Information About San Miguel
KEYS: You have two keys during your stay. 1) The round key is for the top lock in the front door when you enter from the street. To exit from the property, push the round button on the right side and the lock will pop open, and just close the door behind you. 2) The other key (octagon shape) is for your room. These keys are used like door handles. Feel free to lock your door and take the key with you when you leave, or leave it open; it’s safe within our property. The maid, gardener, and Carly have keys to all rooms. We thoroughly trust our employees.
EMPLOYEES: Graciela, our housekeeper, comes several days a week (normally Tues, Thurs, Sat) and cleans your suite. She does not speak English. Javier and Ramon, our gardeners/handymen, work daily except Sundays.
WATER: Purified water is provided for your use. There is a water shortage in San Miguel. Visitors are asked to help conserve by taking moderately short showers. The tap water is not suitable for drinking, but purified water is always available for brushing teeth and drinking. The dry climate in San Miguel with the addition of the elevation of over 6000 feet dehydrates many visitors. Visitors are reminded to drink plenty of water and Gatorade and be conservative with alcohol intake during the first 48 hours. It is customary to use the water out of the faucets for washing dishes. Just be sure they are dry before using again.
TOWELS: Please leave towels on the shower or bathroom floor if you would like them replaced when the maid cleans your room. Towels will automatically be replaced after 5 days.
KITCHENETTE: To light the burners on the stove, turn the knob and hold the clicker-lighter to the burner. Be careful not to turn on the gas, and leave it on without a flame.
MEAL SERVICE: Our private chef, Juana, can prepare a lunch meal of your choice for an additional fee. She specializes in traditional Mexican food. Please arrange 1-2 days in advance. Keep the leftovers in your casita for later! We particularly like her enchiladas, flautas, pay azteca, chicken parmesan, sopa de tortilla, and she can round out any meal with rice, tortillas, soup, or salad. Or order a simple torta, sandwich, burger, or quesadilla.
LIGHTS: If you’re going out in the afternoon or evening and plan to come back at night, please remember to leave the light on outside of your casita. The switch is located inside the front door of your casita and is one of the switches mixed with your interior lights. The light just inside the front gate is motion sensitive and should illuminate automatically as you enter the gate or approach that area.
HEATERS: For our winter guests, Casa Carly provides state of the art Rinnai heaters in your casita. These gas heaters are the safest in the industry and will automatically turn off in the case of a gas leak or lack of oxygen in the room. As a safety precaution, please turn heaters off when not in your room.
DVD LIBRARY: Inside the café, to the right on the bookshelves. Feel free to borrow any movies, but please return once you’ve viewed them so other visitors might borrow them as well.
TIENDITA “LA CHIMINEA”: We have snacks and wine for sale in the café on the chimney (next to the TV). There is a little jar to put money, or ask and we can add it to your tab.
CAFÉ CRAYOLA: Our café hours (open to the public) are 8:30am-12pm (closed Wed). Feel free to open a tab if you eat breakfast here, just let the waiter know your casita number.
TIPPING: In restaurants, one tips similarly to the states - 15 to 20%. In Mexico it is customary to tip housekeepers. Suggested amount is 15 pesos for each day that you are here. (A couple staying one week might leave 105 pesos for Graciela/Juana).
Communication, Transportation, & Illness
EMERGENCIES: If no one is here to address your emergency, call Caren and David Cross (Carly’s parents):
152-0624
Police (protective) 152-0022
Police (traffic): 152-0538
Firemen: 152-2888
Red Cross (ambulance): 152-4121
Hospital de la Fe: 152-2233
CONTACT INFO/PHONE: Our phone number, if dialing from the states, is 011 +52 (415) 152-8900. From San Miguel, just dial 152-8900. A common phone for local phone calls is located in the main kitchen on the counter. Local numbers are 7 digit numbers. Press the large middle button with the phone icon to dial and to hang up. To dial a cell phone, begin with 044-415 and then the number. Please ask to use the international phone, as it is normally kept in the office. To use, dial normally as if in the states or Canada (1 + area code + phone #). Our US phone number is (202) 391-0004.
INTERNET / FAX / MAIL: There is wireless internet access here at the house. Casitas have varying degrees of reception. For good reception, use your laptop in the community living room/dining room. When your computer is searching for wireless connections, choose to connect to Casa Carly or Casa Carly 2, whichever has a better connection. No password is required. For those who do not bring laptops, there are many internet cafes throughout San Miguel. Most have high speed cable connections, although there is a large discrepancy in cost (from 10 pesos an hour to 50-60 pesos an hour). Cost is often determined by atmosphere. There are three internet “cafes” on Aurora. For faxes, visit Papelero San Miguel down the street or Border Crossings corner of Reloj & Mesones open M-F 9am – 6:30 pm, Sat 10am – 3pm. You may also send mail to the U.S. from Border Crossing using the U.S. postal system or make international phone calls. If you’re not in a hurry to post your letter, you can mail your letter from the post office on Correo, one block out of the jardin.
AIRPORT VAN SHUTTLES: We can arrange van service for you between San Miguel and Leon’s airport. Please ask for this at least 24 hours in advance and consider that the office for making reservations is closed on Saturday and Sundays although van service runs 7 days a week.
TAXIS: Taxis operate at a fixed rate of 25 pesos within the center of town. No tip is expected. Gringos are often charged more, so just hand the driver 25 pesos or 30 if you want to be generous. Some taxi drivers are insisting that the in-town rate is 30 pesos, but the taxi union has not approved that hike yet. To go to destinations outside of centro (Gigante, Tuesday Market, the bus station, etc.) expect to pay 30-35 pesos). For fares outside of the city (i.e. hotsprings), negotiate a price before leaving and arrange for pick-up if going to an isolated area. To take a taxi from the house, there’s no need to call one, within 2-5 minutes you should be able to flag one down right outside the door on Aurora. Late at night or very early morning taxis are always available on the corner of Aurora and La Luz.
ILLNESS: All visitors run the risk of being sick and suffering from ‘turista’ (stomach ailments). Guests are encouraged to avoid drinking tap water or eating foods that could be contaminated i.e. vegetables right from the market, street food, food from unreliable restaurants, strawberries, etc…. However, despite the greatest care, some visitors still contract a stomach bug. As individuals are exposed to the different ‘bugs’ in México, they develop resistance and tolerance. Pepto and Tylenol are our best defenses when turista strikes. Pedialyte is available at any local pharmacy and is particularly effective at keeping one hydrated (we recommend Peach/Durazno flavor). The normal bout with turista lasts for 1-3 days. If you get ill, pharmacies are well stocked and you can get just about anything, usually without a prescription. The pharmacy down the street is very convenient. If you are sick and don’t speak Spanish, go to the drug store at the corner of Canal and Hernandez Macias. They are open every day from 10:30 AM TO 11 PM. Phone 152-1198
This pharmacy is owned by a doctor, so she can advise you. To avoid altitude illness and dehydration….DRINK a lot! Dehydration and altitude affect people without them knowing it! We are at an altitude of 6200 feet! I can’t emphasize this enough.
DOCTORS: For a good doctor to come to the house, call Dr. Martinez at: 044 415 153-8832. He speaks English and the cost is about 400 pesos ($40 US) for a house visit. Another option is Dr.Quiroz at 152-2233 who does not make house visits. His office is in the Hospital de la Fe and his office hours are M-F 11-2