There’s a very specific soundscape to Chablé Yucatán that you’d be hard pressed to find in any other part of the world. A cornucopia of sounds wakes you up in the morning and soothes you to sleep at night: a chorus of native jays, the shrill chirp of woodpeckers, the harmony of orange orioles and the melody of black catbirds. It’s one of many sensory experiences at Chablé Yucatán that reaffirms the unique offering of this destination in the middle of the Mexican jungle. 

Enveloped in a 750 acre Mayan forest roughly three hours from Cancún, Chablé Yucatán was developed by a Mexican family, with the original ambition for the existing 19^th century Hacienda San Antonio Chablé to be something entirely different to a hotel. Once they visited the premises in 2016, however, they quickly realised its potential. After all, who wouldn’t want to stay in the confines of a Mexican architectural masterpiece with its very own natural cenote? 

Peppered across the estate are striking architectural remnants harking back to its former life, with its epicentre being the henequen factory – henequen, a native agave plant also known as sisal, is known colloquially as Yucatán’s ‘green gold’ and is used to make rope – which provided the hacienda and its people a livelihood. The network of winding roads – now large enough to fit an electric golf buggy to chauffeur guests to and fro, but not large enough to deter grazing deer crossing your path – quite literally takes you on a journey through the estate’s history, passing the hacienda wall and a smattering of perfectly-preserved erstwhile homes now housing a cigar bar, local artisan-sourced boutique and reception. It’s clear from the off that the architecture is one of many things that has afforded Chablé Yucatán its status as the 16^th best hotel in the world. 

Having tapped into the creative nous of architect Jorge Borja, interior designer Paulina Moran and landscape designer Pedro Pablo Velasco to transform this vast estate, the hotel’s central buildings include the main house – once home to the Spanish family which colonised this sub-section of Yucatán jungle – a serene pool and the Ki’ol restaurant, all framed by grand archways which once acted as entrances to the private reserve. Branch off to discover cumaru, ceiba, and parota tree-fringed pathways that lead to 40 stand-alone suites, ensconced in the wild flora and fauna of the jungle to not only guarantee privacy, but to immerse each guest in the jungle experience. 

Accommodation has been carefully curated to strike a balance between cool contemporary and historic hedonism; to reach my casita, for example, I must walk through the charming ruins of a house. All casitas and villas are complete with heated azure-blue plunge pools, private patios and hammocks – a key feature across all Chablé properties referencing the Mayan preference for sleeping suspended in the air – before an open-plan master bedroom and glass-fronted bathroom is unveiled behind huge wooden doors. 

Rendered in a palette of neutral stone, dark wood and turquoise accents, the bathroom, which spans the width of my casita, is a real talking point. Featuring an indoor-outdoor moon shower (another signature design found across all Chablé properties) with only a glass wall separating you from the wilderness beyond, the hotel has ensured even something as menial as a shower is an immersive experience. Floor-to-ceiling windows make it feel as if you’re getting ready among the trees, with only the birds soaring overhead and the occasional curious deer to keep you company. Thoughtful touches abound: keep an eye out for the handmade sweet treats and cleansing juices delivered during turndown before waking up to your own supply of coffee and pastries once the sun has risen. 

Genuine Mexican experiences are what informs the ethos of the Chablé portfolio – sister properties include Chablé Maroma on Riviera Maya, and Casa Chablé on a leafy archipelago south of Tulum – and the utmost respect for preserving and celebrating local Mayan traditions seeps through at every turn in Yucatán. Musts for culture vultures include the authentic cacao ceremony which takes place adjacent to the hotel’s own cenote – Mayans believed cacao was a divine gift – to encourage self-reflection and group connection, as well as an afternoon at Casita Maya. Under this thatched-roof, open-air restaurant is an intimate kitchen, local tías serve traditional Yucatecan delicacies such as cochinita pibil, poc chuc and panuchos cooked on open fires – just like they would at home. Also don’t miss the Meliponarium, home to a colony of sting-less Melipona bees, where you can learn why the Mayan people regarded them as a sacred species and taste honey straight from the hive (which is thought to stave off illness). 

From its inception, Chablé Yucatán ensured it wasn’t only a luxury resort, but also an elite haven for physical, spiritual and emotional health. The first and only hotel in the world built around a natural cenote – sacred natural sinkholes that interconnect across the Yucatán Peninsula and which the Mayans deemed as portals to the underworld – the spa harnesses its healing energy, and draws on the ancient wisdom of Mayan culture to inform not only its menu, but design. The cenote acts as the spa’s beating heart, with the heated pool (I recommend getting here early for a serene, slow start to your morning), Technogym-equipped gym and nine wood-clad treatment rooms fringing the fresh water below. 

Cacao ceremony

Chablé Yucatán’s cenote

Before setting foot on the property, all guests are encouraged to engage in a pre-arrival consultation with the Chablé wellness team who, using insights gathered from the one-to-one conversation, will curate a bespoke spa itinerary for you on arrival. Experiences on offer range from a Blessing Ceremony – designed to activate energy through the use of the primary elements: earth, air, water and fire – to hydrotherapy sessions which lean into the healing power of water and utilise varying water pressures and temperatures to stimulate circulation, relieve muscle tension and revitalise. 

I was prescribed the 90-minute Chablé Precious Stone Massage – and certainly wasn’t complaining. The timeless practice channels the properties of obsidian, quartz and basalt stones in a holistic ritual designed to re-centre and align chakras, while an expert therapist incorporates different temperatures for ultimate relaxation. I was told it was normal to feel emotional afterwards (I’m going to blame the cenote…).

It’s so refreshing to visit a luxury hotel that fully leans into local food culture, and hasn’t added a European or American menu just to appease Western appetites. You get everything you’d want from Mexican cuisine at Chablé Yucatán – tacos, quesadillas, tortillas, guacamole, beans – and then some. The menus for the two on-site restaurants are the brainchild of Jorge Vallejo – widely known as one of Mexico’s top chefs and the mastermind behind México City’s award-winning Quintonil, which has been included on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list since 2015 – who makes the most of local ingredients, either grown on-site in the Mayan raised gardens, ka’anches, or sourced from local small businesses.

Ki’ol – meaning ‘healthy’ in Mayan – is the poolside, all-day restaurant, and food here is like a breath of fresh air. Hearty, nutrition-led breakfasts take the form of sunny side up eggs in a fresh tortilla with bean sauce, cochinita pibil (spiced suckling pig) toast with pickled red onions, and guava chai oatmeal with dates, while lunch favourites include hibiscus flower enchiladas with salsa verde (delicious) and dinner highlights range from tuna tartlet with peanut and ponzu, and lamb, corn and pipián (pumpkin) verde. Thoughtful waiting staff are on hand with any tipple to whet your whistle, ranging from fresh palomas (the best I’ve ever had) to creamy iced coffees. 

Ixi’im

It would be remiss to visit Chablé Yucatán and not book a table at the award-winning, Michelin-starred restaurant Ixi’im. Housed in the former sisal factory – where exposed beams, open brickwork and distressed walls serve as constant reminders of its former life – the restaurant is also home to the largest private tequila collection in the world, estimated at 3,700 bottles. If like me, you’re not a seasoned tequila drinker (or even if you are), book the tequila tasting in the main house’s wine cave to sample both blanco and anejo spirits, elevated further by maestro tequilero’s witty knowledge and subtle flavour pairings. 

Vallejo’s Michelin-starred flair shines through at Ixi’im – meaning ‘corn’ in Mayan – where dishes are carefully executed by executive chef Luis Ronzón. Artful plates look as good as they taste, with highlights including fish chicharron taco with fermented chilli sauce, local squash tostada with sesame paste, and underground-cooked venison risotto, paired with an array of tequilas or Mexican wines. 

Ixi’im

Chablé Yucatán is, of course, family friendly – but the hotel has ensured 2025 is the year it elevates its offering for those with little ones in tow. This is the debut season for the newly refurbished kids’ club – complete with tree-surfing rope bridges and indoor-outdoor activities – while the adjacent Abu’s Farm promises families a place to connect with nature and local animals. 

There’s something about the energy here which I am certain you won’t find elsewhere. I will admit I’m not one for spirituality, and yet Chablé Yucatán’s special spirit successfully sucked me in. The energy – so embedded in the Mayan culture that you can almost feel it flowing through the ground and sky – pulls on you, re-centres you and ultimately envelopes you. Call it what you may, but I am convinced it’s magic. If you’re looking for an antidote to city chaos, or just a restorative escape, I can guarantee you’ll find it here. My only advice? Lean into absolutely all of it. You definitely won’t regret it. 

From £620 per night. 

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