We enjoy creating a relaxing, comfortable environment for our guests, as well as assisting them with any questions they might have. We are happy to provide many amenities that hotels do not offer at a lower price. However, we are a small operation, and can't compete with hotels when it comes to flexibility. If reservation is cancelled on a short notice, we can't fill it. We ask you to plan your dates carefully to avoid disappointment. We request at least a 2 weeks notice for cancellations to keep your booking deposit.
Our cancellation policy is similar to that of other short term rentals, including Airbnb.com and most BnB accommodations. No refunds are issued if guests leave before the originally booked dates and we are not able to fill cancelled nights. If you cancel and we are able to re-rent your dates, a full refund will be issued for the number of booked nights.
How to make reservations
When sending us an inquiry, please include the dates of your stay and the number of people and pets staying with you.
The quickest way to book with us is through Airbnb.com (Links to Airbnb listings: Townhouse B, Townhouse C, Condo, House ). For those who need some extra peace of mind, booking on Airbnb.com provides additional guarantees. Airbnb users may request refund if the property does not match the description or if anything is not working properly. The chance of your reservation being cancelled is much lower if you book through Airbnb as all cancellations automatically show in the host's reviews (we NEVER cancel reservations, but thought this was important to mention for those who had unpleasant experience with cancellations in the past).
Unfortunately Airbnb booking fee is not refunded by LANL and as far as we know, by many other government employers as well.
If you are not booking our properties on Airbnb, we request a $250 booking deposit to hold your reservations. Deposit can be mailed as a check or sent through paypal to LosAlamosHome@gmail.com. A $250 booking deposit also serves as a damage deposit and is returned within 24 hours after your departure. The reservations are paid upon arrival. Checks are our preferred form of payment, but we also take credit cards, paypal, venmo, cash.
FAQs
Will LANL pay for my stay at your property? Our guests never had problems with LANL compensating their stay at our properties, but please double check with LANL your coverage. We are not associated with LANL and can not guarantee LANL coverage in each and every case. For reimbursement our guests submit to LANL a signed receipt of their payment and a short term lease agreement. LANL will also ask for a proof of your payment (a copy of your check, or your credit card statement). For new hires, LANL compensates 60 days of lodging expenses for staff members, and 30 days for postdocs. Please keep in mind that LANL doesn't cover a cleaning fee, pet cleaning fee ($100-200 per stay depending on the breed and length of stay), and Airbnb booking fee (if you are booking through airbnb.com).
How long is a short term, can I stay for a few months? Our guests stay with us for various periods of time. The majority of our guests are LANL new hires, visiting scientists, PhD students, and business travelers. They usually stay for 1-3 months. We also have people who come to visit families or explore outdoors, and stay for a few days. We welcome all stays! Our minimum stay is 3 weeks, and shorter stays have to be arranged around longer stays - in between, or adjacent to them.
What taxes are applied? There are no taxes for stays 31 days or longer. If you stay for less than 31 day, New Mexico law for Airbnbs and short term rentals requires to add Gross Receipt tax of 7.3125% and a Lodging Tax of 5%, so an extra 12.3125% will be applied to your invoice, just like at the hotels.
Can I bike to LANL from your properties? Yes. It takes about 10-20 minutes to bike to LANL Otowi building (where the badge office is) from the properties. If you need a bike, ask us ahead of time to reserve a bike. Bike is free, as long as you take a good care of it! If you damage a tire, please fix or replace it.
How close is the bus stop? Can I make it to LANL on a bus? The bus stops are within a few minutes walking distance from properties. Generally, all bus stops in town are located within 5 minutes of walking from any residence (10 minutes at the most for slow walkers). The bus will take you to the transit center near the entrance to LANL area. From there you can walk, bike, or use the free LANL taxi (667-taxi) to get to the building you need.
What is your check-in and check-out times? Our check-in time is 4 PM, our check-out is 11 AM. When we can, we are always happy to accommodate late check-outs and early check-ins, but can not guarantee them ahead of time. You are welcome to bring your belongings any time after 11 AM.
What is your Pets Policy? PETS ARE APPROVED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. Most of the time we only allow pets in Townhouse C, as it has the largest backyard. We rigorously clean after pets to ensure the pet allergens are at the lowest level possible. We do not allow cats as some of our guests (and us) are very sensitive to cats allergens.
Pets references are very much appreciated. Dogs are subject to an additional cleaning fee of $100-200 depending on the breed and length of stay. Dogs may not be left inside unattended. Any damages caused by your dogs inside the property or in the front/back yards will constitute replacement at your expense. Please clean up after your dog in the yard, otherwise an additional $50 - $100 fee will apply. Please do not allow your dogs in the beds to avoid charges for damaged bedding. We do not allow aggressive dogs and constant barkers on our properties. If your dog tends to cause problems, please keep him at dogs boarding or look at other lodging options. By booking with us, you agree to these terms and conditions.
How safe is the neighborhood of your properties? Los Alamos is a safe town and our crime rate is very low, all of the neighborhoods are normally safe. All properties are located in the areas, where most of the residents are LANL employees and their families. For the outdoors safety please refer to the note below.
How often do you wash your bath mats and and duvet covers? We always wash them between guests. Being from Europe, we couldn't resist bringing the European tradition of duvet covers to our rentals. In Europe they are used in place of flat sheets, and we think they are much more comfortable and hygienic. We hope you will like them as well! All extra duvet covers, pillows in pillowcases, and bed linens that you will find in a closet are clean. We ask you to please let us know if you have used any of them, so that we can wash them. We care about our guests with sensitivities, and only use fragrance free, dermatologists and pediatricians recommended laundry detergent for all bedding, towels, and bath robes. We are health and environmentally conscious and try to use "green" cleaning products whenever possible.
What exactly is included? Will I have all I need for cooking?
Our rentals are very much like home (some say they are better:)). The kitchens have everything you might need, including small kitchen appliances. Please view the list of amenities and furnishings, as well as pictures of the contents of the kitchen cabinets and closets here.
HOUSE RULES
NO SMOKING inside the house (no exceptions!).
Please be considerate of neighbors and maintain acceptable level of noise between 9 pm and 7 am.
Please leave the house as you found it, so other guests can have the same experience you did with a quick turn around. If the property is left in a state, requiring excessive amount of cleaning above the typical 3-4 hours, the cost of extra cleaning will be charged to your security deposit.
For everyone's protection, the reserving guest must provide a photo ID to receive the keys.
CLEANING FEE is $150.
Outdoor safety
When enjoying the outdoors, please watch out for the wildlife. Los Alamos is often visited by mountain lions, bears, coyotes and deer. Rattle snakes are common in the area as well.
Bears are frequent visitors in town and they seem to love our trails as much as we do. Occasionally they will wander on the streets and check out backyards, sometimes trying to make it into the kitchens, but most often they stay in the wooded area around town. Please keep an eye on your children and pets playing outside, and keep the doors closed when not in the room. Do not leave trash outside and clean the grill after use. Your food is what the bears are after. Be especially aware of the mothers with cubs. The bear attacks that happened in the area, were caused by the mother bears protecting their cubs. Pepper/bear spray is occasionally available in town, but Amazon is your best bet.
There are many videos online on what to do when you encounter the wildlife. In short, with mountain lions you should try to appear big and aggressive (luckily the mountain lion encounters are some of the most rare). With bears stand your ground and make lots of noise. If you show them you mean business, they may just lose interest. If the black bear actually attacks, fight back. Use anything and everything as a weapon- rocks, sticks, fists, and your teeth. Aim your blows on the bears face- particularly the eyes and snout. When a black bear sees that their victim is willing to fight to the death, they’ll usually just give up. With snakes, it's best to be able to identify which are venomous and which are not, walk with a walking stick, poke at the ground, and stamp on the ground (they respond to the vibration), give snakes lots of space and if you get bitten keep the bite below you heart and seek medical attention immediately. If you are hiking, talk loudly, sing, or clap your hands from time to time to make animals aware of your presence.
Our nature is amazing! Hope you will come to love it as many locals do. If you need advice on hiking trails, don't hesitate to ask, I am always happy to share my favorite places and put some useful links for outdoor activities here.
We have created a restful place that you can think of as your home away from home when you’re in Los Alamos. We hope you will enjoy it, and while you are here, will have a chance to discover the magic and beauty of the Land of Enchantment. If you have any questions about our properties or the area, please feel free to contact us. We'd love to hear from you!