Hacienda Sotuta de Peon

Hacienda Sotuta de Peon is one of the cultural treasures of the Yucatan. Not only is it a living museum, it is an interesting place to visit and stay. This hacienda is one of the most popular tourist attractions near the City of Merida in the Yucatan Peninsula. If you are going to be visiting the area, Hacienda Sotuta de Peon should be on your list of places to visit. Here is why.

A brief history of haciendas in the Yucatan Peninsula

Haciendas were large ranches that often were mini cities. By the late 19th century henequen was grown on a large scale in the western half of the Yucatan Peninsula. Haciendas grew large fields of henequen to be processed into rope and other products. Henequen is a plant native to the Yucatan and is a type of agave. It has pointy green spikes with a central stem.

The production required hundreds of people and power to run the equipment. Some haciendas had hospitals, schools, chapels and housing for workers. Today you can you can identify haciendas by the tall smokestacks.

Henequen was nicknamed “green gold” because it lead to some much wealth pouring into the area. The wealth is evident in some of the homes at haciendas and from the mansions built in Merida’s on Paseo de Montejo Avenue.  Because haciendas had such an impact on the history of Mexico and the Yucatan, it is important to learn about them. Not only is it fascinating, but some of the old ways of also doing things and the products are finding their way back into modern life.

What a tour is like at Hacienda Sotuta de Peon

There are two timed tours daily at 10:00am and 1:00pm. If you book a tour you will be set. If you plan on driving here, it is good to arrive early and register for the tour.

Tours start promptly from the reception area and are conducted in English and Spanish.

What you will see on the tour

1. A tour of the grand house that was built in the late 19th century. It is furnished in the period it was built.
2. From the porch of the house, you can look out over the grounds and gardens. Your guide can point out local trees like mango, tamarind and ceiba.
3. A demonstration on how henequen was cleaned and made into rope by hand.
4. You will walk through the process of how the specialized machines take the fibers out of the henequen and how it is processed. This is very interesting because henequen is being processed every day at Hacienda Sotuta de Peon.
5. Take a mule pulled cart through the henequen fields where you will make two stops.
6. The first stop is to see a traditional Maya house. You get the opportunity to hear stories and meet some of the people that work there at the hacienda.
7. The last stop is at the cenote. Here you can swim, have a drink at the bar, or get a massage. You have about one hour here before going back to the starting point.

Below are a few photos we took on the tour of Hacienda Sotuta de Peon.

What to bring on this tour

The tour does involve some walking so dress comfortably. The main things you might want to bring are a towel and swimsuit for the cenote. There are changing areas at the cenote. You have about one hour here, so it is good to take advantage of swimming here.

If your tour does not include lunch, you might want to bring money for that. There are not too may places in the immediate area to eat at. Alcoholic drinks are not included in the tour price, so bring some money with you on the tour if you want to have one.

How to book this tour

Since this tour is limited to two tours a day, it is good to book in advance. This booking option will pick you up from your hotel or designated spot in Merida and take you to Hacienda Sotuta de Peon. Roundtrip transportation, lunch and entrance fees are all included in this tour.

If you plan on driving here yourself, you can purchase tickets for the tour on the Hacienda Sotuta de Peon website.

What it is like to stay at Hacienda Sotuta de Peon

If you stay at Hacienda Sotuta de Peon you will be adding immensely to your experience in the Yucatan. The setting is majestic and especially unique at sunset and sunrise. This relaxing country hotel will give you something to remember from your time in the Yucatan Peninsula.

This hotel can be a great jumping off point for many touristic points in the area or you can stay here while taking in the tour of the hacienda.

The hotel has villas(small houses) spread around a manicured area surrounded by henequen fields. There are just 30 rooms here.  The area is open and spacious. One thing we liked about the deluxe rooms were the fact the patios faced different directions, so you had some privacy when relaxing on your porch or in the dip pool.

What are some of the things you have access to when you stay at the hotel?

There is a large pool on the hotel property. Here you can relax, have some snacks or drinks and enjoy the countryside.

For dining options, you have the restaurant by the pool which serves breakfast and dinner. The other location, Restaurant Hacienda serves lunch. Both restaurants serve local dishes and have bar drinks. For dinner, there is a rotating menu that has a few options each evening.

Newly added for guest of the hotel at Hacienda Sotuta De Peon are massages, a temazcal, and a private cenote just for guest. These things in addition to horseback riding and experience more of the hacienda are things you can enjoy when you stay at the hotel.

What are the rooms like at Hacienda Sotuta de Peon?

You have your option between regular and deluxe rooms. They are very similar except the deluxe rooms are one story and have a private dip pool on the patio.

Inside the rooms you will find a nice open space with local touches. The rooms are modern with air conditioning but also have tradition pasta tiles and local elements like the palapa roofs.

Amenities include a mini fridge, coffee maker, air conditioning, private bathroom and Wi-Fi.

How much is the hotel at the hacienda?

If you are interested in staying at Hacienda Sotuta de Peon, check the box below for available dates and prices.

How to get to Hacienda Sotuta de Peon

Most people will visit the hacienda from the city Merida. The hacienda is about 45 minutes south of the city. The drive is fairly easy with most turns posted with signs. It is technically possible as a road day trip from Playa Del Carmen and the Rivera Maya. It is about 3 1/2 hours each way. You could leave early, have lunch at the hacienda and then take the 1:00pm tour.

The entrance to the hacienda is on the north side. Most people approach from the west. Once you arrive you will need to turn left and go around to the entrance with security. This is where the parking lot is and where tours start.

How to arrive to the hacienda without a car

The best option is to book a tour with transportation. Since the hacienda is in the rural area, there are no good public transportation options.

Thank you for reading our article about Hacienda Sotuta de Peon. Let us know if you have any comments or questions about visiting or staying here. If you have been here, what did you think? Let us know below in the comments. 

• If you liked reading about this hacienda, you might like to see our video and article about Hacienda Yaxcopoil here.
• Did you know there is a store in Playa Del Carmen that sells henequen items from here? It is the KIH store on 38th Street.
• If you are also going to be in this area because to check out Uxmal ruins and the Chocolate Museum.

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Mr.Yucatan

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