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Hacienda Santa Cruz

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This colonial-era hacienda is nestled in 12 acres of beautiful gardens on the southern edge of the joyful city of Mérida.

In peaceful surroundings of orange trees and palms, Hacienda Santa Cruz is a former 17th century Franciscan monastery, a listed
building converted into a hotel in 2007. Within its unassuming boundary are landscaped grounds and gardens illuminated by hanging lanterns, creating a magical atmosphere in the evenings. Exploring the property, you’ll encounter its elegant courtyard and the original centuries-old chapel as well as impressive guest facilities. There are adult and children’s pools, as well as an indulgent spa offering a wide variety of treatments, including hydro-massage. The hotel also has a restaurant serving traditional Yucatecan cuisine.

Hacienda Santa Cruz has 25 individually-decorated rooms and suites, many in the original buildings with lovely views of the gardens. Rooms have gorgeous designs with warm earthy colours, intricate period furnishings, bold artwork and rather opulent bathrooms. Some have four-poster beds, while suites have large sitting rooms and more ostentatious bathrooms.

Downtown Mérida is 20km (30 mins) drive from Hacienda Santa Cruz and the Mayan ruins at Uxmal and the Puuc route are around an hour away.

What our clients say

Most memorable experiences: "Visiting our parents' house in Lomas de Chapultepec. Francisco persuaded the owners that we were genuine, which was quite an achievement. In sightseeing terms it is difficult…
HG, Sherborne Mar 2015
Highlight?: Calakmul, its a long journey to get there ( 2 hours from Xpujil alone ) so plenty of anticipation, not busy and complete freedom to walk around as opposed…
DB, Teddington Feb 2018
Most Memorable Moment?: Lots of highlights but probably street food and archaeology in Mexico City, fiestas in Oaxaca, Hotel Esencia, cenotes and hacienda trip in Merida (and the hotel). We…
KE, London Jul 2018
Oaxaca and Mexico City were the high spots for us. We found the Mexicans we met to be welcoming and helpful. We ate some amazing foot in Oaxaca where we…
DS, Tunbridge Wells Dec 2019
Specific memorable event: Having climbed up the large pyramid at the Mayan site, within the Calakmul biospere, not only did we love the impressive view across the tree canopy, but…
LG, St Albans Apr 2016
Most memorable aspects were all the archaeological sites, which we enjoyed immensely. On the whole, we found local people very kind and helpful.
DC Nottingham Oct 2015

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Our Expert's Opinion

Ben Line - Travel Expert

Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

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Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.
Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.
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After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!
Rosie Kay - Travel Expert

During a career break, Rosie embarked on an unforgettable year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. Now back in the UK, she is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others, helping them discover her favourite place in the world.
Ben Line - Travel Expert

Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.