Rocio Aldana Landa: Casago laundry legend
Rocio Aldana Landa knows exactly when her Casago journey began—right after welcoming her youngest son, who recently celebrated his 20th birthday. A proud local of Puerto Peñasco, she has been the steady heart of the company’s laundry operation for 20 years and has no plans to change that.
Her easy rapport with teammates, deep knowledge of the operation, passion for music, and signature hearty laugh make her a favorite across the team. She playfully notes that just about everyone knows her—and likes her (well, almost everyone). Jokes aside, Rocio stands as Casago’s longest-tenured laundry specialist—call her the queen of the linens, but please skip the “doña.”
Two Decades of Dedicated Service
Rocio joined Casago (then SeaSide) in March 2005, eager to return to work after her son’s birth. With prior experience in housekeeping and laundry at Playa Bonita Resort’s Puesta del Sol restaurant, she initially asked about a housekeeper role but stepped into the small laundry behind reception near the Pinacate condos instead.
Back then, the team was just two people covering morning and night shifts. Today, five team members handle morning, midday, and overnight (11 pm–6 am) shifts. Rocio prefers mornings and laughs that with all four kids now grown, she could technically take the late shift—“but the overnight is tough on me these days.”
Just Call Her Rocio
No one matches Rocio’s longevity in the laundry. New team members often ask how long she’s been there, sometimes addressing her as “Doña Rosa” in disbelief. She grins and gently corrects them: “Just Rocio, please—no ‘doña.’ It makes me feel old.”
Beyond her experience, she serves as a patient mentor, guiding newcomers with hands-on tips: “Come watch how I do it. I’m not here to act superior—I just share what I know.”
A Brief Moment in the Spotlight
Early post-pandemic, Casago founder Steve Schwab and Matt Landau stopped by while filming for the vacation rental series Homerunners. They even placed a small ball in the dryer for a shot. Rocio chuckles about her “star” moment, though she’s not sure where the footage ended up.
She’s known Steve since her early days. He’d drop in for a quick “hola,” a hug, and a friendly “¿Todavía aquí?”—to which she always replies with a smile, “Yes, I’m still here. Muy bien.”
The Rhythm of the Laundry
Sorting, washing, folding, and tracking linens from homes and resorts follows its own busy-season symphony. Rocio quickly spots differences in resort versus vacation home linens and keeps everything organized by size—queen, king, or single—ready to go.
Music keeps the energy up in the otherwise quiet space. She loves cumbias, slower classics like El Buquí and Los Temerarios, and enjoys singing along (sometimes quite enthusiastically). The team uses a small speaker, taking turns on song choices. No earphones, though—she listens closely to the machines, knowing their sounds like old friends and catching any issues early.
Built on Loyalty and Heart
Rocio has watched plenty of turnover over the years and gently advises her own children against job-hopping: “It looks good to have history with one company. When you enjoy the work, you stay.”
Calm, easygoing, and rarely ruffled, she brings steady focus and quiet dedication every shift. Looking ahead, she dreams of getting her passport to visit her aging mother in Texas.
In her own words, she’s simply “calm… easy going, and I don’t like to get angry.” And after 20 years, that steady spirit is exactly why she’s still here—still folding, still smiling, still the beloved heartbeat of Casago’s laundry.
