So, in the next couple of days we are opening for business! YEAH!
Throughout the last 2 months - getting ready for this day - we've asked all of you to help us with House Rules & House Manual. This is what we've come up with so far. I'm not posting for critique per-se, but to show what we've done. I know we may change it to be less "guest hostile" (as one host put it earlier) but more to show and remind some hosts as to things they've never thought about.
I realize that the wording in many places will be "tempered" but I've found that detailed is best.
Many of you (@Farah, @Huma0, @Branka & Silvia, @Jessica & Henry, @Sharion, @Momi0) have contributed either thoughts, ideas or wording to this...so if you see something you suggested and or have posted and do not want it used, please let me know.
This is simply the introduction, rules and the "manual" section of the booklet I am putting in the room. It's meant to tell guest the rules, where things are in the studio and how to use items. I am *not* putting manuals for the appliances in the studio so this serves as basic instructions as well.
Please tell me what you think:
Welcome to Studio Bramasole!
Our address is xxx
Please reach out to us through the AirBnB Messaging function within the app. It’s the best method to use to contact us. If there is an emergency or you cannot use the app for some reason please call us at xxx-xxx-xxxx. That number is voice-only. We cannot use text messaging without using the AirBnB Messaging app. This is for our mutual protection and safety. If a text message is directed to the phone number provided we will copy the message to the AirBnB Messaging platform and then answer your query there.
Safety:
A safety card is found in this house manual — and mounted to the left of the front door, however the following information is provided for quick reference:
Hospitals:
Sutter Medical Center
30 Mark West Springs Road
Phone: 707-576-4000
Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
1165 Montgomery Drive
Phone: 707-546-3210
Kaiser Hospital
401 Bicentennial Way
Phone: 800-464-4000
For Ambulance, Police and Emergency, please dial 911. Non-emergency referrals for Sonoma County are available by dialing 211.
Property Information & House Rules
Check-in/Out Times:
Access to property before 3pm on check-in day is not permitted. We don't allow early arrivals or late departures. We fully clean and turn-over the property daily. That requires time to ensure it is done to your satisfaction.
Check-in is between 3pm and 5pm unless otherwise discussed and agreed to via AirBnB messaging. You will be issued a code for the electronic lock. This code is valid during the agreed-upon entry and exit times (normally 3pm - 10am). This code is disabled anytime before or after those hours.
Guest Identification:
We require each guest (over the age of 15) to have - and show - a valid unexpired government-issued identification upon check-in. Guests who do not provide this identification will not be allowed to check-in. This will be construed as the guest wishing to cancel the reservation and will carry appropriate AirBnB penalties.
Quiet Time(s):
We are FIRM with quiet time between 10PM and 7am. This is not just a House Rule, there is a local ordinance to this effect. Our neighbors appreciate this as well. This listing is on a property with 2 other units. These units have people that work from home - one of which is us. This means you must be aware of noise you are making throughout the day.
Smoking/Drug Policy:
There is no smoking or drugs allowed - by anyone staying in the studio or visiting - anywhere on the property or around it. If you are a smoker and you got a reservation then it was a mistake. You must not have read the listing fully. We also understand that Marijuana is legal in California, however it is not allowed anywhere on our property - nor are any other recreational drugs.
Guest(s) of Studio Residents:
We are perfectly happy having people pop by to pick you up, but you may not use the studio to entertain them. We'd be happy to help you find other places to spend time with your family and friends.
All overnight guests must be approved in advance through the booking process and are subject to an additional fee as noted in the price. This must be done no later than 24 hours prior to check-in and paid for at that time. Failure to do this is a violation of our House Rules; no entry/no refund if you violate the rules. Again, if you bring anyone with you at any point other than AirBnB-verified guests, they will not be allowed into the house at all, even to help you move stuff in. This benefits us and will benefit you in turn should you stay here. We are safety-first kind of Hosts, and there are no stray people wandering on the property.
Parties of any kind are not allowed in the studio or on the property. Loud music is also not allowed.
Parking:
Familiarize yourself with the days of the week in English and the 24 hour clock. This will greatly help you with parking if you are coming by car - as parking is not provided on the property. Parking is available within 1/2 block of the apartment. Ask for more information upon arrival. If you choose to park outside the areas which we have instructed it is against House Rules and you will be told to check-out - not move your car - check-out.
Cars parked on-property will be considered breaking House Rules and will be towed - and you will be told to check-out. Street parking in front of the unit - or other units at this location - is prohibited. Permits are required and you will be ticketed and/or towed, You will be told to check-out.
Deliveries:
Deliveries - apart from food deliveries - are not allowed. This means no Amazon shipments either. There are "Amazon lockers" located throughout the neighborhood where you may pick up deliveries at your convenience.
Internet:
WiFi: “xxxxxxx Guests”
Password: “xxxxxxxxxx”
The WiFi access point is actually under the studio floor (in the garage) for the best coverage of the studio. It broadcasts on both the 2.4gHz and 5gHz bands — with the 5gHz being the fastest, best option for your devices. Internet in the studio is considered high-speed however it — like all other internet — slows down when people get home from work. We have noticed no appreciable slow-downs and to combat this we have installed a high-speed WiFi access point. If you have issues, let us know.
By booking this listing you agree not to use the WiFi for file-sharing networks and systems, including BitTorrent; no exceptions. If systems on our network are found to connect to these sites it will be considered a breach of House Rules and you will be told to check-out. Our home network monitors for - and takes action against - devices which break this House Rule.
Televisions:
There are two televisions in the studio. One is on the dresser and has cable with 140+ channels. It may be turned to be viewed from other angles but please lift and turn it — as it sits on an antique dresser. This TV has a Comcast/XFinity “DTA converter box.” If you cannot change/see channels, this TV set must be turned to HDMI-1 input with the Samsung remote control “source” button. The TV channels are then changed with the XFinity remote control. If the XFinity television/cable system is interfered with, a $150 service call - which you will be billed for - may be the end result.
The other TV is mounted on the wall in front of the couch in the sitting area. It is static and cannot be swiveled. This tv does not have cable and is there for you to use as a streaming monitor or to be hooked up to your phones or iPads via HDMI or “Samsung Mirroring.” The connections are on the right of the TV. Use the “source” button on the Samsung remote control to choose which input you wish to watch. There is a “SMART” button on both Samsung remote controls for the TVs. This brings up internet/streaming options. Please be aware that if you log into YouTube, Netflix, etc with your credentials, that they will be erased after you check-out, automatically. Both TV sets are reset to “factory settings” upon check-out. The televisions are both set to “Eco Mode/Low-Energy Mode” and adjust their backlighting automatically to give the best picture.
Shower:
The shower is a step-in shower stall with a Shower Massage w/5 settings. This shower is equipped with a “water restrictor” built-in to the showerhead. It allows flows up to 2.5 gal/minute. The shower hose is of the “bounce-back” variety. This allows you to stretch it to where you need to reach — and it will pull back when tension is released. There is a shower tray mounted on the shower wall (on your left). It has conditioner (on the left) and shampoo (on the right). Washcloths are in a tray on the shelf — next to the sink — as is a new bar of soap. Feel free to leave the soap bar in the shower for you to use later. The metal rack between the conditioner and shampoo is the perfect place to allow the soap bar to drain. There is a shower fan with light above the shower. The switch closest to the mirror controls this fan (and overhead shower light). Please use it while showering — as the studio is small and the humidity will climb in the room if the fan is not used.
To allow your towels and washcloths to dry the shower has two rods. The rod inside the shower is great for hanging your washcloth. The rod on the sliding shower door (or behind the bathroom door) is for drying your towels.
Just a note: We provide you with lovely white Royal Velvet bath sheets, towels and washcloths. Normal wear & tear is expected, but please do not use them to remove makeup. We provide Cottonelle FreshCare wipes for this purpose. They are in a container on the back of the toilet. They work wonderfully. Simply flush them when done.
Bathroom:
We are no longer in a drought in California: It's a shame we have to say this part; flush after each use of the toilet.
Circuit Breakers:
The breaker box in inside the closet with the sliding doors (left-most closet). Simply open the metal panel, check for the popped breaker, pull it TOWARD the middle of the panel then pull away. It will click into place.
GFCI Outlets:
Both the kitchen and bathroom are protected by GFCI. This is to prevent an electric shock. There is one GFCI “master switch” in each room. In the bathroom it is to the left of the mirror. Simply press the top button to reset the electricity flow to the room. In the kitchen it is to the left of the stove. If the master switch will not reset or pops, call us immediately!
Water Heater:
This studio has a 50 gallon electric hot-water heater. We are loathe to set it too high — and therefore possibly scald people — so it is set at 120 °F (49 °C) — per the Consumer Products Safety Division. This prevents scalding — but is hot enough for a good shower and washing dishes.
Disposal:
The garbage disposal is in the left-hand sink. The button that activates it is above the right-hand sink. ‘nuff said.
Dishwasher:
There are dishwasher tablets (Cascade) under the sink on the left. Please use these to wash dishes. Do not use your own. Everything we provide (pots, pans, bakeware, dishes, glasses, etc) can be put in the dishwasher. Do not use the “HEAT” drying cycle on the dishwasher. The "HEAT" cycle takes a lot of electricity. After the washing cycle ends simply open the dishwasher door about one inch and leave the dishes to dry. Thank you in advance for being environmentally friendly. There is also an in-sink dish drain for when you wash your own dishes. Contrary to what most people think, the dishwasher does save more water and energy than hand-washing dishes. Please use it when necessary.
Refrigerator:
There are two “French Doors” for the refrigerator sections. These open to one single compartment. There is no “water” built-in to the fridge. Instead there is a PUR filtered water container inside the refrigerator. The water is full upon your arrival. Simply add more water when needed. This is cleaned and sterilized between guests. On the lower half of the refrigerator there are two freezer doors that open to two separate freezers. The refrigerator does not make ice so ice is provided for you in the left-hand freezer compartment. We have provided one container. If you need more, let us know.
Stove:
This is a smooth-top electric stove and both a normal *or* convection oven. The pots and pans are in the lower cabinet between the stove and the fridge. The broiler pan is in the drawer under the oven. Please do not use other pots and/or pans on this stove. The surface of this stove is strong — but can be scratched. Normal usage will not scratch it however abuse will. Do not clean it with any abrasive. When it cools it can be cleaned with one of the non-scratch sponges we provide at the sink. If you have issues cleaning it, please let us know and we can take care of it.
Microwave:
Most of this is self-evident, however, the controls on the microwave are inside the door. Simply open the door to set the advanced options. Otherwise, this is a normal microwave oven. The door opens simply by pulling on the built-in handle.
Dishes:
All of the dishes and glasses are located in the upper cabinet next to the sink. Silverware & Utensils are located in the drawer between the stove and fridge. Kitchen towels, napkins & cleaning towels are located to the left of stove.
Kitchen Odds & Ends:
Hot water kettle, french press, toaster, cutting board, a pitcher, strainer and cutting board are located in the cabinet beneath the kitchen towels.
Ceiling Fan:
The ceiling fan is set to blow down during the summer months and up in the winter months. In Santa Rosa, CA we define this as follows: Nov - Apr (winter): Fan blows up; May - Oct (summer): Fan blows down. This may seem odd to you but California has a late “Indian Summer” season in September & October. If you wish to change the direction go to the wall switch (located next to the front door) and tap the lower paddle once. Wait until the fan stops. On the neck of the fan there is a black switch that can be triggered up and down. That switch “points” in the direction that the air will flow. Just a hint: If it is cold outside, flip the switch up. If hot, flip it down.
The fan wall switch is strange to some, but you’ll get used to it. The lower “paddle” toggles power to it off and on. The left/right paddles on the switch control the speed. Tapping left or right will move an LED on the switch from low to med to high, etc. Do not use the pull-string on the fan to either control the fan speed or to turn it off.
Important: The fan will automatically change speeds OR turn on if the temperature in the room exceeds safe conditions AND you are not in the room. There are several “occupancy sensors” in the room that decide when this may happen. This is a safety/security feature.
Air Conditioner:
This is a high-efficiency, heat pump. It provides cooling and heating. The remote control for it is on the wall next to the front door. It - like many units — requires a few minutes of ramp-up time for the compressor when it is turned on — therefore the fan may not immediately begin to blow when you first turn on the unit. If you see a temperature in the LCD screen, the unit is turned on and working. The unit should always be either in COOL or HEAT mode. This will be displayed in the upper left of the LCD display. Never place the unit in AUTO mode. This may seem counter-intuitive but it is something we will explain in person. The speed control is best placed in AUTO mode. This is displayed in the upper right of the LCD. The temperature chosen will be displayed in the middle of the display. This seems confusing but will be understood when you see the unit. Please leave the remote in the wall mount — as it is the best place for it to sense ambient room temperature. Close all windows and doors when using the A/C or Heating.
Note: The temperature is not to be set less than 72°F degrees in the summer or 80°F in the winter. This will cause extended wear and damage to the unit. The system is set to alert the Host should this happen. The system is a heat pump. If you want the studio to be 75°F, It will cool the studio to 75°F just as fast if you set it to 75°F as if you set it at 70°F. “Spiking” the temperature does nothing except cause it to run more. There is no reason that the unit should be set at those temperatures for extended periods of time.
Linen/Cleaning/Consumables:
If your stay is less than one week the linens are not changed nor are any condiment refills performed. If your stay is one week or more, then linen is changed and the room will be serviced one time per week on Monday sometime between 10am and noon. We will not be able to alter the time and date this occurs. If you are staying long-term please factor this time window into your visit. We will knock on the door and wait for an answer. If there is no answer then we will enter the room, do the requisite linen change — including making the bed, replacing all towels and washcloths, etc — but will not do a deep cleaning of the studio. We will replace toilet paper, soaps, bed, bath and kitchen linen. We will refill all condiments such as coffees, teas, sugar, Sweet-n-Low, non-dairy creamers, etc. We provide dish soap and sponges for you to clean your kitchen area as well as bath area during your stay. Deep cleans can be requested (for an extra charge — and must be approved via the AirBnB app) if you wish to have a deep cleaning during your stay.
If there is an accidental spill, let us know and we will provide you with fresh linens. Do not try to "help" by spraying cleaning products on them - or any of the furniture.
Consumables such as coffee and tea refills, as well as shampoo & conditioner are always available during your stay upon request. If you need any refills of any of the items you see in the studio during your stay, please let us know.
Furniture:
The bed, sofa, pub table, appliances, etc are not to be moved around - even if you intend to put them back after your stay.
Appliances:
No appliances of any kind are allowed to be brought onto the property. This includes but is not limited to space heaters, portable air conditioners, dehumidifiers, etc.
Trash:
This studio has two garbage receptacles located in the cabinet to the right of the fridge. There is one garbage receptacle on the upper shelf in this cabinet, and one recycle receptacle on the lower shelf in this cabinet. They are separately labeled as Garbage and Recycle - with international icons for each on each receptacle. There is also a “recycle do’s & don’t’s" instructional guide attached to the inside of this cabinet for your review. There is also the same guide in this House Manual. This tells you what you need to know should you decide to recycle. Some items that Sonoma County does NOT consider recyclable are unexpected, so please glance at this guide.
We have two different color trash bags. One is brown and one is white. When replacing/refilling the trash bags during your stay - if needed - use the brown bag for recycle and the white for regular trash. The bags for both receptacles are located under the sink on the left. If you fill the receptacles during your stay simply take the bags out of the receptacles, tie them shut (this is important) take them down the stairs outside. On the rear of your studio (to the rear of the garage doors) there are 3 cans against the yellow garage. One is brown. This is regular garbage. One is blue. This is recycle. If they are not there (trash day is Tuesday morning — the cans will be on the street) or are full, please leave the bags against the garage and let us know they were full. We will handle it from there.
Lights:
The kitchen overhead lights are controlled from the wall switch next to the stove. All the lights in the main room & outside (porch and stairs) are Philips Hue. There are two remote controls in the room to control the lighting in the main room. Do not use the light switches on the lamps. Use the remote controls to turn the lamps on and off — or control the brightness. The remote on the wall next to the bed controls the bedside lamp. The remote on the wall next to the couch controls both the wall light and the table light on either side of the couch. The remotes also can dim or brighten the lamps. The lights on the porch and stairs are both dusk-to-dawn lights and are controlled by the household security system. Do not attempt to turn them on and off.
Blinds & Curtains:
The sun here is bright. The security lights and street lights surrounding the house are lit at night as well. During the day the blinds are not enough to keep sun out and — depending on your preference — may not be enough to keep the light out at night. The curtains are blackout curtains. Simply close the blinds (its best to angle the blinds upwards) then pull the curtains closed. The room will be much darker. Please remember there are blinds on the front door - covering the window in the door. Close these at night in order to keep the light — and security camera’s view — closed off.
Travel Essentials:
In the closet near to the bathroom (w/the bi-fold doors) we have provided an iron, ironing board, luggage racks, and both a “hand” and a “floor” Swiffer with appropriate refills for each. Please use the luggage racks when unpacking your clothing into the dresser. This will stop accidental stains on both the bedding & the sofa from the wheels of the luggage, etc. There is also “Downy Wrinkle Releaser” spray in the bathroom - on the cabinet above the toilet - for you to use if you wish. The hand Swiffer is handy for taking care of dust on furniture throughout your stay - and the floor Swiffer is handy for those small spills or tracked-in-dirt and dust.
Security:
There are 4 security cameras surrounding the property. We will show you the locations when you arrive as part of your property tour. These record 24/7 and are for our safety and yours. Remember that their footage is secure and attempting to disconnect them or destroy them will not stop the footage they’ve already captured.
Household Items:
Most of the items in the studio (including the appliances, bed, bedding, towels, sofa, pub table, and all of the kitchenware) were purchased from our local JCPenney. If you are interested in any of them, please let us know. There is an inventory of all the items (with their part numbers) in this manual. Feel free to remove it from the manual and take it with you.
Check-Out Procedures:
'Check-out' is a term we use meaning your final departure, which must be done by 10am on check-out day, when your stay is over. When your stay is completed and you are ready to check-out do the following:
Close and lock all windows and close blinds.
Turn off all lights and small appliances.
Put all dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
Put all dirty/used towels in the laundry hamper.
Leave all bedding and pillows on the beds.
Report any damaged or missing items to your Hosts.
