The following important information is proved to assist you in having a safe and relaxing vacation. We offer a completely furnished private villas with all the fine amenities that you want! Mi casa, es su casa. Think of this home as your home, experience the casual lifestyle of living on the beach. Our goal is to allow you to relax, unwind and get comfortable while enjoying the peace of the ocean and the beauty of the Puerto Rican culture around you.
We provide you with a different, more private experience than what you would have by renting a room at a large hotel or resort complex. Instead of being with hundreds of tourists, we are located in a typical Puerto Rican neighborhood.
A/C – During the summer it does get hot. We have A/C available for your comfort and reasonable use of electricity is included with our rates. We have installed monitors that allow us to remotely monitor the A/C settings. Think “Green” and try to minimize the A/C requirements. Please keep the A/C off when it is not needed. We suggest you open the windows during the night and close them when the heat of the day comes. Please DO turn on the ceiling fans; in doing this you may find that the A/C is not needed. The recommended setting is 78 (26 Celsius) or higher. For those that use the A/C reasonably there are not any surcharges. There is a modest $10 daily surcharge for any settings at or below 74 (24 Celsius). We consider any setting at or below 70 (21 Celsius) to be “unreasonable use of utilities” and to be in violation of the rental agreement. See Utilities and Violation sections for more details. Please be aware of the thermostat settings! Part of your deposit will be charged and not returned. If you have any questions, please contact us. Please note: setting the temperature lower DOES NOT get the house cooler quicker!
BBQ – We provide a BBQ for your use and convenience, please help keep it clean. It is a gas BBQ so please be sure to turn off the gas after you use the grill. Because of the beach and saltwater, the 2 automatic igniters go out very quickly, so you need to light the grill manually. There should be a lighter inside the kitchen somewhere. No Charcoal Please – it will destroy the grill. Please keep the cover on the grill at all times when not in use, as the natural elements of the salt and ocean are especially corrosive.
Bugs – Bugs like warm tropical climates. To minimize bugs (ants, etc) keep dishes clean, wipe up crumbs and spills off the countertops, place open bags of food in the refrigerator for storage, and frequently take the garbage outside to the trash can. The trash can is in front of the house. In case you do see bugs, we keep bug spray under the kitchen sink. If it gets low, let us know. Mosquitoes are very common in tropical places and you may want to use insect repellent, particularly if it has just rained or the sun is about to set. Wipe up standing water to keep mosquitoes from being attracted to the area. Most types of flying bugs are attracted to light, so at night you may want to close the doors, or turn off the lights, so they do not go inside. If you see any small lizards don’t be alarmed. They are harmless and are very helpful and eat a lot of the insects.
Cautions: 1) Since we are always doing improvements, there may be some minor construction going on and there may be construction materials on site, so use caution when walking around outside. 2) Tile floors inside and out can be very slick when wet. Be very careful walking on the wet tile. A first aid kit is provided and can be found under the kitchen sink or in a bathroom. 3) Coconut trees are plentiful on many tropical islands. Please be careful if standing, sitting, or putting anything under a coconut tree, you never know when a coconut may fall. If it hits you on the head it will hurt! 4) The kitchen countertops are made of very expensive real granite stone. Please do not use anything abrasive to clean them or any harsh chemicals, just water is needed. Do not stand or sit anything heavy on the countertops. They may crack. 5) Use Sunscreen! We’d hate to have a sunburn ruin all your fun.
Cleaning/Housekeeping – The home has been cleaned prior to your arrival. Please contact housekeeping immediately if we missed a spot. We are happy to come back. While linens and bath towels are included in the unit, daily maid service is not included in the rental rate. If you would like daily or additional cleaning service, you can make arrangements directly with the manager. The property should be left in a reasonably clean condition when vacating. Please, do NOT use the white bath and hand towels or the beach towels provided to clean up any mess. White towels should ONLY be used for bathing. The cost of replacing any white towels will be charged against your deposit. A box of cleaning rags should be inside the home and are available for guest use. A broom and mop are also available for guests to use during their stay and should also be located within your home. All dishes, kitchen items, pots and pans should be cleaned, dried and put away. All garbage should be securely put in the trash containers by the street. Any excessive cleaning or the cost of any damages caused by the guests will be deducted from the deposit. Examples of excessive cleaning: beer cans/water bottles/cigarette butts or any other debris left on the grounds and not bagged and taken to trash area.
Door locks -This is another one of the “use common sense” items. When you leave the house be sure to lock all the doors. The front main door to your unit has a programmable push button code; if the push button door does not lock, make sure the door is closed all the way. Normally, if there is a problem, the door bolt is not aligned properly with the hole into the door jamb. At times you may have to “wiggle” (pull/push) the door to make sure the door pin and the hole are aligned properly. If the door pin does not move or make any noise, most likely the batteries are either dead or are loose; remove the back cover and check the batteries. Please Note: We do remotely monitor when guests check in and when they check out. Drains – We test all sewer drain lines to make sure they are flowing before you arrive and they must be working properly when you leave. DO NOT FLUSH anything other than toilet paper. You could be charged for clearing of any sewer lines.
Electronics – We have provided Over 5000 streaming channels including premium commercial free like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Youtube, etc. All streaming an endless supply of over 500,000 movies, TV shows, music stations, kids, family, and much more. Please find and read the electronics instructions for more details on how everything works. Copies can be found in the guest guide book and also in the separate channel guide that should be in the room by the TV. There is also an electronics guide posted on our web site. There are a lot of wires and cables and it can get very confusing very quickly. So, if you need help, ASK. PLEASE DO NOT RE-WIRE the system. There will be a fee of at least $50 if ANY rewiring is done.
Enjoy – You have rented a beach house so take full advantage and enjoy the sun, the sand, and ocean breezes. Please help us to keep costs down by only running the air conditioners when needed. Many of our past guests prefer to enjoy the tropical indoor/outdoor living simply by opening the doors and windows to fully embrace the ocean breezes. They prefer open up the house and run the air conditioning. Electricity is very expensive on the island, so, if you do decide to run the air, run only the air conditioners in the rooms you are in and remember to shut off all air conditioners when you leave. It doesn’t take long to cool the house or bedroom down in the evening. But, again, to truly experience the tropics, try opening the doors and windows and let the breezes flow. In addition, please turn off lights and fans when you leave or when they are no longer needed. Keep the refrigerator door closed so food doesn’t spoil. Once in a while the electricity may go out for short periods of time. If this occurs, there should be candles in the kitchen that you may want to use.
Floors – While the home and floors are cleaned prior to you arrival, the elements from the ocean breeze and the beach do tend to leave a film on the floors. This is normal, especially if doors and windows are left open. Try to keep the sand on the beach and wipe your feet before coming inside Hammocks – We have hammocks available for your use. Check either inside, or outside the Villa. If you do not see any, please contact one of our staff members.
Internet – We provide a high speed internet connection for you at no extra charge. At times, the connection speed is slow, but we do provide the best service available to us. We have added an extensive network of routers, access points, antennas, and repeaters. They should send out a good wifi signal throughout the home and property, but the signal will be stronger the closer you are to any one of the sources of the signal. They all have the same password “paradise” (all lowercase) so log on should be easy. Log on to any and/or all that show a strong signal. If internet goes down check all the networks to see if they ALL are down, or just one. If you are having problems first check to see if everyone is having problems. FYI – If you have to get on-line quickly and cannot wait for the wifi to get back up working, you can create a “hotspot” with your cell phone and use your data from your phone. It will also provide internet for the Roku device so you can watch many shows and movies.
Kayaks – We have several kayaks available for rent at our Property. Please see one of our staff members who can assist you in renting the Kayak, or Snorkling gear, if you prefer.
Insurance – If you are interested in obtaining insurance for vacation stay please contact: Vacation Rental Protection go to www.vacationprotection.com or call 800-349-8218..
Move in/out times – Check in is after 3 PM and check-out is by 10 AM. A late checkout may be possible based on availability, but additional charges may apply. Occasionally, we can provide an hour early or hour late check out at no charge, but depending on the season, sometimes it is not possible. Early Check in or late Check out fees are 10% of your daily rate. Example: $300 rate is $30 per hour for any extra hours. Late Check out after 3 PM is another day rental fee. All time is rounded up to the nearest full hour.
Please Note: We do remotely monitor when guests check in and when they check out. Any guests found to move in early or check out late without making prior arrangements will be charged 20% of the daily rate per hour for all hours beyond the agreed to hours mentioned in this agreement.
Move In – Upon checking in, please review the kitchen inventory sheets that are provided and immediately let us know of any missing or damaged items. Please find the Guest Guidebook and read it. There is a lot of very important information in it. The password for the internet and the “Who to Contact” info should be posted on a wall.
Move Out – We strive to provide you with a clean and attractive place to stay. We would appreciate your help when you leave by taking all garbage to the trash container at the street. Make sure you put the trash inside the containers. Please check the unit prior to your departure to ensure you do not leave any items behind. Please make sure all the dishes that you used are cleaned and put away. We do charge if excessive cleaning is required. Any leftover food items may be left in the refrigerator. If you have used the AC, make sure they are all turned OFF before leaving. Each house has several A/C controls. You are responsible for any damages or missing items and agree that any claims towards excessive cleaning, damage, missing items, or uncollected amounts owed will be deducted from deposit. No Smoking. We have a “no smoking” policy inside or within 10 feet the house.
Occupancy – We enforce a very strict occupancy limit and are renting the home to the number of people you indicated on your reservation form. No additional guest(s) are allowed on the property without prior approval. We do not allow sleeping on any of the couches (see Large Groups/Events). At some point during your stay our manger will do a “Meet-n-Greet” to answer any questions and ensure your satisfaction. They will also check on the number of guests. We do have cameras on the premises for your security, and to ensure that there are not people on the property that do not belong on the property. If a violation in occupancy occurs, any refundable deposit will not be returned. The deposit will be used to help offset additional cleaning, utilities and wear and tear. Management also reserves the right to terminate this agreement and any money paid will be forfeited for any breach of this contract. Children under 13 years of age are not to remain alone in the home.
Outages – Being in an Island, at times there are water, electrical and internet outages. We can only supply to you, what is supplied to us. MOST times it is not an issue. Please be aware we are a private home and like almost all private vacation homes in Rincon, we do NOT have large expensive back-up power generators. Instead, make sure the refrigerator door is closed and go to the beach. Everything seems to always work out okay. Chill, relax, enjoy, and take things as they come. Walk the beach, take in the sights or find a restaurant to hang out at for a little while. Water does stop from time to time, but we have water reserve tanks, so most times you will not be aware of any water issues.
Parking – Off street parking is limited. If you have a larger group, please try to consolidate the number of cars in your group. For the most part it is on a “First Come” basis, but we do limit the number of cars per villa when required.
Pets – No pets are allowed unless previous arrangements have been made and the extra pet fee (currently $75) has been paid. If a violation in occupancy occurs, you will forfeit any deposit. Management also reserves the right to immediately terminate the rental and any money paid will be forfeited for any breach of this contract.
Pool/Spa – We have the only rooftop infinity pool in Rincon! It is located on the rooftop of Villa 2 and Villa 3. We also just finished adding a jacuzzi, which is up the flight of stairs between Villa 1 and Villa 4. Both areas are open to all our guests, no matter which villa you are staying in. On the pool side rooftop, there are multiple levels of deck space, a shade area, plus a full bathroom. You can usually find a nice breeze and the views are great! The rooftop is a great place to go at night to view the stars; lights by the stairs should come on automatically at night. There is also another light switch located just outside the bathroom that controls 2 additional lights under the concrete shade area next to the bathroom. The pool lights are set to turn on at 6 PM and turn off at 11 PM. Be extra careful of the stairs going to the top, the steps are steeper than normal and not all of the steps are the same size; if you are not careful, you could trip. Again, tile can be slippery when wet, please wash all the sand off your feet before getting to the top swimming level. We try to keep sand off the top deck and out of the pool and there is a shower before the last set of stairs for your use. PLEASE – No Smoking and NO Glass Containers. Watch your children! There is NO running, jumping, or horse play. There are not set pool hours but please be respectful of other guests at all times and especially considerate with noise levels at night. The wireless internet works all around the pool area for your convenience. It is recommended to shower first and wipe your feet before getting into either the pool or the spa. Please do not wear cut off jeans, or street clothes and it is recommended to remove all jewelry before entering the pool or spa. Some jewelry and swim wear will get discolored and/or tarnish and your body lotions, oils and street clothes will cause the water to get cloudy. Due to our proximity to the beach, Sand is everywhere! and it is impossible to keep ALL sand out of the pool and is normal for a small amount of sand to settle at the bottom of both the pool and spa. *Please note that some people may be more sensitive than others to the chlorine/bromine in the water. If you find it irritating on skin, or eyes, do not use the pool or spa. We do NOT provide oversight or a lifeguard. No children under the age of 12 permitted in the pool or hot tubs without 5/12/20 8 adult supervision. When using the pool or hot tub, remember there are certain health and safety risks associated with use. Use at your own risk. PLEASE supervise your own children.
Respect – Please be respectful to neighbors and other guests. Please no loud noises or loud music.
Restaurants – There are many great restaurants in Rincon. As you can imagine, it is almost impossible to keep an up-to-date list of all the restaurants, their hours and detailed information. We recommend using a restaurant guide like Trip Advisor http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurantsg264369-Rincon_Puerto_Rico.html, which is constantly being updated for the latest information. You can also pick up several local free papers like www.elcoquiofrincon.com that are widely available at local stores.
Safety Advisory – For the most part, common sense is all you need to be safe in Puerto Rico. Rincon is a small town and very little major crime occurs here. Most crime that does occur is “crime of opportunity”. For Example: DO NOT leave your car unlocked with an expensive camera inside. We highly recommend you lock the doors at night and when you leave. DO NOT leave beach chairs on the beach or other items laying around the pool. DO NOT leave the door to your unit unlocked with cell phones, laptops and other valuables laying around in plain sight. You are held responsible for any loss or missing items so just use common sense and do not invite trouble. These additional security measures will reduce crime of opportunity from occurring and enable your stay to be relaxing, comfortable and worry free. Thank you in advance for assisting to prevent crime of opportunity within the Villas. Also see Common Sense.
Sand – Sand is beautiful on the beach, but it is not good inside the house. The sand causes the drains to clog and damages the floor. In our efforts to prevent these damages, there is an outdoor shower by the beach. Please rinse off and wipe your feet before coming in the house! Please make every effort to keep the sand on the beach. If needed, we provide a plunger in the unit which should be in the bath or under the kitchen sink. Also, for your use are a mop, broom and rags located in the unit. Please do not use our white bath towels as mops to wipe up spills! If you are unable to locate the necessary cleaning supplies we provide, please let us know. Thank you.
Security Cameras – We have two camera systems. One system is set up outside throughout the property and aimed at the gates and entrances. A second system has been installed inside all of the villas to record anyone entering our villas. Our office will be notified as soon as you enter the villa to alert us of your arrival. The camera is aimed at the front door only and not inside the home. Guests MAY switch off, or unplug the inside camera upon arrival, but please remember to turn the camera back on upon check out.
Supplies Included – Upon arrival you will have several days supply of toilet paper, paper towels, coffee filters, garbage bags, etc. If they are not there when you arrive, please contact us. If you run out during your stay, please purchase more as required. See our website sections “What to Bring” and “Amenities”.
Things to Do – There are many things to do and enjoy in and around the Rincon area. Check out: www.elcoquiofrincon.com that are widely available at local stores.
Utilities – Reasonable use of utilities (which include 1 tank of LP gas, water, and electric) are included as part of this agreement. Unreasonable use of the utilities is considered a violation of the Rental Agreement. Please conserve the utilities and turn off ceiling fans, lights, and A/C when not in use. Water is precious, so please use the water wisely. The tap water is filtered and should be safe to drink. We also installed a reverse osmosis purified drinking faucet at the kitchen sink. Now, just sit back, relax, read a good book, take a nap, walk down the beach, enjoy the ocean breezes, and go explore Puerto Rico!