You’ve seen them in pictures, and they have surely stolen more than a second of your time. They are visions of the past. Haciendas are these gorgeous colonial buildings, in pastel or vibrant colors, with the greenest gardens stretching into the distance, and elegant restaurants where you can enjoy delicious Yucatecan dishes.
Have you thought about visiting them with your family? If kids are on the passenger manifesto, let me tell you that that’s no problem. In fact, they will love to be pampered as well.
Hacienda Sabacché
If you or the kids love cenotes but someone in the group prefers a pool to chill out for the day, the day pass at Hacienda Sabacché includes both. Actually, you’ll run into two options: general access and all-inclusive. The latter includes a meal of your choosing, dessert, the daily Agua Fresca (non-alcoholic beverage), and horseback riding for children. Both feature a guided tour of the hacienda, their cenote (with life vests), pools, hammock area, botanical gardens, and other facilities. They request booking at least three days in advance.
www.haciendasabacche.com
Entry fee: $300 pesos (general, adults) and $150 pesos (general, kids); $600 pesos (all-inclusive, adults) and $300 pesos (all-inclusive, kids)
Reservations: Tel. 999 136 4647 or [email protected]
Hacienda San Francisco Tzacalha
How would you like a day of pure unwinding, away from the hustle and bustle of the city? Hacienda San Francisco Tzacalha is in Dzidzantún: just an hour or so from Mérida, and barely 18 minutes from the beach, in case you’d like to throw that in. Their 9 am to 5 pm day pass includes access to the pool, towels, and bikes to explore. Food is not included, but they do have a restaurant you can visit.
www.hotelhdasanfrancisco.com.mx
FB: Hotel Hacienda San Fco. Tzacalha
Tel. 991 915 5528
Entry fee: $125 pesos (adults), $70 pesos (kids under 12)
Hacienda Santuario Noc Ac
A little less than half an hour from Mérida, Noc Ac is any child’s dream. I would have loved to visit it and roam in its gardens as a kid. The day pass includes a tour of the four buildings (where you and the kids will learn about the restoration work, including a photographic memoir), a respectful visit to the sanctuary, horseback riding, bicycles to explore the area, and access to their impressive gardens, where the children can play freely.
The day pass also allows you to enjoy snacks and lunch (regional appetizers and main course, dessert, and drinks) at Oro Verde, their restaurant.
Limited access, booking through WhatsApp: 999 230 6320
www.haciendanocac.com
Hours: 10 am – 6 pm
Entry fee: $700 pesos (adults) and $350 pesos (kids under 11)
They have access ramps
A new world in green awaits just 30 minutes away from Mérida. Kids won’t want to go back home after trying their two heated pools and the restaurant’s delicious dishes. It’s worth mentioning that hacienda Santa Cruz has three different day-pass options, but they all include access to the hacienda’s facilities (pools, artificial cenote, and Maya village), a courtesy drink (or drinks, depending on the package), bicycles, and 15% discount on national beverages. Additionally, the Gold package includes a main dish (chef’s choice), while the Diamond includes a main dish and your own deluxe room.
Booking: Tel. 999 902 7107, 999 637 9171
www.haciendasantacruz.com
Hours: 12 – 6 pm
Entry fee: $480 pesos (Silver), $700 pesos (Gold) and $1,150 pesos (Diamond); kids from 6 to 12 pay half; free admission for kids under 5
Hacienda Chichén Resort
Forget about the city! Let the children play by the pool for as long as they want, and explore the lush gardens. Hacienda Chichén has different packages available, among them, the Individual Day Pass. This one includes a meal with three menus to choose from, private parking, pool, and towel service.
If you want to get spoiled even further, their Deluxe Day Pass may be what you’re looking for. In addition to the previous stuff mentioned, you can enjoy drinks (a Margarita, two domestic beers, two sodas, or water), a meal from one of their two menus (gourmet or vegetarian-organic), a room with a bathroom, and a terrace overlooking the gardens (you know, in case a little one needs to recharge their batteries with a nap).
Don’t forget to ask for their night Day Pass (One Night Pass)!
www.haciendachichen.com
Tel. 999 920 8407
FB: Hacienda Chichen Resort and Yaxkin Spa
Individual Day Pass: $1,200 pesos + taxes (adults) and $900 pesos + taxes (kids under 11). Kids under 2: free
Deluxe Day Pass: $1,500 pesos + taxes (adults) and $1,100 pesos + taxes (kids under 11). Kids under 2: free. Two adults minimum, four maximum.
Haciendas: Cuzumal Tixnuc, and Tamchen
Three haciendas in one day! Let the kids roam free until they’re exhausted. Look at the bright side: they’ll be out for nighttime. At Cuzumal, Tixnuc, and Tamchen – in the middle of the Yucatecan jungle – you’ll see bits of the past and more contemporary interventions. The best? They are located 45 minutes from Mérida, in Kinchil and Samahil. The day pass includes, among other things, an Ojo de Agua (water source), a Maya pyramid, ponds with water lilies, sisal fields, and the Casa de Máquinas.
Of course, you can swim in a refreshing pool, relax in one of the hacienda’s rooms, and enjoy a wonderful three-course meal, Aguas Frescas, and other complimentary beverages.
www.catherwoodtravels.com
Booking: [email protected]
Entry fee: $750 USD (per group) + $50 USD per adult. Children 3 – 12, $25 USD. Free admission for children under three.
Tekik: Art and circular gastronomy
This hacienda is like no other. Tekik has architecture from different historical eras, and the kids will love to explore the many corners. The day pass also includes a taste of their circular gastronomy and a guided tour of the Hacienda Tekik de Regil, the Casa de Máquinas, the chapel inspired by the Madeleine Church in Paris, a traditional Maya house, and an iconic mural by artist Calocho Millet. In addition, a three-course meal with signature dishes, a room, Aguas Frescas, and beverages in courtesy.
www.catherwoodtravels.com
Booking: [email protected]
Entry fee: $750 USD (per group) + $50 USD per adult. Children 3 – 12, $25 USD. Free admission for children under three.
Itzincab: Mysticism in the Maya jungle
Did you know Itzincab was built over Maya vestiges? Here it’s so quiet, you can hear the wildlife around the hacienda. The little ones can climb to the top of the pyramid and taste food made with ingredients that come from the Milpa. Are your kids nature lover? They’ll have a blast visiting an orchard full of seasonal crops. The whole family can learn about the care of regional species, and enjoy the restored hacienda.
The day pass includes a guided tour, a room, a three-course meal, Aguas Frescas, courtesy beverages, and a well-deserved swim in the main house’s pool.
www.catherwoodtravels.com
Booking: [email protected]
Entry fee: $750 USD (per group) + $50 USD per adult. Children 3 – 12, $25 USD. Free admission for children under three.
Are long trips a no-no? Hacienda Xcanatun is just outside of Mérida, a few minutes’ drive. This is an extraordinary option to get away from the noise of the city and let the kids run free in the garden (which is huge). From 9 am to 4 pm, you’ll enjoy their pool and hotel’s common areas (the staff will let you know what’s available and what’s not; you can also ask the guards). It also includes non-alcoholic drinks and $500 pesos food credit.
www.angsana.com/mexico/hacienda-xcanatun
Booking: Tel. 999 930 2140
FB: Hacienda Xcanatun
Entry fee: $995 pesos (adults) and $350 pesos (kids under 11)
Hacienda Misné
Don’t want to leave Mérida? Hacienda Misné is a quiet place within the city, but also an invitation to forget that you’re here. Its day pass offers you and your adult companion a superior room from 10 am to 6 pm, a special menu to have lunch at the restaurant, and access to all the facilities.
www.haciendamisne.com.mx
Booking: Tel. 999 305 5335 / [email protected]
FB: Hacienda Misné
Entry fee: $2,700 pesos (2 adults), $500 pesos (each kid under 11; meals not included)
A somewhat different day pass. Thanks to a guided tour, you and your children will learn about one of the haciendas that lived through the sisal boom. Don’t worry about the heat, you’ll get to swim in their famous cenotes too; the one known as “El Canal” is highly instagrammable. Before ending your visit, stop by the restaurant to have your favorite regional dishes (meals not included in the package). Few of the areas are restored, so you can take in the original look of these buildings.
www.cenoteshaciendamucuyche.com
Tel. 999 547 6087 y 999 649 9203
FB: Cenotes Hacienda Mucuyché
Entry fee: $590 pesos (adults), $350 pesos (children), $350 pesos (seniors); $390 pesos (local adults), $250 pesos (local children), and $250 pesos (local seniors)
Hacienda Selva Maya
And if you’re near – or in – Valladolid, Hacienda Selva Maya has a very comprehensive day pass for the entire family. Yes, to relax, but also to experience a bit of adventure. The cool waters of their very blue cenote Saamal, a zip-line, and a delicious buffet to eat to your heart’s content await you and yours. The best? It’s just 5 minutes from Valladolid’s historic downtown! Please keep in mind that everyone will need their mask to enter the buffet.
www.mesondelmarques.com
WhatsApp: 985 852 6095
FB: Hacienda Selva Maya
Entry fee: $350 pesos and up
Editorial by Olivia Camarena Cervera
Yucatecan communicologist. Your favorite Assistant Editor. Writer, blogger, and bookstagrammer in her spare time. She also experiments with TikTok.
Photography by the haciendas, Andrea Mier y Terán, and Olivia Camarena Cervera for use in Yucatán Today.
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