House Manual
To ensure a safe pleasant stay please keep in mind the following:
Non Guest Visitor Policy:
Due to security and safety concerns, outside visitors are not allowed at the property. No exceptions. If you would like to have a visitor, they will be considered an extra guest and are subject to a fee of $10 per day. If you would like to have a visitor, we request that you add them as an additional person to your reservation. If they are arriving in a separate car, please let us know the date and approximate time so the host can receive them and indicate the location of your bungalow.
Playa Grande Beach
Our local beach is a hidden gem of Panama. There is natural shade but no other facilities, so take what you will need for the day. To get there, exit the property to the left and then go straight. Once you leave the property, it is a 5-7 min walk. The last part of the walk is a trail, so it is better to leave your car at the property and walk, as you can’t drive to the beach. The sand beach is excellent for swimming and walking. As with all beaches on the Panama Pacific, there is a significant tidal difference between high and low tides. Some days are as calm as a swimming pool, and some days there is a big shore break, and swimming is not recommended (non-swimming days are infrequent). As with any beach you are unfamiliar with, be responsible, especially with small children.
Beach towels and sand
Beach towels are provided at your bungalow for use at the beach. We request that you do not take the white bathroom towels down to the beach.
Please wash off sand upon returning from the beach:
We have outdoor showers located on the property and foot showers at the entrance to each bungalow to wash off beach sand. There is an outdoor shower next to bungalow #2 and behind bungalow #1. Thank you in advance for helping us and our plumbing system by not bringing sand into the inside shower.
Nature Trail and Labyrinth
Our property has a beautiful 10 minute jungle trail that starts at the blue water tank near the parking lot and ends at the walking meditation labyrinth. Great for connecting with nature and bird (and if you are lucky monkey) watching.
Air Conditioners
All of our sleeping bungalows have air conditioning. Our independent kitchens, located in shaded cooler areas of the property, do not have air conditioning but have multiple large windows and a screened doorway for maximum ventilation. To save energy, we kindly request that you turn the air conditioners off when not using the sleeping bungalows.
Trash Disposal
For your convenience, there are trash cans in your room. If staying multiple days, you can throw these and other trash bags into the more considerable trash throughout the property (please feel free to ask us where they are if you do not see them). Additional trash bags can be found at the bottom of each trash bin.
You can leave your clean recycling in your kitchen, and we will pick it up when you leave. We recycle glass, metal, cardboard, and plastic.
Local Commerce, Pharmacy, ATM
A five-minute drive away at the Las Uvas junction, you will find a gas station, convenience stores, bakery, beauty salon, pharmacy, hardware store, and local eateries. The Zaz convenience store at the gas station is 24 hours and has most things you forgot at home and an ATM inside. To get there, leave the property to the right, take a right at the highway, and after about 500 meters, take your next left at the gas station.
Excessive noise policy
It's important that you enjoy yourself and have a great stay at Istmo. Keep in mind we do have other bungalows on the property, and we request that you keep the noise to a minimum. External music should be turned off after 10 pm.
Pet Policy
If you have a pet, please have them on a leash while on the property. Please do not allow your pet on the bed or any furniture.
Barbeque grills (only units with kitchens)
A barbeque grill is provided as part of the kitchen supplies for the units that include kitchens. We request that you use them responsibly and only in the designated areas far from vegetation that may catch fire. When finished barbequing, cover and allow coals to burn down and extinguish in the barbeque pit. Once the ash is cold, dump the ash on the ground and douse it with water from the foot shower. We can not stress enough about using the BBQ grills responsibly, especially in the dry season (December- May). Unsafe burning and barbequing practices, dry environments, and strong tradewinds cause multiple wildfires in Panama every year.