Hacienda Viva Sotuta de Peon

The experience itself is 5 out of 5.... except it is very pricey! So here's a review so you can judge whether to go for this one - or another hacienda + cenote experience.

The tour itself is very interesting, if you really want to get to know the history of haciendas, and how "sisal" is made. They have restored all the machinery, so they can really demonstrate how sisal is made from the agava plant. This is really interesting - and I think many other hacienda tours don't do this.

The tour also includes a wagon ride to the cenote, along old "railroad" tracks in the hacienda, pulled by a horse. Again, pretty interesting.

The cenote itself is small and unspectacular compared to other cenotes, but as a taster / first cenote it is interesting enough. The water is cool, the changing rooms and shower facilities are good and clean.

Overall, without considering price, it is a 5 out of 5 half day experience, well worth doing, if you are very interested in the history of haciendas and how sisal is made. But it is pricey... so you have to weigh that up.

An hour or so out of Merida, a tour of this well-preserved hacienda should be a must on the tourist's list of things to experience in the area. The current owner of the hacienda bought it simply to show the world something that came to an end in the early 1950's when artificial fibers such as Nylon came to market and drove sisal fibers out of business--and a host of these haciendas became worthless. Many were abandoned. This one claims to be the sole operating survivor, and it survives purely on its accommodations, its restaurant, and the tours.

All the machinery for processing henequen (sisal) fiber has been brought back to life, together with a narrow gage mule-drawn "railway, the main house beautifully restored. Go to see it soon, because all this machinery cannot last forever, even with the extensive maintenance that is lovingly carried out.

Our wonderful and enthusiastic guide spoke very clearly in English and Spanish (and I assume his French was also good.)

Kudos and thanks go out to the owner for this unique labor of love.

(Oh, I almost forgot to mention that there are eight cenotes on the hacienda, and four of them are available for swimming for guests. The tour makes one available for about an hour.)

The arrival was amazing.
Great welcoming host who spoke perfect.
Tour was awesome n the Best Cenote ever!
Then it got bad with a weitress in the restaurant, he was trying to steal money from my husband who didnt speak any spanish and thank god i read the check and was able to stop him.
I wish i had his name so i could do a proper complaint.

So one BAD weitress male but all experience was good.

I went with my family to Merida Yucatan, we have heard of this Hacienda a lot of beautiful things, and they were true.... The Hacienda is in perfect condition and the tour is fantastic.... you can travel back in time and see how the henequen was cultivated and harvested and then processed in to ropes. They have all the machines in perfect condition and during the tour they work with the henequen so you can have a full experience. At the end they give you a ride in a little car with a donkey around the Hacienda, and you meet people that has work there for 80 years!! And then the tour ends at a beautiful cenote where you can swim!!!! Amazing!!!