Chablé Yucatán, tucked into the jungle outside the Mayan city of Mérida, is a place where time stands still
There is no way to do justice to Chablé Yucatán until you’ve actually been there. Even then, words fall short in describing this magical spot, which is more a feeling than a destination. And whether you believe in magic or not, you will absolutely feel the incredible energetic pull that permeates this place.
A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Chablé Yucatán is a secluded 750-acre property in the jungle near Chocolá, Mexico, on the Yucatán peninsula, not far from the historic Mayan city of Mérida. (Its sister property, Chablé Maroma, is a beach resort in the Riviera Maya, on a private beach surrounded by mangrove trees.)
The main house, a historic hacienda, is where you may be inspired to dance a tango, barefoot, on the cool tile floors. Or get lost in a reverie in the library, sway in an outdoor chair swing, or drink tequila, neat, in the lobby pocket bar. Chablé’s award-winning design evokes a sense of privacy so complete and all-encompassing that even at full occupancy, social distancing is the natural order.
The 36 spacious casitas and four family villas each feature a private pool, hammock, outdoor settee and ample space for breakfast al fresco. All are enveloped by lush foliage and a blanket of silence, except for the throb of birdsong. A beautiful glass-walled shower faces rainforest flora, and creates the lovely illusion of showering outdoors. There is a bicycle parked by each villa, but it’s just as easy to amble over to the amoeba-shaped pool, Ki’ol Restaurant or Chablé Spa, which was built around a sacred cenote.
The cenote—considered a power source by the Maya—is the energy center of the spa, and is said to exude the energy that is palpable throughout the property. Gifted Spa Director Nora Orozco channels it into a transformative spa menu, with signature spa journeys, some based on Mayan cosmology, that are geared toward wellness and healing. The Spa also features an extensive hydrotherapy circuit, with hot and cold plunge pools, eucalyptus steam and sauna. Grandmother Ak’bal, a local medicine woman with a long lineage of ancestral healing, will help you with an Energy Cleansing.
Chablé’s culinary centerpiece, Ixi’im Restaurant, was designed by Chef Jorge Vallejo, who also helms the award-winning Quintonil in Mexico City. Ingredients are harvested sustainably from the on-property Ka’anche’s (Maya Garden), with Luis Ronzón, the Executive Chef, overseeing this and two other incredible restaurants, all inspired by Mayan and Southeast Mexican cuisine.
A visit to Chablé Yucatán is truly a journey, in the most profound sense of the word. It is delightful, evocative, transformative, and will certainly draw you back, time and again.