Two Mexico Hacienda Hotels for a Romantic Getaway Near Merida

We’ve been covering Mexico hacienda hotels since way back in the ’00s and try to bring you reviews of all of them that are worth considering if you’re a luxury traveler. We recently posted two new reviews of luxury hacienda hotels near Merida in the Yucatan that are good for travelers looking to find a quiet and calm getaway. We took a fresh look at Haciendas San Jose Chohul and Santa Rosa de Lima.

The Yucatan Peninsula once had more haciendas that any other region of Mexico because of the henequen boom that lasted for decades. Before synthetic rope came along, the agave family plant producing henequen fibers, also known as sisal, were used to make much of the world’s rope and twine. It held up in seawater ten times longer than hemp, its main competitor. The crop was so valuable for a while that it was known as “green gold” and the farms that produced it were often self-contained huge plantations with their own mini rail lines and processing machinery.

When the boom turned into a bust, the decline was rapid, starting around 1916 and being all but dead by mid-century. Many of the grand houses were abandoned and the machinery started rusting away. Few people shed a tear for these families, especially the exploited workers who had little chance of profiting from their labor. Now some of the haciendas have a happy ending though, purchased by investors with the money to restore them to glory and convert them to hotels that guests can enjoy.

Hacienda San Jose Cholul

This member of The Haciendas group is in the kind of location you go if you really want to get away from it all. If you dream of reading a book, playing games, and swinging in a hammock that is suspended over a swimming pool, this is your spot. You’ll have plenty of time to spend with your loved one enjoying a sundowner and having leisurely meals.

Take a look around the property and a couple of the spacious, high-ceiling rooms in our video tour:

You can really feel like you’ve taken a step back in time here, to a simpler period before everyone’s attention was on their always-connected smartphone and we weren’t discussing 24-hours news developments. No traffic noise, no smog, no frenetic schedule of activities. OK, there’s a TV, but it’s hidden away in a cabinet like a guilty pleasure you should maybe ignore.

You can indulge in some activities here though, like a tour of the property with someone who knows all the history, or a relaxing massage in the small spa.

Other optional activities include mountain biking, attending a concert with a local musical group, visiting nearby artisans, cooking classes, and morning birdwatching. Their Corn Breakfast activity is a lesson in how corn is used in the local cuisine, as well as a casual tasting menu of some of the region’s most iconic flavors.

See our full review of Hacienda San Jose Cholul.

Hacienda Santa Rosa de Lima

While not quite as remote as its sibling, Hacienda Santa Rosa de Lima offers the same opportunity to get away from the crowds and bustle of modern life to slow down and connect with who you’re with. The colorful backdrops make it a popular spot for weddings though, so plan ahead if you want to make sure your vacation plans don’t need any adjustments.

Lounging on an antique couch, margarita in hand, while Benny Moré sings Como Fue on the overhead stereo is a distinct kind of luxury. The surrounding quiet, the massive archways that look out onto the front lawn of Hacienda Santa Rosa de Lima, and the tall palms waving in the breeze are a balm for the soul. This secluded hacienda, an hour from Merida, Yucatan, is a place to forget about the world, and maybe even what day or year it is, as everything about the place feels a bit lost in time.

The swimming pool here is a big draw, with one blue building flanking it and a red one partially over it, the water flowing under its arches. Many guests move in a triangle between there, the dining area that’s easy to laze away hours in, and the huge rooms with high ceilings and huge bathrooms.

Original machinery and a few well-chosen period pieces in the rooms provide a sense of history without overdoing it and the bones of the structures ensure that you feel a sense of the gravity of these thick-walled buildings.

See our full review of Hacienda Santa Rosa de Lima.

While there are other Mexican hacienda hotels in Yucatan State, plus a few around Campeche as well, these two offer a true romantic getaway experience in nature where you can feel the history in a rare quiet spot on the map.