. may be left in the house from previous tenants, but are not supplied.  We recommend you always bring sunscreen and earplugs with you.   * 5 gallon bottles of water can be arranged to be delivered. Tap water is safe for cleaning and household use, we do not recommend drinking it due to its high salt and mineral content.   DRINKING WATER DELIVERY, please WHATSAPP:  Cristal 999-438-6173 or Vital 999-154-7680 (both are Spanish speaking only).

  • MAINTENANCE OF THE PROPERTY & WHAT IS INCLUDED OR NOT INCLUDED:

* Pool care & chemicals, gardeners and cleaners are the responsibility of the tenants.  A list will be supplied for trusted options.  Pool care is approx. 400 pesos/week, house cleaning from 200 to 400 pesos per visit.  *Please do not pay more, for example construction workers make 300/day and these cleaning staff are being paid extremely well.  Some property owners have people they require you to hire, it´s common practice here and generally is done weekly at a predetermined time that is convenient for the tenant.  Occasionally tenants opt to do their own pool care, house & yard cleaning.   ALL POOLS WILL BE FILLED PRIOR TO ARRIVAL.

 

  • SECURITY:

*Please lock ALL doors and windows before leaving, when outside in the back or front yards or on the beach. * Break-ins are exceptionally popular during the tourist season, as they know there are computers, phones and cash to be had. Safes are rarely supplied.  Please note, 911 is available here in Mexico, and you can also search the local FB pages for emergency numbers.

* We ask that you message us, or call if it is an emergency, with any house maintenance issues or concerns.  There is no contact with the homeowners, as they have hired us to assist you. 

*Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way on the streets.  Please look BOTH directions before crossing and ALWAYS assume the cars will NOT stop.  Drivers DO NOT stop at stop signs unless there is traffic. 

 

  • PETS & SMOKING:

* No pets are allowed to stay on property unless discussed prior to renting and a fee may be applied. If damages occur due to a pet, the cost of repair will be deducted from the deposit. Cleaning up after the pet, inside and outside, is the responsibility of the tenant. Most owners will allow pets, but please be aware that there are many street dogs and cats in Mexico, and your pet must be supervised at all times for their safety.  There are local people that do occasional random poisonings of the street animals, so be sure your pet does not eat anything on the streets. 

* There are organizations here trying very hard to change animal treatment in Mexico. The street animals here in Mexico tug at everyone’s heart, but please do not feed them from the front of your house. They become dependent and will faithfully return looking for food , even long after you’ve gone home. There are considerations to be taken into account before feeding and helping them, please ask others that are familiar with animal care in Mexico.  For the most part you do NOT have to fear street animals.  I always pet them all!  🙂

*Smoking is not permitted in any of the homes.  Outside only, and all butts must be placed in the trash.

 

  • AREA INFORMATION:

*Get your bearings, the ocean is always north from the beach towns, we are located on the south end of the Gulf of Mexico, directly south of New Orleans and approximately 4 hours from the Cancun airport.  We are a 2 hour flight from Mexico City.  Progreso has about 40,000 people, Merida about 1 million.  Be familiar with north and south, and keep your vacation address and an emergency contact number with you at all times!  Make sure someone here has an emergency contact for you!

* For flight or bus options, recommended drivers for airport pickups or tours, grocery stores, restaurants, banks, hospital, pharmacies, doctors, events, etc., we recommend trying Google, Trip Advisor and/or Facebook Expat pages for this area. You can either fly into Cancun and take the ADO bus to Merida (Altabrisa station) for about $800 mxn, or fly directly into Merida.   Francisco, Cecilia and I do have extensive knowledge of the area, and are happy to help if needed!  🙂 ADO bus is high quality transportation and completely safe. Tickets can be easily purchased upon arrival at the airport kiosk just outside the exit doors. At Cancun airport do not accept any offers of free transportation or tours, as they are time share vendors.

*Street & house addresses at the beach can be a challenge, often owners do not know the actual address, only the directions to get to them. Majority of streets are even numbered east to west, odd numbered north to south.

*Progreso, Chicxulub Puerto, Chelem, Chuburna, San Benito, Telchac Puerto & San Crisanto all differ in amenities, transportation choices, wifi options  & other things to be taken into consideration.  Please be sure you are precise about what you want and advise us, so we can help you make the right choice to enjoy your stay.

 

PLEASE RE-READ ALL OF THE ABOVE VARIOUS TIMES AFTER ARRIVAL! 

This will answer a lot of questions that come up during your stay.  If there are any further concerns, please email: sonya@yucatanparadise.com.