Information | Hacienda La Rusa

Information about the villa and the village .

en español https://haciendalarusa.com/informacion/

Dear Patrons, thank you for choosing Hacienda La Rusa to be your vacation home in Mexico !

Hacienda La Rusa is a beautiful villa in the middle of the rural fishing village Barra de Potosi on the Pacific coast. It has common kitchen, dining room, terraces and patios, 2 swimming pools and garden; 7 comfortable, charming, tropical guests rooms and bungalows ; the property is completely walled in for your privacy and security.

Hacienda la Rusa is located at the entrance to Barra de Potosi on the right (beach) side. There is only a restaurant between us and the beach.

If you use social Media, you can follow updates and photos:

on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/haciendalarusa

on Instagram #HaciendaLaRusa

The rhythms of our villa revolve around peace, zen, happiness, animal and human welfare and green practices. in 2013, Stasya Briggs, with the help of her late husband Mike Heiner, has founded Amigos de Animales ( www.amigosdeanimales.org) - the largest Animales Welfare Charity organization In Guerrero. Amigos de Animales run a rescue shelter, a Spay and Neuter program and animal welfare education project for kids and adults. Since 2014, thanks to support of many our guests, we helped many people and animals: we have organized numerous mass Spay and Neuter clinics , paid for the sterilization of over 8000 animals, we fed hungry kids, delivered meds, distributed clothes, schools supplies, bug sprays and toys , we taught classes in 15 local schools, and prior to COVID we had summer camps, daily, feeding and caring for over 100 children.

If it's your first time here, and you would like to find out how to help, people or animals, please don't hesitate to visit www.amigosdeanimales.org or talk to us.

the village of Barra de Potosi sits on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, 15 minutes from the international airport and 30 minutes away from the major resort city of Ixtapa - Zihuatanejo.

This is NOT a typical resort area; there are no banks, no ATM, no high-rise condos, no golf course. Barra de Potosi is an amazingly rural laid back village of about 800 residents, mostly fishermen, craftsman, coconut workers, rancheros and a few dozen expats.

Barra de Potosí is famous for its 10 miles long gorgeous beach and network of lagoons surrounding the village with over 200 species of birds .

The village is simple and authentic, with 3 streets and 3 small stores; truly the right place for a visitor with a taste for a cultural adventure and untouched natural beauty. This rustic Mexican village is what Sayulita or Tulum used to be.

Barra de Potosi has everything for a fun vacation – bird watching, whale watching, deep see fishing, horse riding, kayaking, jungle tours, turtle sanctuary, snorkeling, surfing classes, our beach is 10 miles long and empty through most of the year (holidays are crowded and can be noisy) and perfect for swimming, jogging and walking.

From Hacienda la Rusa gates you will walk steps to the beach, couple minute to the lagoon, steps to the restaurants, taxi, small stores, fruit & veggie stand.

Dear Patrons, for your comfort and convenience, we came up with a few basic suggestions, to ensure all the guests enjoy their vacation:

✓ Please, smoke outside on the beach or on the street; or in a designated smoking area on the upstairs ocean view garden terrace . This is a non-smoking establishment. Absolutely no smoking in or around rooms and bungalows.

✓ Please, deposit the toilet paper and other products in the waste basket provided. The local water table is very high. We have a very sensitive sewage treatment system which does not decompose paper. Toilet paper or any other consumer products will clog the septic system; it will disrupt your vacation and cause extensive repairs. Toilet baskets are emptied daily.

✓Please, bring and use repellent with DEET. It’s Tropics - there are insects here as you might expect. In the mornings and at the sunset the peskiest are the no-see-ums. They will leave you alone if apply repellent with DEET, like OFF Deep Woods.

✓ Quiet Hours from 10 pm till 8 am. If you staying up late or going on early kayaking trip, please, be mindful of other guests, resting. You are welcome to ignore the quiet hours if you have rented the whole villa. Therer are no quiet hours for groups renting the whole villa.

✓ Please, dont place wet towels or wet swimming attire on the beds or furniture. If travelling with pets, please, dont let them on the furniture or beds when wet or sandy.

✓This is nothing like All-Inclusives, this is real rural Mexico, mostly spanish speaking; not used to dollars; friendly, warm, happy and inviting, please, adjust your expectations accordingly.

Arrival = Check-in: 4 pm - 8 pm

Departure = Check-out: 8 am - 12 pm

Hacienda la Rusa is a small boutique villa and we do not have a 24-hour reception. Please let us know your arrival time so we can greet you, show you to your room, and give you a tour of the property and town.

If you need to arrive outside the check-in window, please request it 24 hours before arrival.

The late check out (departure) fee is 180 pesos for each hour after 12:00 p.m.

The early check in (arrival) fee is 180 pesos for each hour before 4 p.m. m.

we can store your bags for free. Please request luggage storage in advance 24 hours before arrival.

Our gates are always closed, for your comfort and privacy only registered guests are allowed on the property.

The Gate code is sent to your email prior to arrival .

Water - Purified drinking water is available at the kitchen and dining area.

Kitchen - you are welcome to use our kitchen, please, clean up after use .

Coffee , Tea and Drinking Water - are available at the self serve bar in the kitchen. Please, help yourself, prepare coffee or tea as you like it or ask our staff to help you. Coffee , creamer, sugar are normally on the bar, milk is in the fridge.

Breakfast - breakfast is available at extra charge.

Power - we have power outages from time to time, hopefully, not while you are visiting. When the power goes out - nothing works. It usually does not last long.

Please, save energy – please, turn OFF the A/C, lights and fans when leaving rooms. Majority of lights around the property are on timers, if they turn on automatically at dusk, don’t worry about those, they are off automatically at 10 - 11 pm.

Safety – it is safe here in the village, period. It’s safe to go alone and safe to go out at night.

Stores – there are 5 small stores in the village open during the day till 7-9 pm and one tiny little one open till later at night till 10-11 pm. They carry sodas, beers, snacks, wine, tequila, ice cream, basic groceries etc

There is Carmen’s fruit-veggie stand around the corner, where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables. If you want something special, ask her and she will bring it next day.

Noise – it is Mexico and it is a small rural working fishing village. This is an amazing place of great energy and the center of laid back coastal Mexico, overall it's peaceful and quiet, but on occasion it does get noisy here; ocean waves, village noise ... dogs, roosters, music... once or twice a year there is a wedding or a sweet 15 party. Please, bring earplugs if you are a very light sleeper.

During Peak season, especially holidays, Christmas, New Year, Easter, Dia de Virgin de Guadalupe, there are a lot of people on the beach everywhere in Mexico, fireworks, music and parties. It can be very busy and noisy and fun.

Internet Codes are at the kitchen .

Laundry – you can take your laundry to the local laundromat by the airport.

Tipping is woven into the fabric of Mexican social culture. Mexican people, serving you will appreciate a small token of your appreciation in exchange for a good service. Tips to the staff are highly appreciated if you are pleased with their service. You can tip them directly or you can place tips into a tipping jar in the kitchen .

Pet rules if you are traveling with Pets. :

- 2 pets per rooms are allowed

- please, inform us at the time of booking if you are brining your pets with

- never leave your pet unattended or alone in the rooms

- always keep your pet on the leash

- please, take your pet to use bathroom outside , if your pet goes bathroom on the territory of the villa , please, clean up after them .

- if you traveling with a dog, don’t allow them harass our outdoor cats.

- please, dont let your pets into the swimming pools.

- please, dont let your pets when wet or sandy on the bed or furniture.

Our Pets - we have dogs and cats on the property.

We can’t provide guests with allergies allergy-free accommodations.

And we, definitively, are not the right place for people, who dislike animals.

Nature and Wild Life - there are undeveloped beaches, tangled mangroves and tropical dry forests to explore, all of which are literally teaming with birds and wild animals. Many of these exotic places are completely foreign and delightful to many of us.

Animals wild and domestic – while on the property you might see: birds, iguanas, geckos, rarely frogs, bats, insects, palm cockroaches, and our pets. You definitely will see bats, bats are wonderful, they eat bugs and mosquitoes, please, don’t be scared .Around the property in the village, you will see: dogs, cats, chickens, horses, donkeys, pigs, goats etc. To see more wild animals, you need to go a little further from the village on the jungle trails.

Health – a small local clinic and a pharmacy are around the corner, the nearest hospital is 20 mins drive. If you need to see a doctor, one of us will accompany, translate if needed and be there for you every step of the way. We find Mexican medical system to be inexpensive and of the best quality.

Money – there is NO bank and NO ATM in the village, please, get pesos at the ATM in the airport.

Local stores and restaurants in Barra de Potosí rarely accept dollars, no one in Barra de Potosi accepts credit cards for food or services, it’s a rural cash based community.

How to get here

https://haciendalarusa.com/directions/

What to do in Hacienda la Rusa:

sleep. eat. relax.

swim in two gorgeous beautifully finished swimming pools, one is a large lounge pool and the other one is full size lap pool. Both pools were featured at Real Living and Belle magazine.

find a shady private spot in the garden and read, we have a large library .

play table board games.

meditate. do yoga.

have a massage.

go to one of the beach restaurants, order a beer or a Margarita and watch the waves, dolphins and whales.

What to do in Barra de Potosi?

swim, walk, relax, enjoy 10 mile long beach with water of ~ 29°C /85° F!

Some activities are available only during high season; prices also vary by. We will help you book any tour.

Surf classes and trips – we can organize your surf beginner classes or advance day surf trips with a famous Chiminique, the surf master, one of the top 3 in Mexico, who is now a resident of this village. Prices vary, inquire at his shop, Chiminique speaks fluent English.

Boogie boards rides – grab a boogie board we keep for our guests and go catch a wave at the month of the lagoon.

Paddle boards rentals – inquire at Chiminique surf shop.

Snorkels rentals – we have a couple of snorkel sets, free for our guests to use, go to the beach, look for the rocks along the estuary to snorkel.

Kayak rentals – 100-200 pesos per person per hour , depends on which lagoon you are planning to explore and available at Orlando rentals by the main lagoon, Laguna de Potosi.

Bikes – bikes are available for Hacienda la Rusa guests, go for a bike ride along the beach towards the airport, round trip is about an hour and a half or explore rustic trails in the backcountry.

Lagoon boat tour – 500-800 pesos per person with english speaking guide.

Deep sea fishing – 2500-3500 pesos for about 3 -5 hours fishing trip, 3 persons max.

Snorkeling Los Morros and Playa Manzanilla – 2000-3000 pesos, 4 persons in the boat

Huamilule sacred hill hiking tour to “See the Sunrise” – hike to the top of a sacred hill, see the sun rise touching three bodies of water, the lagoon, bay and the ocean. 2h.

Horseback-riding along the beach and around the lagoon – approx 300 pesos h/p

Hike to Tortuga beach – no guide needed

Snorkel on Isla Ixtapa – take a day trip to Ixtapa island

Visit Turtles Hatch and Release camp

Visit Mesoamerican ruins of Xiuacan, La Chole at Soliedad De Maciel. Finish the day visiting Petatlan, local market, gold sales booth, goat tacos, church. 3-5 hours.

Taxi 600-700 pesos and 200 pesos for the guide at the museum.

prices can change without a notice, please, consult our staff to check on the price prior to booking.

Visit Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa for more activities: golf, diving, yacht charters, dolphinarium, shopping, fancy restaurants, discos, bars and night life.

Visit Patzcuaro – if you are staying longer than 1 week, consider taking a bus and spending a couple of nights in Patzcuaro, a magical colonial town in Michiocan.

if you are an animal lover and would like to volunteer at our animal shelter, we always need help walking or feeding pups as well as many other rewarding and useful activities.

There are a number of places to eat outside of Hacienda la Rusa in Barra de Potosi either on the beach or in the village:

Beach and lagoon front is lined up with a dozen of small restaurants called enramadas.

They are open at 8 am for breakfast until sunset. If you want a dinner on the beach, go early like at 5 pm. They serve fresh seafood and regional Mexican dishes.

Prices are around 150-250 pesos per meal without alcohol .

Dishes you will have to try at the beach front restaurants:

Huachinango a la Veracruzana - Veracruz-Style Red Snapper

Sopas de pulpo - Fried corn tortilla with octopus

Guerrero style ceviche

camarones al mojo de ajo – shrimp in garlic souce

camarones al coco – coconut shrimp

camarones con tocino – shrimp wraped in bacon

Village Diners are called Cocina Economica ( Budget Kitchen )

all diners located in the village are cheaper than beachfront restaurant.

Some are open during the day some are open at night after 7 pm. The meals are around 80-100 pesos per plate. No drinks, just beers, you can bring your own wine or cocktail.

Eri is right around the corner open during the day.

Donna Emi’s place is famous all around Guerrero for her super delicious “tacos de barbacoa” and “tacos de Puerco” and of course “enchiladas rojas o verdes”. Verdes are a bit spicier.

Chayo is a place to get quesadillas. Don’t expect your regular Mexican quesadilla, if you eat meat ask for her “quesadilla especial”. If you are vegetarian ask for “quesadilla especial sin carne y sin pollo” (without meat and without chicken)

new places open and close every year, walk around the village after 7 pm and look for the houses that have tables and chairs set up right in front, it probably a new cenaduria open !

Dear guests, whatever you might need, just say a word - our staff will book your massage, schedule your diving or snorkeling tour; We are here to make your vacation worry-free, peaceful and memorable!

Every guest who comes to Hacienda la Rusa is a stranger, every guests, who leaves Hacienda la Rusa, is a friend. We hope our friends have wonderful time!

You will be fortunate to see something not many of Norte-Americanos have ever had; You will get to see true Mexico: smiling, happy, safe and wonderful. You will meet Mexican people; see authentic Mexican village, the jungle and the beach, the birds, crocodiles and iguanas! You will have the experience of a life time!

And we are thrilled to share this with you!