The Galeodan Suites in Jardín de Helena
The Galeodan Suites in Jardín de Helena
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The Galeodan Suites are apartment suites, equipped for self-catering, but serviced by us. This Guest Manual contains vital information for their proper use and enjoyment.
We will go over much of the content during your check-in briefing, but it will be very helpful, for all of us, if you could read through this manual before coming to San Cristóbal.
| Emergency Services. (Police, Hospital, Fire) | 911 |
| Galeodan Office - Landline | (05) 252 1613* |
| Mobile \ WhatsApp | 099 654 9948 - English |
| Mobile \ WhatsApp | 099 643 4823 - Espanol |
* If you are calling from a land-line, you do not need to dial the (05) in front of other land-line numbers.
Depending on occupancy, we may be able to accommodate an earlier check-in. Otherwise, you can store your luggage in our office while we prepare your suite.
Check you have retrieved all your adapters. Please leave the key on the table or counter.
We recommend getting to the airport 90 minutes before departure, and to the pier, 40 minutes before departure (so by 2:14 for a 3:00pm crossing).
If you are reporting later, for a flight or ferry crossing, you can leave your bags in our office until the time. We will be happy to call a taxi for you.
During check-in, we give all guests an orientation briefing on:
Essentially – All the subject matter for which this document provides a preview before, and a reference during your stay.
Do NOT smoke in the suites. You can smoke on the balcony, but even then, be mindful of your neighbours who may be outside at the same time.
Although we have concrete floors and block walls, sound does carry through the structure. Please do not disturb your fellow guests with loud music and conversation – At any time. Heavy footsteps can be heard in the room below, and the sound of dragging furniture or suitcases can be particularly disturbing at night.
If you have the entrance or balcony door open for ventilation, please use the door stops so they do not slam with a gust of wind. Also take extra care to keep the screen-doors closed to keep out, birds, cats, lizards, rodents etc.
At the outside entrance, you will find a hose and nozzle. Please use this to rinse off as much sand as you can before entering the room. Take particular care to avoid sand going into the shower drain.
If you have any questions, or need any reminders, please contact us for answers.
Please tell us if have broken a glass or plate. We will not be looking for compensation (within reason) and will replace the item with our next room-check.
If something is already broken or is not working properly (such as hot water, A/C etc.), please let us know so we can fix it.
DO NOT put paper, napkins etc., in the toilet – It will block! Ecuadorian toilets have a 2” convoluted pipe which will block very easily and is very difficult to unblock.
In the waste-closet, usually under the sink, you will find a bucket and a basket. We segregate our garbage into:
Recyclable : Bottles, boxes, glass, cartons, etc. – In generally good condition and clean (no food scraps). Leave this on the floor of the closet. All bottles have a refundable deposit. We will leave picking these up until you check-out (in case you want to return them).
Organic – In the plastic bucket : Food waste, vegetables, bones, meat, chicken, fish, garden refuse, coffee grounds, etc.
Trash – In the basket : Non-recyclable inorganic waste such as plastic wrap, foam, tickets, tags, paper scraps, etc.
We take the garbage from our home and suites and put it at the street entrance on set days for pickup by the Municipality.
Although we have windmills in the highlands, and a bank of solar panels by the airport, most of our power still comes from burning diesel. Supply can barely meet demand and we have frequent power-failures. Most last only 20 to 30 minutes with occasional outages of a few hours.
The biggest impact you will make on the environment is through your use of the air conditioners.
To preserve the supply, the electrical company urges everybody to set their air conditioner no lower than 24 Celsius (75 Fahrenheit). That’s no problem for us – We are mindful of the stakes, and are accustomed to it. But we recognize it’s a big ask for some guests and so we only request that you try to keep the A/C at a reasonable temperature (22 and up).
If you can’t bear to switch it off, please at least turn the A/C up a couple of degrees when you are out of the room.
When bathroom windows are open, it will be significantly easier to keep the suite cool by closing the bathroom doors – Especially in the family suites.
NB:
Some air conditioners will take a minute to shutdown after switching off with the remote. But the unit display will go off, to indicate that it is shutting down.
If you want cooling, check on the remote that “Mode” is set to “Cool”
San Cristóbal is the only island with a natural fresh water supply: at El Junco, a crater lake in the highlands, from where it is pumped and treated before distribution. The supply is limited – Particularly during dry spells.
Like everyone else, the town supplies us with this water through a half-inch pipe, which is opened for only a couple of hours each day. The distribution system suffers frequent breakdowns and there are many days when we get no resupply to our storage tanks.
Please help us conserve this valuable resource by taking brief showers and limiting the time that taps are left open in the bathroom and kitchen.
Unlike most establishments, which use electric shower heads, we have installed gas-fired on-demand heaters so you can safely enjoy hot water in the bathroom and kitchen taps as well as in the shower. To use this hot water:
In the showers it takes a few seconds for the new mix to reach the shower head, so take it a step at a time until you have the temperature desired.
If water is not getting hot (you may also hear a whistle from the heater outside) PLEASE let us know, so we can make some adjustments, change the tank, or do whatever is needed to get it going again.
In the event of a power cut, water is supplied from standby roof-top tanks. The pressure will be much reduced, and the water heaters may not function. The standby tanks have limited capacity, so we all need to minimize usage until the power is restored.
There is no laundry service on the premises. There are laundries, within walking distance, where you leave your clothes and retrieve them a few hours later.
Each suite also has a clothesline , on the balcony or terrace, for hanging damp towels, swimsuits, and self-washed clothes.
We have Wi-Fi transmitters in each suite, so you should always be able to find a strong signal. All the signals are named after the suites: “Galeodan Penthouse”, Galeodan Amberjack, Galeodan Bonito”, etc… and plain “Galeodan” downstairs by our office. You can connect to any of them using the same password which we will give to you at check-in.
Note that we use a password, not a PIN number. If your device is asking for a PIN number, there should be an option on the display to login using another method – And then you can specify password.
Our WiFi network is fed by two Starlink satellite dishes on the roof, so the service is as good as it gets in Galápagos. Occasionally, you may notice a slight pause as the dishes track between passing satellites, but this should improve as they launch more satellites.
You will find WhatsApp (or alternatives like WeChat) very useful while staying. You can keep us advised of your needs, ask for taxis, report issues, ask questions etc.
In particular – You can tell us when you are going out in the morning so we can enter and service the room (see below).
You can be connected using your home number whenever connected to the Wi-Fi. But if you are messaging us to say you are going out, be sure to hit <send> before you are out of range – Or we will get your message just as you get back!
While there is petty crime, San Cristóbal is heavily policed, and it is safe to walk around the central area and waterfront in the late and early hours.
The Galeodan Suites are in a relatively quiet and secure sector, but you should still lock your room when you leave. There is a safe in each room for small valuables and cash. We will give you the code during check-in.
We have cleaning staff to help us prepare the suites for new guests, but we service the rooms ourselves - No cleaning staff enter an occupied room.
We use non-slip tiling on all exterior floors and stairs. But you should still be cautious when it rains.
Be sure to wipe your shoes when entering the suite - The interior tiles are very slippery when wet.
Please keep the door-screens closed at all times – The animals are just waiting to fly in, walk in or crawl in. Pull the screen so it clicks – Do not swing it shut or it will just bounce open again. If you are having trouble keeping it closed, please tell us so we can make adjustments.
Geckos are shy and while you may see them in the room, they will not come near or bother you except perhaps with the occasional “chirp” (like a bird). We value their help in controlling indoor bugs.
Ant scouts are present at all times, just looking for a meal, so take care to close containers completely, and try not to leave food on counters, or on the floor. Even a dead bug on the floor will result in a column of ants. Please use the dustpan and brush outside the door and replace it when done.
We provide all bed linens, and an extra blanket for cool nights. Let us know if you need another.
We provide shampoo, liquid soap, body wash, bathroom tissues, and a hairdryer.
We provide bath towels, hand towels and beach towels. Beach towels will be rolled up in the room or bathroom shelf.
When used on the beach, please keep towels away from vegetation, which is often impossible to remove. We advise against leaving a towel unrolled on the beach as you may find a sea lion has claimed it while you were in the water.
Please do not take towels on organized boat tours – the operator should provide these.
All kitchens are equipped with
Let us know if any of these are missing or damaged.
While all suites feature similar appliances, some require special guidance.
We equip all kitchens with a gas cooktop and a rechargeable electronic lighter wand. Some cooktops can also self-ignite, but all will need the lighter during power cuts. We will demonstrate use of the wand during check-in. Please keep the wand out of the reach of children.
Family suites feature a full-size fridge and the double suites a more compact mini fridge.
In the mini fridges, please do not leave the freezer-flap open. The freezer compartment will frost up and stop working until we have time to defrost it.
Some of the toaster-ovens, particularly the Oster brand, require that the dial be turned at least halfway around before turning back to the desired time setting – Otherwise they do not switch off. This is explained in tiny Spanish print next to the dial but even Spanish speakers are unlikely to notice it.
The coffee makers have a built-in filter. Three to four teaspoons, with the reservoir filled to “4”, is usually good for 2 mugs. Please do not fill the filter to the brim - It will just overflow and make a mess.
To use our typical Ecuadorian the kitchen soap, keep the top of the tub wet and dip the sponge in. Please be careful - It makes dishes, and especially glasses very slippery.
If you are having trouble operating any of the equipment, something does not work or it appears to be broken – Please let us know.
We provide guests with unlimited filtered water for drinking and cooking.
We also provide the basics of a healthy breakfast to enjoy at the dining table or out on the balcony \ terrace. There are numerous stores in walking distance where you can buy extras like bacon, cheese etc.
In the fridge you will find:
In kitchen overhead cupboards, you will find:
In the fridge you will find:
In kitchen overhead cupboards, you will find:
We will restock all of these during our daily room-check.
In the evening, we will deliver a bag of fresh rolls from a local bakery. We will hang this outside the door or at the top of the Penthouse stairs.
Please take care to close all containers securely to prevent invasion by ants.
There is a limited range and quantity of local produce, and most of what we consume is shipped from the continent. The supply breaks down frequently and there will be times when we are unable to replenish some supplies such as milk, eggs or fruit. At times of short supply, the quality of produce drops before it completely disappears. You may still see fruit or eggs in some stores, but it is probably old or close to rotten.
Even at the best of times, we do not know how long eggs have been sitting in the truck or dockside awaiting loading. We recommend you break eggs one by one to be sure one bad egg doesn’t spoil the whole meal.
At some time, while you are out, we will enter the suite for a room-check.
Please remember that these are apartment suites. We are not a full-service hotel, and we perform only a maintenance check – We don’t make the beds or wash dishes.
No employees will enter an occupied suite – We do the service ourselves.
With your cooperation we much prefer to do this check in the morning. Please send us a message to let us know when you will be leaving the suite for an hour or more. It helps us to know your touring schedule so we can anticipate when you are going out.
But call us any time if you are running low on essentials such as water or bathroom tissue.
Although we are in the quietest part of town, even we are not immune from the sounds of humanity at work and play.
The islanders like to party! Sometimes you will hear loud music - so loud and so “close” that you would think it’s coming from right next-door - But it isn’t. It’s usually coming from across the bay or one of the stadiums downtown. Because of our elevation, and the prevailing wind direction, sounds can carry to us from downtown or across the bay.
Sound bounces of rocks and walls making it hard to identify the source. It may seem to be coming from a neighbour when it is actually from another direction altogether.
They usually shut down by 11:00 or 12:00pm but, on occasion (during Carnaval or elections) they can go on all night. That’s why we recommend bringing earplugs with you. Unless you want to join them.
Behind the Suites, across the road, is the first school in Galápagos: Alejandro Alvear (for ages 6 to 15). They use a siren rather than a bell and on Monday mornings (at around 7:15) it can be a bit noisy while they have their assembly.
Navy cadets can sometimes be heard sounding off as they pass by on their morning jog.
We are lucky to be right on the edge of town, where there are few dogs and chickens, and the local community is more active than most in suppressing noise. But, even from a distance, it sometimes reaches us.
We have long ago finished structural work our complex. The only work remaining is on the third level where we hope one day to move ourselves. It is complete except for windows and internal finishes (tile, painting etc.).
Now and then there will be someone building in the neighbourhood. We have no control over that and cannot predict when it may happen. Still we are much better off than in town where there is constant construction and renovation.
Except for the fan in the Penthouse, ALL fan lights are controlled from wall-switches. We have removed the light pull-chains to try and avoid confusion.
| Contact Us - Galeodan Suites | |
|---|---|
| Email: | info@galeodan.com |
| Telephone: | +593 5 252 1613 |
| Mobile \ WhatsApp | +593 99 654 9948 - English |
| Mobile \ WhatsApp | +593 99 643 4823 - Espanol |
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