HACIENDA DEL JADE.
2026-01-29T21:58:55.607Z
I really wanted to like this place but can’t because their hyped-up publicity is misleading. If they want to describe themselves as a simple Mayan country retreat, they succeed to a certain extent but don’t deliver in others. Yes, they do have lovely local people working there, domestic animals, horseback riding, a small pool, and a few local dishes on the menu plus free transportation (Campeche, Mayan Train station, Edzná archaeological site). For overnight stays, guests can use a handful of basic cabins or one of the (only) two rooms inside a pyramid like structure. The rooms are new and clean—only had to kill one cockroach. There was no hot water and at times no water at all—a common thing in Mexico—which we pointed out to the owner(s). As a city person born in the country side, I cringe at accommodations that have no real secure locks—no matter how safe Mayan lands are supposed to be and no matter how isolated the location is. (By the way, unlike their advertising states, first you have drive a distance to the closest main road and then you will be 700m from the ruins of Edzná). Two friendly Mayan ladies made basic foods like tortillas (by hand), pork, fish, and eggs although their exaggerrated menu promises many more options and leads you to believe you may interact with a good number of fellow diners. For breakfast, I asked for milk for my coffee, which they didn’t have, (No, I did not expect a Starbucks frappuccino with whipped cream when staying in middle of nowhere.) The “hacienda”—more like a “ranchito”, a small farm—also promises Mayan rituales (yes, once a year) and baths (no) as well as a souvenir shop (yes but not on site and miles away at the Mayan Train station). The price of the accommodations is too steep considering what the enterprising, business savvy owners actually offer. I feel cheated: I am an experienced traveler fluent in Spanish and my husband is Mexican. The “hacienda” may be worth a meal and free transportation, but I do not recommend it to anyone who has first seen their advertising and promises, especially about overnight accommodations (1,250 pesos/night, which is a nice amount in a place like Campeche). Maybe one of these days/years the “hacienda” will either live up to its promises or agree to tune down its advertising including the color photos they show potential customers in their Campeche city office?