Type of destination:
Type of accommodation:
Rates: (in US dollars)
$150 and up
Target Market:
Mid range
During the 1920s in southeastern Mexico, the sisal industry was flourishing. Exports of this fiber produced the main economic income for the region. In the heart of this economy were the plantations and haciendas with mansions that offered employment, housing, schools, and in some cases, even hospitals for inhabitants. Their architecture was magnificent, designed by famous European architects and investments were made in the communities under a vision of never-ending prosperity. However, in the early 1990s the sisal haciendas were abandoned and the communities nearby were reduced to extreme poverty.
With a goal to develop a successful sustainable tourism project, we sought to rescue the fabulous sisal haciendas of the Yucatan Peninsula and share their architectural magnificence with the most demanding travelers, through an invitation to share in their impassioned history and the cultural value of the region. This gave rise to our commitment to the region, and we became agents of economic and social development for the rural Maya communities of Yucatán and Campeche.
In 1994, the Plan Grupo company acquired Hacienda Temozón – one of the most prosperous sisal haciendas in the Yucatan Peninsula. Its original building has been completely restored and adapted to the hotel’s current needs.
The hotel has many details, including room amenities that are hand-made by artisans of the Fundación de Haciendas del Mundo Maya, and body lotion, hair conditioner, and shampoo that contain natural ingredients like aloe and cucumber. The interior decor is influenced by the 19th century, when the haciendas were prosperous and luxurious.
The cenotes, grottos, colonial cities, and archeological sites like Uxmal and Kabah are some of the main attractions for travelers that stay at the hacienda.
28 rooms and suites restored as part of the original building. All bear names that reflect their earlier functions such as the pharmacy, the school, and the kitchen.
We have rooms for non-smokers.
Our rooms are approximately 484 ft2 and the suites 592 ft2. They have king-size beds or two queen-size beds with Egyptian cotton linens and goose down pillows. All have hammocks to let you rest in the best Maya style.
Other:
Number of employees: 85
Percentage of local employees: 83%
We strive to preserve the link between the present and the past Mayan world, looking to create new opportunities for individual and social development for members of the local communities that surround our hotels and contributing to the balance between the environment, economy, cultural values, and opportunities in today’s world for social well-being and the sustainable economic development of the region.
In 2002, stemming from the desolate panorama that hurricane Isidoro left in its wake over the Yucatan Peninsula, we reinforced the social commitment taken on by Plan Grupo entrepreneurs and investors and created the Fundación Haciendas del Mundo Maya, A.C., a non-profit organization that aims to generate regional sustainable development in rural Mayan communities of high cultural heritage value in the Yucatan Peninsula and improve their quality of life through cultural and tourism development with the active participation of locals.
The Fundación Haciendas del Mundo Maya team promotes the participation of community members in the design and execution of sustainable development projects in the following areas:
Since Hacienda Temozón is a destination with a sustainable vision, we have the ongoing challenge of strengthening actions that minimize our ecological footprint. The main actions are:
$150 and up
For more information about rates, please visit:
Nearest international airport: Mérida (MID)
Travel time to nearest airport: 45 minutes
March 2011.
Photos courtesy of Hacienda Temozón, Mexico, for SustainableTrip.org.
Carolina Medellín
Sustainable Tourism Manager
Municipio de Abalá, Yucatán
Mexico
Tel: +52-55/5257-0097
ext 105, 308
Fax: +52-55/5257-1447
www.thehaciendas.com;
www.haciendasmundomaya.com
EarthCheck
Sustainability level: Silver
Date: January, 2011