Welcome Guide

Thank you for choosing Villa Boda at Rancho Escondido and welcome to your home away from home in Mexico! We are here to make your vacation memorable and hassle free.

Please contact us with any questions you may have. We are also available to help you plan the following services: transportation (including to and from the airport), grocery delivery, chef services, activity planning and excursions.

This Welcome Guide includes all the important information that you need to know about the ranch, Villa Boda and the surrounding areas. We look forward to having you as our guest and hope that you enjoy this place as much as we have enjoyed creating it.

DIRECTIONS

Villa Boda is located in a small pueblo called Ursulo Galvan. It is next to Lo De Marcos in the state of Nayarit. It is 32 miles (52 km) from the Puerto Vallarta airport (PVR). It is approximately a 1 hour drive.

Our manager will meet ALL guests at the Pemex station in Lo De Marcos and escort you to Villa Boda for your initial check-in.

Please beware that the drive through Ursulo Galvan may be a bit surprising to some guests visiting Villa Boda for the first time. Ursulo is a very poor town with not much infrastructure besides the town square and a couple of schools and a great contrast to the luxury of Villa Boda. However, the locals are friendly, honest and hardworking folks that enjoy spending time with their families at the beach and around the town square. We believe this all adds to authenticity of this special area.

See the satellite view below for turn by turn directions from the Pemex station to Villa Boda. You can also see Villa Boda on Google Maps or click above for a link to the Google Driving Directions. But, be careful since Google often sends people to the wrong entrance for Rancho Escondido.

You will pass the OXO and Pemex station on Hwy 200 in Lo De Marcos and then turn right on the first street after the KM 107 marker and before you reach the speed bumps. It is a small dirt road just past the Jazmin Market and the Cuichi taco stand. This is the quickest route, but it is a little tricky.

If you miss this road, you will see the primary school on your right and you can take a right at the next street (see diagram below for this route). Continue straight (east) for one block. You will pass the primary school and take the first right before the plaza. Continue one block to the other end of the square and turn left. This road will take you to the entrance to the ranch.

You will pass the secondary school with a basketball court and large field on your left about ¼ mile (or 300 m) up the road. Turn left after the basketball court to enter the ranch. You will see an arrow with the letters painted "RE". Follow the narrow cobblestone and dirt road up the hill to the security gate. You will enter the 4-digit code and press enter. The gate will automatically close after several seconds, so do not delay driving through the gate. You will use the same code to exit the ranch.

Always follow the signs and stay to the right going up the hill and around and back down to Villa Boda. Do not go left up the steep road, as it is a one-way road.

TIMEZONE

Please beware that most people in the area use Central Time (CT). Everyone in Lo De Marcos and all towns going south toward Puerto Vallarta use CT. The property is exactly on the dividing line between the Mountain Time zone and CT. I have noticed my own iPhone change the time depending on which side of the house I am located. Therefore, I strongly encourage all guests to set their phones to Puerto Vallarta time during their stay and deactivate the “Set Automatically” feature in settings. We don’t want you to miss your flight home or any other important appointments while you are here.

Private Car Service or Taxi

Our manager can help you arrange transportation to and from the airport or you can book directly.

• SAYULITA VIP TRANSPORTATION

• Office Phone:+(52) 1 (329) 291-2007

• E-mail: sayulitaviptransportation@gmail.com

You can also contact one of the other local private car services directly to schedule your own transportation (http://www.sayulitalife.com/taxi_transportation.htm).

The round trip price for a private suburban to and from the airport is about $220.00 USD. You might be able to negotiate a better rate with the local taxi drivers around the airport, but the cars and service will not be as good. The car services have air-conditioned SUVs with cold beer and water. They will also make a stop at the grocery store on your way up to the property.

We can also help you arrange to have a private driver or taxi service on call during your stay. Please let us know what you prefer and we will help you get it set up.

PRIVATE CHEF

If you would like meals prepared for you at “home”, just let us know and we can arrange for a personal chef to come in and prepare a wonderful authentic Mexican meal for you during your stay. Prices range between $10-$40 USD per person, depending on the type of menu and level of service desired. We can arrange everything from the most basic local tacos up to gourmet tasting menus, complete with wine pairings. Menus and chef contact information are available upon request. 

My family always hires Arcelia to cook for us while we are in town, as she provides the best combination of delicious food, friendly service and value we have found in the area. $12/15/18 USD for breakfast/lunch/dinner, per person.

SHE IS THE BEST!

GROCERY DELIVERY

Please make arrangements with our Manager if you would like him to stock the kitchen prior to your arrival. Delivery fees are $85USD, plus 15% handling fee. Sample grocery list available via Email.

There is also a Walmart, Sam’s Club and Mega Super Market on the way to Villa Boda from the airport if you prefer to stop and do your own shopping. There are small convenience stores and small grocery stores near the house for most of the basics.

WIFI

The Eero Home WiFi system is located on top of the entertainment center in the living room next to the TV and surge protector. We also have signal extender beacons in the pool lounge and poolside bedroom with the covered patio. The Eero mesh network provides coverage for the entire house. You can connect by scanning the QR code or manually entering the password for the Villa Boda network.

Satellite internet is our only option, so please note that if many devices are online at the same time, the connection will slow down.

If there is a problem with the WiFi, we also have a cellular modem that we can use in an emergency. Please contact Gabriel if there is a problem.

TV & DVD

The TV’s are located in the living room and in the armoire in the main level bedroom (BR1). Both of the TV's are Smart TV's which are able to connect to Netflix and Amazon. As long as the WiFi is working, you should be able to stream movies and TV shows. Just press the square button in the middle of the Vizio TV remote to access the Apps, such as Netflix. Keep in mind the Mexican internet is very slow, so streaming services may not work well if you have many devices connected at the same time.

We also have a selection of DVDs for your convenience and each of the TV's has its own dedicated DVD player. Please tell the manager if you would like to use the DVD player during your stay and he will set it up.

Please do not make any changes to the system settings, as we already have it set up for optimum performance.

SECURITY CAMERA

We have a security camera installed in the living room. We only use the camera to monitor the house when the house is vacant. We do not use it to monitor any guest activity. There will be no light illuminated when the camera is off. You will see a blue light whenever the camera is in use. If you see a blinking orange or red light, that means the camera has lost its connection to the WiFi network and needs to be reset. If you notice a blinking light, please notify the manager and he will take care of it.

KITCHEN STOVE

Use a lighter to ignite the burners on the stove-top. There should be a lighter in the utensil holder to the right of the stove and extra lighters in the drawer to the left of the stove. Each of the ovens has a small pilot light that needs to be lit in order to use the oven. The pilot is lit at the round opening at the bottom of the oven floor. The grill and griddle have pilots that should already be lit, so just turn the temperature knob to ignite the flame. You may smell a hint of gas, as the griddle pilot is always on. If you notice a strong smell of gas, please notify Norma or Gabriel immediately.

Please be sure to turn off the knobs when you are finished with the stove. Many guest forget to turn off the stove completely. The oven can be a little stubborn due to the humidity. If you have any trouble, please ask Gabriel, Norma or Edu for help. No one wants to have singed eyebrows on their vacation ☺

The complete instructions are on the inside of the left side door below the BBQ. To light, push the middle burner knob down and turn to the start position (flame icon). Push the igniter button & hold until the left burner ignites. Repeat these steps for each individual burner you want to use.

Please be sure to turn off ALL burners completely after using the grill. It is easy to forget and it can be very dangerous.

POOL

The lights for the pool are located in the bar area. There is also a pool heater and solar heating pool cover located in the pool/electrical room if you would like the pool warmer. Our manager and Edu will take care of all pool maintenance. The pool is designed for relaxation. There is a large shallow platform that is great for lounging.

Please do not jump or dive in the pool.

Please also take care when walking on the tile around the pool, as it gets slippery when wet.

Edu will check the pool daily (in the morning) and administer chlorine if necessary. Our Manager will go over both the cleaning schedule and pool schedule upon your arrival. If you have any questions or would like a difference schedule, please discuss it with our Manager during your check-in.

We have various pool toys available for your enjoyment, including foam noodles, body boards, masks, snorkels, fins and other miscellaneous items in the storage room. You can also purchase other pool toys in town at the local markets on main street in Lo De Marcos.

We also have various board games, as well as a custom made Super Jenga and Corn Hole game.

WATER

We have ample water storage, but it is necessary to use the water wisely.  If you do not, you run the risk of running out of water.  We like to do our best to be environmentally responsible and conservative.

Please dispose of all toilet tissue, feminine products, etc., in the trash can!  Villa Boda is a new home and has never had plumbing problems.  Please remember, this is Mexico and septic systems are very sensitive. Thank you for your cooperation!

SHOWERS

Each section of the house is controlled by its own “Insta-Hot” water heater. You will need to let it run for a minute before the water cycles through the unit and warms up. If the hot water is taking its time, consider turning on the hot water in your bathroom sink to “jump start” the process.

Please note, the water temperature will fluctuate and the water in both the shower and sinks can get very hot. Cold is on the right and hot is on the left. We have relatively high water pressure in case you prefer a strong stream. If you prefer a softer stream, just open the faucet a small portion to control the strength of your stream.

DRINKING WATER

For your convenience, we have installed a double-osmosis and UV water purification system in the kitchen.  The small faucet on the kitchen sink provides purified water that is safe for drinking and cooking. There is also a filtered water dispenser in the refrigerator. We also have two other bottled water dispensers on property, in case you prefer to purchase your own 5-gallon jugs of bottled water. We have one dispenser in the kitchen and another down in the lounge next to the pool.

The water in the bathrooms and showers is safe to use to brush your teeth, but we recommend you use the filtered water to drink.

PORTABLE ICE MAKER

We have a countertop ice maker in case you need extra ice or if you want to have ice down in the pool lounge. The ice maker is stored in the pantry. Just fill up the main compartment with some filtered water (below the “MAX” line, plug in and press the button of the ice cube. It only takes about 6 minutes to make a small batch of cubes.

AIR CONDITIONERS

Each bedroom has an air conditioner with a 6-hour timer. You will need to turn the timer to your desired duration and then use the remote control to operate the A/C unit. The controls are fairly self-explanatory. Nevertheless, the unit should already be set to the proper settings. All you should have to do is turn the timer knob to activate the A/C.  During check-in, our Manager will demonstrate how to use the remote controls to operate A/C units.

SAFES

For your peace of mind, we have one safe in the living room and one in the main level bedroom.  Please use the safes to store your valuables, passport, cash etc. To lock the safe, enter the 4 digit code of your choice and press #. Enter your code to re-open the safe. Instructions are on the front of each safe. While theft is not a serious concern at Villa Boda, it is better to be safe than sorry. Also, we recommend locking up the house when you go out during the day or night, and at night when you are asleep. Although the safes have a magnetic credit card reader option, I do not recommend using that option to lock and unlock the safes. Credit cards may not open the safes if they are exposed to sea water or become demagnetized after coming into contact with a mobile phone or other electronic devices.

LAUNDRY

We prefer that you not use the washer/dryer on your own during your stay. However, you are welcome to ask the cleaning ladies to wash and dry your clothes. We also have a steamer, iron and ironing board in the laundry room downstairs for your convenience.

BUGS & MOSQUITOS

We definitely advise all guests to bring their favorite insect repellant. The Riviera Nayarit is a tropical environment with the usual bugs and mosquitoes. Remember that you are in the jungle, so please take appropriate precautions. The bugs are not usually a problem during the day. Depending on the time of the year, the bugs will generally come out around dusk. We advise closing all the doors and windows shortly before sunset as they are attracted to the lights. We advise keeping the bedroom doors closed throughout the night to avoid any unwelcome visitors.

Our staff regularly fumigates the property to reduce the bug population and we also have a portable fumigator available if the bugs are especially bad during your visit. If you would like, our staff will be happy to use the fogger to fumigate the garden in the morning or before sunset.

SCORPIONS

The Riviera Nayarit is home to many types of scorpions (“alacrons” in Spanish). So please remember to shake out towels, clothes and shoes that have been left laying around. Most scorpion stings can be treated simply by washing the affected area with soap and water, followed by a cold compress. They hurt like a very bad bee sting, but generally do not cause significant problems for adults. If symptoms persist or if a child is involved, you can get an anti-venom treatment at the San Francisco General Hospital, in San Pancho just down the road.

HOSPITAL

The San Francisco General Hospital, located in San Pancho, is the closest emergency room that will be able to handle most emergencies. There are also several larger hospital facilities around Puerto Vallarata.

Click here for list of Emergency Services & Police Numbers.

HOUSEKEEPING

Maid service is daily Monday-Saturday.  They will sweep, mop, clean the kitchen and bathrooms, change sheets and towels if necessary and empty all trash.  For your convenience, there are also two trash cans in the parking area near the front door and trash is picked up daily.  Before departing, please be sure to leave the house in the same condition as when you arrived except for laundry, which can be left in each room. You are welcome to ask the housekeeping staff to wash and dry your clothes.

CHILDCARE

Norma or one of the other ladies on our staff are available if you wish to hire a babysitter. Please make arrangements in advance. We also have a Pack-N-Play, portable bassinet and other baby toys down in the laundry room.

TIPS

Our staff works very hard and tips are always appreciated. You can give a tip directly to the staff or leave it in the wooden box in the living room area. Most guests leave approximately $5 USD per day, per guest. You are welcome to give more or less depending on your particular interaction with the staff. They will appreciate whatever you decide is appropriate.