FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Hacienda San Jose, Yucatan [Master Thread]
Old Jul 15, 2003, 9:11 pm
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LAFlyer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 77
Arrow Hacienda San Jose, Yucatan [Master Thread]

I scoured the web, including FlyerTalk, for information on the Haciendas before booking 4 nights for my recent honeymoon. There wasn't a lot of good information. I just got back and would like to report on my experience.

In a nutshell, it was fantastic. Everything met or exceeded my expectations, and I will look forward one day to exploring the other Haciendas. Here are the details:

SERVICE
I had high expectations, and they exceeded them. Some examples... Every day, they asked where we were going and packed us cold drinks (H20, beer, whatever we wanted) in a cooler with ice, sandwiches, a basket of towels, bug spray, umbrellas, etc. All this was automatically loaded into my trunk every morning. Amazingly, there were NO extra charges for any of this (a recurring theme of reasonable billing practices - also, for example, no charge for high-speed internet access in the office). Twice, without our asking, they set special tables in separate locations of the hacienda for private dinners, and they took great pains to make the experiences as romantic as possible (tons of candles, flower petals on the tablecloth, etc). On our last day, the manager noted my wife itching a bug bite and gave her a whole tube of bug-itch stuff. The manager and head chef met us at just about every meal for custom entres, itinerary suggestions, etc. Fresh flowers every day in the room, and a different turndown treatment of the bed every night (flowers arranged in a heart, a Chitzen-Itza candle the day we visited the ruins, etc). Everybody made a great effort to learn our names and make us feel special in every way possible. Just couldn't possibly ask for anything more.

PLATINUM TREATMENT
I booked the only "superior" room in the Hacienda (the cheapest room) with a 4th night free breakfast included package. I was upgraded to one of the 4 "Mayan Villas" - the best room there except for one super-suite that was occupied when I arrived. I noticed at reception the roster of guests. By my name was "SPG Platinum/Honeymoon - upgrade to best available room". Occupancy was very low when I was there (I think non-platinums were getting upgraded as well), so results may differ at peak periods.

FOOD
I was really nervous about the food there, primarily the potential for a lot of very expensive meals given the remote location and our lack of other options. However, the food was all very reasonably priced ($5-$8 for appetizers, $8-$14 for entres with most options at the lower end of the range). Based on some of things I have read about other remote Luxury Collection properties, I thought this was VERY reasonable. On top of that, the food was GREAT...without doubt the best value for money food we ate during our 7 nights in Mexico.

FACILITIES
The pictures on the SPG web site just don't do the place justice. Better pictures at http://www.differentworld.com/mexico/hotels/hacienda_san_jose/pages/entrance.htm , but they still don't give you the true feel for the place. Hard to desribe the effect of the mix of crumbling old hacienda with ultra-luxurious, modern amenities. It is just a tranquil, peaceful place. Beautiful pool, amazing rooms (Mayan Villa reminded me of some of the ultra-luxury Conservation Corp. lodges in Africa), and a beautifully appointed and situated restaurant and bar.

ACTIVITIES
Lots to see and do in the area...it was very easy for us to stay busy for a 4 night stay. The manager was very helpful in helping us with daily itineraries, maps, etc. I could have used a couple more just to relax and enjoy the pool.

GETTING THERE
The hacienda is sort of an adventure to get to (directions provided by the hacienda are to go to town X, look for the road to town Y, then find the road to town Z). For us, that was part of the charm. It is remote, and a lot of the street signs in the towns you pass through to get there were blown down in a storm a few years ago. It really isn't hard to get to, but our first time there we had to ask directions a couple times. Some packages do include transportation to/fron other haciendas or the Merida airport, but without your own car, your activity options will be limited.

That's it. I really can't emphasize enough how happy we were with our visit. The place is just designed and run the way a luxury hotel should be run. Perhaps our best hotel experience ever, in fact.

[Edited to fix URL]

[This message has been edited by LAFlyer (edited 07-15-2003).]
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