The henequén haciendas in Yucatán are among the most captivating and historically rich residences in Mexico.

Even today, traveling along dusty paths, often bordered only by tall cacti and lush agaves, one suddenly comes upon the henequén haciendas in Yucatán.

These are the haciendas, the large farms overseeing estates that—before the revolution of Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata in 1910—could span areas as large as countries like Belgium. Always self-sufficient entities, people here were born, married, and died. The owners were the community leaders, and often, for tens of kilometers around, there were only fields and pastures. During the colonial period, the size of these complexes, whose earliest examples date back to the 17th century, grew to reach their current dimensions. Inside, there was space for the guest residence, the store, the chapel, the school, the service quarters, the granary, the blacksmith’s workshop, all arranged around the corral, the large courtyard. In larger examples, there are two courtyards: the service one and the main one, where the *asco, or the patron’s residence, literally “the master’s dwelling,” stands.

The openings, often round or oval, are framed by colored bands or moldings in dark local stone; the walls are painted in bold, vivid colors or covered in a dazzling white lime.

Great importance was given to the stables, where splendid horses, the pride of the hacienderos, were kept. The kitchens were spacious, and the complex’s water needs, when the courtyard wells were insufficient, were met with private aqueducts. Most of these large complexes also included a garden for the ladies’ leisure. Here, they spent their days awaiting the return of their husbands, who were busy managing the fields—a task that sometimes required multi-day journeys to monitor the growth of wheat, sugarcane, sisal, and agave, used for producing pulque, the traditional alcoholic drink, and tequila. Today, many of these haciendas are still owned by the descendants of their founders; some have been transformed into hotels or conference centers, while many still retain their original purpose.

Uayamón is the first hacienda we visit.

Uayamón is an estate where, like the others we will see, henequén or sisal was produced until just a few decades ago. The fiber was extracted from agave leaves through a complex process of boiling and fiber stripping, initially done with steam machines and later with enormous, noisy diesel engines. In some facilities, these machines have been preserved, bearing witness to a period of great prosperity for the region. From the mid-19th century and throughout an entire century—practically until after World War II and the advent of plastic—henequén was a crucial fiber for many uses, greatly enriching the hacienderos. These landowners, many of Spanish descent, looked to the Old Continent, from where they had fabrics, furniture, fine wines, cheeses, and other delicacies sent.

Leaving the main road, you follow a long avenue lined with agave plants and finally arrive at the main estate enclosure.

Uayamón is one of the oldest haciendas in the Campeche area, originally established in the late 16th century to produce wheat. In 1685, like other settlements in the area, it was looted by the pirates Graff and Grammont, who spared not even the city of Campeche. By the mid-19th century, Uayamón was producing corn, sugarcane, and sisal. Service in the main house was provided by thirty-five attendants, making it the second most important property in the area. Today, a similar number of staff take care of the few privileged guests who choose this secluded spot in the vegetation to become hacienderos themselves. The main residence hosts the reception, bar, restaurant, and library, while the rooms, or rather suites, are located in ten cottages, once used by officials and administrators, scattered throughout the garden. It accommodates a maximum of 24 guests, including the two “Colonial suites” with private pool and garden, converted from the old hospital. The main pool is set among the ruins of the industrial-archaeological complex where sisal was once extracted.

The location is certainly impressive, but it’s the details that stand out. All the furniture is antique, the lawns are perfectly manicured, and every detail is meticulously cared for.

The next day, we set off for Hacienda Santa Rosa.

Santa Rosa is an hour’s drive away. Painted entirely in blue, it’s visible from afar, with the 1903 chapel beside it in a lovely brick-red color. The building overlooking the pool, which was once the rainwater collection tank, is also red. The channels that carried water from here to the garden are still visible. The garden is bordered on one side by a long structure that once housed the workers, at the end of which, near the road, are the industrial facilities for sisal production. The rooms are large and, above all, tall—at least four meters high—and furnished with early 20th-century furniture made of fine woods. Here, you can sense opulence, the kind that came from quickly made money, not always accompanied by the best taste. In any case, spending the night here is an experience, especially when a thunderstorm causes a power outage, and you make your way to the restaurant with an umbrella and the flashlights provided in each room.

The next day, the sun shines beautifully, and in two hours, we reach Hacienda San José.

We spot it from afar with its tall, blackened brick chimney, still standing as a testament to the old mechanical glory, a tribute to steam, when its power drove the economy. In the garden, there’s still a carriage on rails. Once, a private railway connected the entire property, used for transporting agave for sisal extraction, taking workers to the fields, and allowing the owner to inspect the estate.

A similar railway, much better preserved, can be found at Hacienda Temozón, the last and largest hacienda we visit.

Here, the carriages for the owners, with soft black leather seats, and those with rough wooden benches for the workers still remain. The railway brought the “noble” carriages right up to the garden in front of the main residence, passing underneath it. At Temozón, guests can stay in the *Cuarto del Patrón*, now a presidential suite, with period furnishings, a private garden, and pool. Antique Chinese artifacts, Limoges and Capodimonte porcelain, and African sculptures mix with Flemish linen and damask fabrics, bearing witness to a splendor that is no longer matched. From the post-war period to the 1960s, the sisal economy declined, replaced by plastic. Thus, transforming these estates into luxury hotels for a select few is an ideal solution for their preservation. Hacienda Temozón, for example, operated until the 1970s, continuing to be inhabited, but when Grupo Plan acquired the others, they were little more than ruins on the verge of disappearing.

At Temozón, the cuisine is an experience in itself.

The menu offers a taste of another era. In addition to typical Mexican specialties, expertly crafted by local village women, one standout dish is *Queso relleno*, or “stuffed cheese,” a dish that tells the story of Yucatán’s *henequén* haciendas. When sisal was profitable, the local lords would have cheeses sent from Europe, including Dutch cheese. This cheese was partially hollowed out and filled with a mixture of boiled pork and beef, olives, onions, and seasonings. The cheese was then sealed, sliced, and served with a sweet chili sauce after a few minutes in the oven.

The properties are part of Marriott’s The Luxury Collection and can be viewed on their website  www.marriott.com.