Zaatvm is a home that we lovingly decorated, furnished and set up for you, our guest, to have a comfortable stay. We clean and keep the place in order by ourselves. And we'd like you to respect that and ensure you keep Zaatvm the way we hand it to you. While we won't ask you to keep our property your primary concern while you are on vacation, we do have a few non-negotiables when you stay with us. And, please trust us when we say that this page was a short one with just 4-5 bullet points when we started off - it's now become an ever evolving list from things we experience/learn after some guests leave!

• Please keep our premises smoke-free -- Zaatvm is a non-smoking space. Smoking inside our rooms/bathrooms leaves the stench in their for long; guests who do not smoke are pretty quick to catch the stink, no matter how mild. We do not want future guests complaining because of one cigarette you've enjoyed.   

• Please keep our common areas tidy and clean (unless you've rented out all of Zaatvm, of course). There will be other guests checking in while you're there, so help us keep the space as welcoming for them as we kept it for you. You're more than welcome to use the common areas, but your belongings belong in your room :)  

• Please let the furniture stay where they are kept -- this will keep our walls stay scratch- and stain-free. Same goes for your suitcases/luggage - please don't throw them against our walls. If you have kids who are prone to get bored, we'd be happy to arrange for a drawing pad and some colour pencils, on request! Our walls are not artboards and we aren't rich enough yet to paint the room/home after every check-out ;)

• Please use the beds and seats gently -- this will ensure they don't fall apart. A lot about Zaatvm is sustainable -- we've reused several of our old furniture. Dragging them around from their current positions can loosen the nuts and bolts. This will affect your sleep, and ours too!

• Please remember to turn off the AC and Geyser when not in use. If you're spending time in the living/dining room, kitchen or verandah, your AC need not run. Just keeping your door closed will lock the cool air in. Same goes for the TV and any electrical appliance in the common areas; when you step away, please turn them off. It's not about the electricity bill (ok, it's a little about that too!) it's more about the resources we waste. Sustainable living -- even in its most minor form -- will help us all in the long run :)

• Please feel free to use our fully-equipped kitchen, but ensure you clean the pans, plates and glasses that you use. The dish-wash liquid is in a dispenser; there is no need to open it up unless you plan to refill the dish-wash liquid. Pressing a few times down with the scrubber will automatically bring up the liquid into it. The kitchen sink has a sieve in the drain for good reason -- please do not remove it; the grub that collects in it must be discarded in the bin with the green bag.

• Please ensure the right use of our 'green' and 'black' garbage bags. Trivandrum Corporation is pretty strict about waste segregation, and so are we. In the kitchen, all food waste must go into the green bag; anything else, including food wrappers, goes into the one with the black bag. In your room, use the bin only for plastic, paper or other waste; any food waste must go into the kitchen bin with the green bag. In the toilet, please ensure paper/plastic/cloth/sanitary products go into the bin, and nothing into the drains/toilet bowl. 

• Please remember that our kitchen sink and washroom drains are for water passage alone; toilet paper, cooking waste, food waste and any other junk belong in the waste bins (provided in plenty) :) If we find toilet paper or sanitary 'wear' in the toilets, we will be forced to levy a penalty. 

• Please do not stick bills on to our walls/furniture/wardrobe shelves -- "MRP" stickers from clothes or materials you buy are not of interest to us as memoirs of your stay :) 

• Please ensure your pets are on their best behaviour -- sign a deal with them to keep our linen, furniture and premise (both indoors and out) clean. We are a family that travels with pets and love others who do the same. But let's face it: our pets do not know to clean after their business; we humans absolutely must :) 

• Please let our plants be -- this will help them bloom better, stay healthy. If you really fall in love with any of them and would like to take home a stem or root, please feel free to ask us. We've done the same at holiday homes and resorts we've been to, and they all still bloom at our homes. We understand and love people who love plants -- don't hurt them by a pull or uproot. 

• Please keep the main gate closed (the one at the entry to the private lane) along with the Zaatvm gate each time you step in or step out. Do respect the privacy and safety of the other two houses within the lane.

• Please ensure you maintain quiet hours between 11:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. at Zaatvm; do not create noise in the open areas (balcony/terrace/verandah) during these hours to avoid disturbance to our neighbours.

• Please be kind to our home and to everything / everyone within. Please always remember that there will be other guests once you leave, too...so follow these rules to keep Zaatvm beautiful for them too :)​ 

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And oh, Zaatvm is tucked away in a quiet locality. You'll know it once you reach. Stay here for the calm and quiet after a day out in the sun and on the busy roads. If you love partying late into the night, Zaatvm is not the right choice for you; there are other places better suited for you. 

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The management reserves the right to ask guests to leave or pay penalties if house rules are grossly broken; especially ones related to waste management and disturbances to neighbours :)