Hotel Snapshot
Few properties rival Chablé Yucatán’s dreamy setting in the heart of the jungle. Spread across 750 acres on the Yucatan Peninsula, the resort is a destination itself and is set on the grounds of a 17th-century hacienda that was left in ruins. It’s a secluded retreat with spiritual roots and located 45 minutes from Merida, a lively city that’s quickly become on the radar for visitors from the U.S.
Design & Character
The property is a step back in time with its other-era grand setting. Architect Jorge Borja and interior designer Paulina Morán looked to the abandoned ruins as their impetus and wanted to respect the estate’s roots while giving it a new life as a luxury resort.
The redesign uses locally sourced materials such as limestone and traditional Mayan techniques whenever feasible. The latter includes chukum- a wall finish made by boiling a tree root in water. The more than 23,000 floor tiles and 665 pillows throughout the property are handmade, and the 40 accommodations are either built around an old existing wall or towering tree to keep guests connected to the jungle environment they’re living in.
A cenote or natural sinkhole, which the Mayans consider as sacred, is at the heart of the resort.
The Rooms
Despite its sprawl, Chablé has just 40 accommodations, comprising casitas and villas. These rooms are large and spread throughout the grounds, which evokes the feeling of staying in your own Yucatán fantasy home. They also all have plunge pools. Biophilia is the reigning theme, as each room is immersed amid the lush forest.
The top category accommodations are 2,152 square-foot stand-alone casitas with a private plunge pool, outdoor terrace and seating area, and indoor-outdoor rain showers.
Food & Drink
It’s going to be hard to eat anywhere but Chablé when you’re in the Yucatan. Jorge Vallejo, whose Mexico City restaurant Quintonil currently ranks 3rd place on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, heads up the culinary program. His style combines traditional flavors with modern techniques to create an outstanding fine dining experience.
The resort has multiple dining options.
Ixi’im favors dishes with Mayan influences that are heavy on fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables grown in the resort’s garden. This is where you can also see the world’s largest collection of tequila: the more than 3,700 bottles are on show in beautiful crystal cabinets.
Ki’ol, an all-day spot by the main swimming pool, is the place for salads of all manners, delicious, vibrant ceviches featuring local catch, small bites, and cocktails- there’s never a better margarita to be had than the one I sipped on made by the mixologist behind Ki’ol’s bar.
Sikar Bar is where you go for that post-dinner drink, where it’s a single malt whiskey, bourbon, cognac, tequila, or brandy. You can also partake in cigars and pick from a selection that was made exclusively for Chablé. Casa Principal or Main House, where the former hacienda’s owner used to live, is another watering hole, and Casita Club is a lounge on the golf course serving small bites and drinks.
Amenities
What amenity doesn’t Chablé have? In addition to the culinary lineup, there’s a nine-hole golf course and clubhouse, tennis and padel courts, a gym outfitted with the best equipment, a wine cellar, a bee sanctuary, a kids’ club, and a farm.
But the star is the 43,055 sq. ft. Chablé Spa, built on a private cenote. It features 13 wooden treatment cabins and offers Mayan-inspired treatments and other services with locally made products. I succumbed to a deep state of relaxation ten minutes into my massage, where the therapist used an oil blended with herbs grown on site. She finished by giving me a Mayan blessing, a touch that made my experience even more mystical than it already was.
Location & Neighborhood Recs
You can spend a week here having full days exploring the area and not touch a quarter of the attractions there are to hit. Mérida, one of Mexico’s oldest cities and a pre-colonial history masterpiece, is a 45-minute drive away and full of markets, museums, boutiques, and visit-worthy restaurants. Then there are nature-centric draws such as cenotes open to the public and ripe for swimming and the Celestún Biosphere Reserve, filled with mangroves, lagoons, and flamingoes.
Visiting a few of the several archaeological sites is a must: Chichén Itzá, a World Heritage Site, is from the Mayan-Toltec civilization, while the far less touristy Uxmal is from the late Mayan civilization.
Fast Facts
Location: Chocholá, Yucatán, Mexico (45 minutes southwest of Mérida)
Rating: Five-Star
The Vibe: An otherworldly hideaway with historical significance and a mythical feel, immersed in a storybook-like jungle.
Room Count: 40 Casitas and Villas
Starting Rate: From $1,100 USD + taxes
Food + Drink: Multiple dining and drinking venues, including two gastronomic restaurants serving organic, seasonal cuisine with ingredients sourced from the on-site gardens.
Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The setting is secluded, the amenities and service are as good as they come, and it’s well-positioned to take in a rich Mexican region that’s untraversed.
Closest Airport: Around 30 minutes from Mérida International Airport
