A BRIEF
HISTORY
OF HACIENDA
CHICHEN
Hacienda Chichen was the first Colonial hacienda built in Yucatan by
the Spaniard in 1523. This hacienda
is uniquely famous among Mexico's haciendas in the Yucatan due to
its intimate link with Mayan archaeology discoveries in Chichen
Itza, for housing the first Mayan Academic Expedition ever
conducted in Mexico, and for
its current green vision and
sustainable tourism
activities making this boutique Eco-Spa Resort, the most
committed green hotel in Yucatan, Mexico. Today, this green
hotel ranks among Mexico's best green spa resorts, within the ten
best Eco-Spa Destinations in the World,
and
top Ten Eco-Wellness Destinations in North
America.
As with many Colonial Spanish countryside buildings in the
Yucatan,
Hacienda Chichen was designed by Spanish Conquistadors with a feudal
power structure. The Main house or “Casco” belonged to the "Lord" of the hacienda, appointed by the Spanish Crown to oversee the monarch’s economical,
religious and political interest. The
Casco was built near the main well or “Noria” to control the
region's water supply. Cattle-raising was the main business of the hacienda for centuries. Hacienda
Chichen structures were built with
pre-cut
Maya stones;
some can be seen at the main building's west facade and in
Morley's Cottage.
In early 20th Century, Hacienda Chichen was bought by
Mr. Edward Herbert Thompson, Vice-Consul of United States of America who was enthralled with Chichen Itza. Through Mr. Thompson, the Carnegie Institute established its
Maya Archaeological Expedition head-quarters at Hacienda Chichen in 1923.
Rustic cottages were built to house the
archaeologists and their research teams. And work began on excavating and reconstructing Chichen Itza.
During the 1920s, Mr. Fernando Barbachano Peon, the Pioneer of
Tourism in Mexico, began promoting visits to Chichen Itza to a few Ward Line cruise passengers stopping at Progreso,
Yucatan. From then on, he devoted his life to the worldwide promotion of the
Maya Culture and created his first
travel company and many custom tours to the
Yucatan. During the 1930s, Mr. Barbachano
Peon bought the Hacienda Chichen from the Thompson family. He and
his wife, Carmen G.R de Barbachano, built lodges and hotels near the
Maya archaeological sites
of Chichen-Itza and Uxmal.
Pictured in the photos on the right side of this page are the Barbachano family members in the horse-drawn cart that brought visitors to Chichen Itza from
Merida and standing in front of the Observatory at Chichen Itza. Below that is a photo of Mr. Fernando Barbachano Peon in the midst of restoration of the Casco, Mrs. Barbachano at a meal for the local workers, and both of them standing in front of one of the
cottages undergoing renovation.
 Throughout the 1940s, the couple restored the Hacienda Chichen as a part time hotel. Mrs. Carmen Gomez Rul was responsible for training and selecting the staff to serve in
their hotel ventures. Her loving patience, strong spirit, and hard work helped her husband's company gain a solid position
within the international travel industry. In the 1950s, Mr. Barbachano Peon turned his attention to
Mexico's Caribbean islands: Isla Mujeres and Cozumel; where he built his last hotel before his death in 1964. His legacy, vision, and
business drive helped the development of tourism as an industry in Mexico.
After his death, his daughter Carmen Barbachano Gomez Rul became the first business woman in
Yucatan to own six major hotels, rental car agencies and other major tourism services. During her active years as a business woman, Ms. Carmen Barbachano G.R. expanded her activities into banking ventures. In 1970, she inaugurated the elegant hotel Casa del Balam, named in honor of her father. After a very successful and fulfilling business life, Ms. Carmen Barbachano has left her family’s next generation the responsibility to continue with the
Barbachano family tradition of providing excellent service and quality to those that stay at her hotels.
Nowadays, Mrs. Belisa Barbachano and her husband Mr. Bruce Gordon
rent and independently operate Hacienda Chichen; they opened the first
Mayan Eco-Spa in the Yucatan:
Yaxkin Spa. Both are committed to
Green business practices and
Sustainable Tourism,
supporting the social volunteer work of
The Maya
Foundation In Laakeech A.C.
which they helped found with Mr. Ruben Gutierrez. This
eco-social sustainable organization is dedicated to Mayan
Communities welfare offering job-related training
programs, health care and education for young Mayan adults.
The foundation dedicates most of its efforts to the
Maya Children
Nutrition program and to the preservation of the
hotel's private
Maya Jungle Reserve's fauna and
flora, their care for Yucatan's wildlife has gained many new fauna
(animals) a safe place to dwell.
If you wish to help in our social volunteer caring projects, please
review the
Volunteer Program FAQs
and
visit
Yucatan Adventure Eco-Travel Guide
online.
or email:
info@yucatanadventure.com.mx
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