House rules
Short version below. The longer version exists because this is an old house on two acres of desert, and a few things out here don't work the way they do in town.
Check-in is any time after 4:00 PM. Checkout is before 11:00 AM. If the calendar allows it we'll happily give you an early arrival or a late departure — just ask, and ask before the day itself rather than on it.
The house sleeps ten guests maximum, and that number includes everyone on the property, not only the people sleeping here. It's a condition of our permit, not a preference.
There is no gate or lock on the pool or the hot tub. If anyone in your group is a child or a non-swimmer, they must be supervised by an adult at all times, including after dark.
The cowboy tub is a cool dip, not a heated pool — it does what it does with the weather. The hot tub is heated and takes a few hours to come back up if the cover is left off, so please put it back on when you're done.
No glass anywhere near either one. A broken glass in a dip tub means draining it, and that ends the water for the rest of your stay and probably the next guest's too.
The house is on septic. Nothing goes down the toilet except toilet paper — no wipes, no cotton pads, no paper towel, nothing labelled flushable, because it isn't. A septic failure is a several-thousand-dollar repair and it takes the house out of service for days.
Water pressure is desert pressure. Ten people showering in the same hour is more than the system enjoys. Spread it out.
One of our favourite things about being out here is the wildlife, so don't be surprised to meet a few unexpected guests — wild rabbits, coyotes, mice, beetles, snakes and spiders all live here. The desert is their home. Shake out your shoes, don't leave food outside, and don't put your hands anywhere you can't see.
Coyotes are active at dusk and after dark. If you've brought a dog, don't leave it outside unattended at night.
The firepit and the BBQ both run on propane. No wood fires, no charcoal, no fireworks, no sky lanterns, anywhere on the property, at any time of year. This is not a house rule so much as a regional one — the high desert is fire country and a single ember carries.
Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the property, indoors or outdoors, tobacco or cannabis in any form. If you smoke off-property, cigarette ends go in water, never on the ground.
The nearest house is closer than the darkness makes it feel, and sound carries a very long way across open desert at night. Please keep music and voices low outdoors between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM, and keep amplified music inside the house at all hours.
Cars stay in the driveway. Please don't park on the road or on the desert floor — the ground looks solid and frequently isn't.
Not permitted without prior approval, the applicable permit, and additional fees. That's the rule as written, and it applies to weddings, elopements, workshops, brand shoots, catalogue shoots and film crews equally.
It is not a no. We host shoots and small gatherings regularly and we'd rather do it properly with you than find out afterwards. Ask early — county sign-off takes about two weeks. Rates and technical specs are on the shoots page.
There are exterior security cameras on the property, covering the entrances and the driveway. There are none inside the house, and none in the pool, hot tub or corral areas. They exist to protect the property between stays and we don't monitor them during yours.
The walls have healing crystals placed throughout — quartz, amethyst, smoky quartz, green aventurine, aquamarine and rose quartz. Please leave them where they are.
The furniture was sourced across the US, Morocco, Mexico City and Oaxaca, and most of it is one of one. Rugs, ceramics and brass aren't things we can reorder. Treat them the way you'd want someone treating yours.
Please don't rearrange the outdoor furniture onto the desert floor, and bring the cushions in if wind is forecast — it gets up fast out here and they end up in the next county.
Beyond that, don't strip the beds or scrub anything — that's what the cleaning fee is for.
Pets: your listing doesn't state a policy, and Airbnb lists you under pet-friendly rentals for the area. Confirm yes or no, plus any fee or size limit.
If you're booking through this site rather than a platform, these rules form part of your rental agreement, along with the damage deposit and the guest agreement you'll sign at checkout. Nothing here is a surprise you'll find out about later — it's all on this page.
See dates and ratesRegistration CESTRP-2020-00442 · Flamingo Heights, San Bernardino County, California