Our time in Merida was book-ended by stays at two extraordinary—and very different—haciendas that have been turned into luxury hotels. We’ll be profiling both of them in-depth for the luxury travel web site iTraveliShop soon, but we couldn’t resist sharing a little bit about them with you here first.

Rosas y Chocolate on Paseo de Montejo is a brand new modern creation in side the stately bones of a colonial mansion. It’s an architectural fantasy—all angles and contrasts and color (mostly pink).

Hacienda Xcanatun is also an architectural wonder–but of a different kind. A few miutes north of Merida,  this luxury retreat hides out inside the lovingly preserved bones of a historic sisal factory—found, unearthed and re-built by the son of one of Mexico’s most famous and accomplished archeologists.

First, Rosas y Chocolate in pictures. Scroll down for a look at Hacienda Xcanatun. Enjoy!

And now, Hacienda Xcanatun…

Two suites at Hacienda Xcanatun have bathtubs like this--carved by hand from a solid coral stone boulder and meticulously shaped and smoothed.

When our friend Pancho told us that he knew the family that “owns Chichén Itzá” we thought something must have been lost in translation. After all, nobody owns something like Chichén Itzá, one of the greatest Mayan cities ever built and one of the most popular archaeological tourist attractions in the world (it’s the second most visited archaeological site in Mexico), right? Wrong. 

The Barbachano family literally owned Chichén Itzá until March 2010 when they sold just over 200 acres, covering the core area of the site, to the Yucatan government for 220 million pesos (just shy of USD$18 million). Not bad for an old pile of rocks… 

Temple of Kukulkan (the Maya name for Quetzalcoatl), often referred to as El Castillo (the castle).

Temple of Kukulkan (the Maya name for Quetzalcoatl), often referred to as El Castillo (the castle).

Chichén Itzá is a pre-Columbian site and geeky Indiana Jones types believe 50,000 Mayans may have lived here at the city’s peak. Today it’s a huge, well-groomed site with a lot of rules and a lot of ropes preventing visitors from getting too close to most structures—and you can forget about climbing to the top of anything. 

On the Spring and Autumn equinoxes, at the rising and setting of the sun, the ingeniously engineered staircase on this temple casts a shadow in the shape of a plumed serpent - Kukulcan, or Quetzalcoatl - which appears as if it's slithering down the stairs.

The Venus Platform with the Temple of Kukulkan in the background.

The El Caracol (snail) observatory temple at Chichén Itzá.

Part of the Las Monjas (nunnery) group is an ornate small temple called La Iglesia (the church), decorated with elaborate masks of the rain god Chaac.

Detail of the small temple called La Iglesia (the church), decorated with elaborate masks of the rain god Chaac.

A serpent head in the Great Ball Court at Chichén Itzá with the Temple of Kukulkan in the background.

Are you ready for the Sound and Light show on Temple of Kukulkan and Templo de los Guerreros (temple of the warriors) at Chichén Itzá?

The ticketing system at Chichén Itzá includes the price of the nightly sound and light show whether you want it or not. We’re not usually into those things since they’re inevitably cheesy and some archaeological experts believe they damage the ruins. However, since we’d already paid for it we decided to check it out. Here’s a video sample from the hour long espectacular… 

Our room at The Lodge at Chichén Itzá is in the upper left of this picture and, yes, that mound of rocks just off our deck is actual Mayan ruins.

The Barbachano family may have sold the Chichén Itzá but part of the family has retained a number of hotels situated right on its doorstep. In fact, their Hotel & Bungalows Mayaland, built in 1923, is the first hotel ever built within an archeological site. Over the decades it’s hosted the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy. 

We stayed at The Lodge at Chichén Itzá, which is also owned by the Barbachanos and run through their Mayaland Resorts group. When musicians play concerts at Chichén Itzá this is where they stay—which explains the Elton John room (huge wet bar, raised king size bed, double jetted tub) and the Placido Domingo suite. 

Sarah Brightman also stayed here when she performed at the ruins and the hotel management is assuming that Sir Paul McCartney will continue the tradition and stay at the hotel when he comes to perform at Chichén Itzá in 2012. 

Guests at The Lodge at Chichén Itzá have the use of this private entrance to Chichén Itzá, avoiding the turnstiles and crowds of the main entrance.

Our room made us feel like stars with tons of space, a Jacuzzi tub, a virtually private pool and (best yet) a huge rocky mound of unexcavated Mayan ruins just off our patio. As hotel guests we also got to use the hotel’s much more pleasant private entrance to Chichén Itzá—avoiding the bus crowds and hawkers at the main entrance to the site. We wandered over to the main entrance once, however, to check out the museum—which was closed with no opening date posted. 

Related Posts: 

• Muchos Mayans – Tulum & Cobá Ruins, Quintana Roo, Mexico
• Ancient Mayans and Black Jaguars – Ek’ Balam Ruins, Yucatan State, Mexico

Located about midway between Tulum on the coast and Merida inland, Valladolid is perfectly situated to serve as a base for day trips to plentiful area attractions including the Mayan ruins of Ek’ Balam and the flamingos of the Biosphera de la Reserva Ria Lagartos (more on those sites in our next two posts).

Valladolid is also perfectly situated to sizzle—smack in the hot zone of Yucatan State without the benefit of cooling ocean breezes. It was so hot when we were in Valladolid that the toilet water was steamy. It was two-cold-showers-a-day hot only you had to be sure you got your showers in before 8 am or after 7 pm or the water coming out of the cold tap would be hot.

The city’s naturally slow pace seems exacerbated by the heat. It is just too steamy to hurry anywhere. And despite its standing as the third largest city in the Yucatan, Valladolid still looks, acts and feels a lot like a small town.

Valladolid's Catedral de San Gervasio.

Valladolid also has its share of small-town pride and beautification efforts are extensive and effective. Walls and buildings are splashed with a gorgeous and engaging range of colors. The main plaza in front of the Catedral de san Gervasio have curved poured concrete two-seaters where couples sit and face each other in the cool of the evening, the downtown mercado is small but full of some of the cheapest food vendors we’ve seen anywhere in Mexico (big sandwiches for 12 pesos, breakfast egg plates for 20 pesos, etc).

Parque Francisco Canton Rosado, the colorful main square in Valladolid.

There are some surprisingly cosmopolitan moments in centro Valladolid too including the Maruja café and wine bar which looks (and smells) very European and also offers the best-made, best-value souvenirs in town including regional chocolate and coffee, handicrafts and witty t-shirts.

Right around the corner from the Maruja café, just a quarter block off the Parque Francisco Canton Rosado, is the Casa de los Venados hotel. Located in a renovated 400 year old hacienda, this boutique hotel is packed to the rafters with the most colorful, most engaging Mexican arts and crafts the American owners, John and Dorianne Venator, could get their hands on (reservations are a must). This year a sushi café called Sushi Va opened up too.

Colorful colonial buildings of Valladolid.

Catedral de San Gervasio at night.

The tranquil and chic Calzada de los Frailes street in Valladolid.

About a five minute walk from the centro area is a particularly well-kept and tranquil street called Calzada de los Frailes. This street is quiet, leafy and home to the Coqui Coqui hotel. Operated by the famous perfumer, this hotel offers just two super-chic rooms around a private garden with a spa, a café and a wonderfully retro-looking perfumeria.

A more affordable option in this charming neighborhood is the year-old Hotel Tunich Beh which has eight air-conditioned rooms (did we mention that Valladolid is hot?) around a small but serviceable pool plus Wi-Fi all for 450 pesos (about US$35) double occupancy.

The tranquil and chic Calzada de los Frailes street in Valladolid.

Calzada de los Frailes street is capped by the San Bernardino de Siena Convent, a 16th century monastery in a lovely stone building on grounds that include a private cenote. Right next to the convent is Taberna de los Frailes restaurant. Opened by French chef/restaurateur/hotelier Patrick Charles Laurent and Doña Maruja Barbachano (the pair also runs Maruja café on the main plaza), the restaurant is breezy and welcoming.

The bar, lounge and dining areas are all built in a garden over part of the same massive cenote that’s found on the property of the neighboring monastery. Ask to see the well-like entrances into the cenote, but don’t get any ideas about taking a dip. The cenote’s water level is 120 feet below ground level.

The Taberna de los Frailes menu is not cheap (90 pesos to 250 pesos) but the ingredients (steak, tuna, veal) are top-notch and the preparations make a happy marriage of international techniques and Mayan and Mexican flavors–shrimp tacos al pastor is a good example (200 pesos). Or risotto Ixel with chaya, a kind of Mayan collard greens, (90 pesos). The tuna and salmon we ordered were both impeccable and the chocolate souffle was served in a soup bowl–massive! Even if you don’t eat here, stop in for a cold beverage after touring the convent.

The San Bernardino de Siena Convento.

Coming soon: a new boutique hotel from the owners of Zamas in Tulum. They’re converting a house just a few doors down from Taberna restaurant into a brand new reason to visit Valladolid.