Ake then Hacienda Santa Rosa de Lima

We had breakfast at Hacienda Chichen Itza then drove to Ake Archaeological Ruins, about an hour and a half northwest.  We had Ake to ourselves!  The Mayan structures still visible were built from 300 BC - 200 AD and the site was populated until the early 1400’s.  The whole archaeological zone is now enveloped in a privately owned hacienda property, originally a henequen hacienda.  We climbed one of the structures and had fun exploring.  

We stopped for a late lunch along the way and arrived at Hacienda Santa Rosa de Lima by 4.  We were greeted by the staff and treated to fresh lemonade on the terrace.  While enjoying our lemonade, a woman came over and chatted with us about our plans during our stay.  She happens to be the owner of several hacienda properties in the Yucatan peninsula.  The manager of the haciendas stopped to chat with us too, telling us about the Foundation set up 15 years ago by the owners of the haciendas, “focused on improving the social and economic conditions of Mayan communities in the Yucatan Peninsula, by working with former sisal haciendas that have been converted into luxury hotels, providing employment and training opportunities to local people while respecting Mayan culture and heritage.”  

We stayed at two other nearby hacienda properties five years ago, and are happy to be back!  They are historic, built in the 1600-1700’s, as owner’s homes on big ranches.  They became henequen haciendas in the 1800’s, when local ranchers started growing agave henequen to make sisal - used in rope and rugs.  Most of the henequen haciendas closed by the 1960’s as nylon became the primary material in making ropes.  Fortunately, many of the haciendas have been purchased and used privately or as boutique hotels.