From C. Sorenson, N.Y.C.
Our itinerary
Hacienda Santa Rosa (3 nights) – highlight
Hacienda Chichen (1 night) — skip!
Fairmont Mayakoba (3 nights) – Next time, we’ll stay at Esencia instead
“My husband and I took the kids to Mexico for vacation over New Year’s. We wanted to spend some time inland, exploring Mayan ruins and avoiding tourists, before heading to the beach (Riviera Maya). We spent 3 nights at the Hacienda Santa Rosa, which was enough time to do some of the local activities and also to relax at the hotel. Because there are five hacienda hotels in the group, many people go from one to the other, spending a few nights at each one. We heard from fellow guests that the Hacienda San Jose was also excellent, and if we had it to do over again, we would have gone there next and just skipped the beach altogether.
I found the hotel online, and read reviews on TripAdvisor. My husband and I both like small, authentic hotels and the pictures on the Haciendas website looked so beautiful that we decided to give it a try. We flew in to Cancun and rented a car, then drove 4 hours west to the hotel. However, I would recommend flying to Merida instead, because the long drive was a pain. We wanted a direct flight, but in the long run it wasn’t worth it. Definitely rent a 4WD car! Once you get off the highway, the roads can be rough.
The hotel is beautiful and luxurious, with a very high level of service and delicious food. They have spa treatments (which we didn’t try), two swimming pools, and a list of suggested activities. We stayed in room 6, which had two queen beds and a private garden with a hot tub/plunge pool. The room was huge with plenty of space for the four of us. There was a smaller swimming pool away from the main house, which had three rooms facing it. I thought that those rooms would be great for a group traveling together, because although the pool is not technically private, there is no reason to use it unless you’re staying in one of those rooms.
Because we went with our kids, we left the hotel every day and explored the surrounding area, returning in the afternoon to relax. We took a trip to Celestun to see the pink flamingos; we went to Uxmal to see the truly amazing Mayan ruins there, and we explored some of the local villages. The hotel was very child-friendly: the chef made dishes off the menu; the bartender happily created custom smoothies and the kids could ride bicycles, etc. There were many couples staying at the hotel without kids (there are only 11 rooms) and two other families besides ours. It was a nice mix and I can see how it would be appealing either way.
This would not be a fun vacation for someone who wants a lot of organized activities for their kids (no kids’ club), or for someone who just wants to sit by a pool all day. Part of the charm for us was the fact that we could explore the area in our car, and then return to our lovely hotel. It was a good combination of action and relaxation. Also, these hotels are all in rural, poor areas. The area is safe, and we were greeted warmly by everyone that we met, but you are confronted with a level of poverty that might make some people uncomfortable.
When we go back, we will fly in and out of Merida (which is supposed to be a lovely city that we didn’t have a chance to see) and stay at 2-3 of the other haciendas, again for about 3 nights in each. My husband wants to go again over New Year’s because there was a rodeo/bullfight in Maxcanu that he missed this year. I’d like to try San José, Temezon and then go down to Campeche before returning to Merida. I would also like to go to Esencia in the Riviera Maya. We ate dinner there one night, and it was lovely. Unfortunately they didn’t have rooms when we were there, and I don’t think that I would return to the area otherwise.” Haceinda Santa Rosa rooms from $315.
To read Liz Lange’s postcard on her family’s trip to the Riviera Maya, click here.
To read another postcard on a family’s stay at Esencia, click here.
