Casa el Faro

Welcome to San Juan del Sur! Our spacious home mixes natural beauty with eco-luxury modern amenities, offering guests a calm retreat. Located up a gated driveway less than 8 minutes from the center of town in a very safe, gated community with 24-hour security, this three-bedroom home sleeps up to six guests comfortably. The space boasts Wi-Fi, an A/C in each bedroom, complimentary gate-secured parking, a utensil-stocked kitchen, WiFi, and an in-ground pool with gorgeous sunset ocean views. The space Our home is located high-up in the hills in the sought-after gated community of Pacific Marlin, with delightful ocean breezes and jaw-dropping sunset views of the Pacific Ocean. It's perfectly located in the easy-going beach town of San Juan Del Sur. Less than 8 minutes outside of town, you'll have the benefits of being close to the action (but not too close!) and centrally located between town and the most popular beaches! One of most interesting features of the space is the shape of its structure, which is reminiscent of a lighthouse, and why locals refer to our home as “Casa El Faro.” The original building architect is retired Nicaraguan architect Nelson Brown, and designer Sara Elise has artfully enhanced the space to craft a peaceful and serene environment that includes a front room for gathering, a kitchen and breakfast nook, guest rooms & bathrooms, a long wooden table for working and dining al fresco, and an in-ground pool with pool lounge chairs as well as traditional Nicaraguan outdoor seating. All bedrooms have A/C, hot water, and are bright and minimally furnished with custom-made pieces to create a peaceful and serene atmosphere. Each space is unique in design, and has been curated with elements that echo the surrounding land, wind, and ocean. Clean lines and soft linen amongst poured concrete, cowhide, and greenery set the stage for custom wood-furniture and local hand-crafted artwork. And it's all set beneath wooden beamed ceilings that stretch upwards, reaching towards the sky. We're excited to share our space with you. Our home has the following offerings with your comfort in mind: - A manual gated driveway for extra security (and complimentary + secure parking space for up to three car rentals) - Plenty of outdoor space surrounded by papaya trees, howler monkeys, and a wide variety of birds - A wraparound terrace with traditional Nicaraguan seating as well as modern pool lounge chairs, overlooking an in-ground sunset view pool - A wide pool, painted dark grey so it stays warm in the evening, framing picturesque sunset views - A common area filled with custom and modern furniture for gathering and lounging - A kitchen fully stocked with kitchen tools you might need for your stay + a charming eat-in kitchen table - Three bedrooms (all with in-room A/C's): 1 Ocean Room upstairs with a king sized bed and ensuite bathroom with natural bathroom amenities and hot water, and 2 downstairs (1 Mountain Room with a queen sized and ensuite bathroom and 1 Jicaro Room with a king sized bed and a bathroom outside of the room, both with natural bathroom amenities and hot water) - A rainforest shower in the Mountain Room with picture window mountain + jungle views while you shower - A private Ocean Room wraparound terrace, outdoor seating, and hammock with gorgeous views of the pool, the Pacific Ocean, and surrounding hills - A private Mountain Room outdoor sitting terrace with mountain views, perfect for birdwatching over your morning coffee - Large armoires in each room for clothing storage - A small laundry room (to be used by staff only) with a washer and dryer. It's possible to add on laundry service to your stay, just ask us! We are also happy to provide more clean linens when needed, so please let us know if you need additional bedroom linens, bath towels, or pool towels during your stay. Also included in your stay with us is: - Complimentary twice filtered drinking water (some of the best tasting water in Nicaragua!) - A manual gated driveway to our home with 24-hour manned security in a gated community - Local WiFi (we have one of the most reliable WiFi networks in Nica. We have fiberoptic internet that runs at 20-25 mbps and supports up to 6 devices. We work from the house all the time and never have issues. Please note that we cannot control local WiFi outages or power outages.) - A/C in the bedrooms (and ceiling fans in the common spaces) - Dimmer lights in the bedrooms for ambience - Complimentary bathroom amenities: all natural body wash, shampoo, and conditioner in each bathroom - Complimentary grill use during your stay (please let us know if you want access to the grill as it is typically locked up due to security reasons) - Our comprehensive list of local recommendations and favorites to start your stay off on the best foot! Regarding the pool + additional cleaning services: - Pool cleaning service is provided by Jose and/or Jenny and happens multiple times a week between 7AM-3PM, and may or may not happen during your stay depending on when you are booked. (Please note: during the windy + rainy seasons, the pool is harder to maintain so if at any point during your stay you would like a “pool clean refresh,” just let us know!) - House cleaning service happens before and after your stay. Please note that the onsite cleaning staff will let themselves in and out of the house if they need to get into the space, as is the cultural norm in Nicaragua. - Optional wash + fold laundry service is available, if you'd like to add that on for an additional cost We also offer the following services to our guest in order to make their stay special: - Option for us to arrange for a stocked "breakfast" fridge for you (filled with produce, yogurt, locally made granola, an assortment of fresh fruit, ground coffee, butter, local jam, fresh eggs, sweet and savory bread options) upon your arrival, if you'd like to add that on for an additional cost (please note that if you choose to cancel your order once it has already been placed/confirmed, there will be a $25 cancellation fee) - Option for us to arrange airport transfers for you, if you'd like to add that on for an additional cost - Option for us to arrange an in-house full body 60 or 90 minute massage at your desired time, for an additional cost During your stay, please contact US (your hosts!) with any requests or issues. Please do not contact the onsite staff directly since there might be mixed signals. We will be more than happy to help you with anything you need! Casa El Faro sits in harmony with the land, the local town of San Juan del Sur, and the stunning sunsets that frame our magical setting. We're here to offer our home to great guests to appreciate beauty and unique design. We hope you'll have a relaxing and unforgettable stay at Casa El Faro! Guest access The guests have access to the entire property except for the closet in the kitchen (used as our storage), the laundry room (used by staff only), caretakers quarters, and the garage. The gate is a (very easy) manual gate that Jenny will show you how to access when you arrive. Please note that you will be given 2 sets of keys (that have a front door, back door, and gate key). If you get locked out, there is a lockout fee of $55 USD. If you lose any of the keys, there is a replacement fee of $75 USD. Other things to note HOUSE RULES + OTHER THINGS TO NOTE LATE CHECK-IN: Unfortunately we cannot offer check-in's after 8PM. There are certain instances where we can make an exception, but please note that the late check-in fee is $125 USD. So please double-check your flight times! Late check in would have to be pre-arranged (at least several days prior to your arrival) and prepaid. KEYS: Please note that you will be given 2 sets of keys (that have a front door, back door, and gate key). If you get locked out, there is a lockout fee of $55 USD. If you lose any of the keys, there is a replacement fee of $75 USD. WATER: We provide complimentary clean, filtered drinking water for our guests and have a water filter on the house water supply to make the sink and shower water softer. Please note that due to country-wide water scarcity, there is occasionally low water pressure in the sinks, showers, and toilets. Unfortunately we are not responsible for any local power outages that impact water temperature and/or pressure. ELECTRICITY: Please note that electricity is very expensive in Nicaragua. That is why it is customary for rentals to allocate a certain amount of KW that are included in the daily rental rate. For rentals, we include up to 40 kilowatts of electricity per day. There is a charge of $.45 per kilowatt used if you use over the 40 kilowatts. Note, 20-35 kilowatts per day is the normal usage, including usage of AC units in the bedrooms at night. Being conscious about electricity usage helps us to maintain our rental price. Please turn off the air conditioning, fans, and other appliances when you are not using them. Unlike other properties who require a cash transfer onsite for any overages, when we approve your booking, we will also send you a $150 electricity deposit request through Airbnb Resolution Center. The meter will be checked before you arrive and again when you check out. If you’d like to see the meter upon your check-in and also upon your check-out, please let Jenny know during your check-in and check-out times. For any overage over 40 kilowatts per day, we will charge $0.45 per KW (USD) and then refund you for your remaining electricity balance at the end of your trip (also through Airbnb Resolution Center). POWER OUTAGES: Please also note that power outages happen occasionally in SJDS as the town continues to develop the infrastructure. Unfortunately we are not responsible for power/electricity/local WiFi outages or any consequences or inconveniences resulting from outages outside of our control. When the power is out, we suggest laying on the terrace and looking at the stars :) Thank you for understanding! KITCHEN: We provide kitchen tools and standard plateware, blates (bowl plates), flatware, glassware, etc. Please bring your own oils, food, sauces, and spices. NATURAL LIGHT: Please note that the bedrooms get a lot of light (with the Jicaro Room getting the least amount). If you are sensitive to morning light, we’d recommend bringing sleep eye masks for your stay. DRIVEWAY: Most driveways in gated communities are steep and most roads are bumpy and dusty. We frequently walk up and down the driveway, but we've had one guest before note that it was too steep to be walkable for them, so adding here for full transparency. CAR RENTALS: To get to Casa El Faro, we recommend flying into MGA or LIR and hiring a private driver (and we're happy to arrange that for you, if desired). From either airport, the ride is a scenic ~2-2.5 hour drive, but please note that in flying into LIR, you will have to cross the border. Once you arrive, we recommend renting a moto or an ATV from Renta Nica, or a car from Alamo Rental Car in town. There are also plenty of taxis (we'd be happy to provide our trusted contact for getting around if that is your preference). If you are renting a car, A 4x4 SUV is recommended if you plan to drive to the beaches, as the roads are not always in the best shape. PARTIES: Please note that parties are not permitted and having any additional guests at the home (beyond your group that made the reservation) need to be pre-approved by us. If you have a party, you will be charged an additional fee (starting at $100 USD).