Hacienda Chichen

A week ago we started our Spring Break at the wonderful Hacienda Chichen resort, located on the grounds of Chichen Itza. Hacienda Chichen, built by Spaniards in 1528, was the home of the Carnegie Institution's Maya Research Expedition in the 1920s. We stayed in Sylvanus Morley's cottage during our few days there.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Hacienda Chichen Resort, 21 Mar 2016.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Front terrace at Hacienda Chichen.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Sophia at the original entrance.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Lush gardens and wonderful pool at Hacienda Chichen.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Hacienda Chichen. 

Photo by Patrick Jones. Morley's Cottage, Hacienda Chichen.

My wife and I stayed at Hacienda Chichen in 2005, and this visit really brought back the memories. The resort now employs 99% local Maya workers and is operated by the 4th-generation of the family that acquired the Hacienda in the 1920s. The resort focuses on green living practices and sustainable responsible tourism. Their award winning restaurant features locally grown or sourced fruits, herbs and vegetables. We had a wonderful stay and would recommend it to anyone going to Chichen Itza.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Hacienda Chichen, January 2005.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Hacienda Chichen, January 2005.

I think the resort has really improved since our last visit 11 years ago. I don't remember the pool from 2005, and the pool this year was very nice. The kids loved it and I liked it too. The pool was a nice break after spending the day at Chichen Itza. We covered over 7 miles on one day (Sophia and I did an extra 4 miles with an afternoon walk back to the ruins).

A bonus for staying at Hacienda Chichen is the entrance to Chichen Itza allows early access to the grounds before the tour buses arrive, allowing one to avoid the crowds and get an advance look at the ruins. I will have photos of our visit to the ruins in the next post.