Hacienda's South of Merida

The hacienda's below are between Merida and Muna. They are all within 45 minutes of Merida. You could combine a couple of them on the way to or from Uxmal or you could just make a day of visiting haciendas and churches along the convent route. Hacienda's Ochil and Temozon are part of the Starwood Luxury Collection and anyone can have lunch at Ochil or with reservations lunch or dinner at Temozon. The hacienda of Muycuche is in the town ten minutes from Ochil. It is very much in ruins. If you turn north at Muycuche you'll pass through Uayalche on your way to Sotuta de Peon. Sotuta is a working hennequen plantation opened as a musueum and restaurant in 2006. Reservations encouraged. Yaxcopoil is off the main highway from from Merida to Muna. It is an unrestored museum and if you are only going to see one hacienda this is the one to see.

Temozon Sur

The largest of the Starwood Hotel Haciendas in the area.  If you are not a guests you must make a reservation at the restaurant.  Worth it to have a lunch or afternoon snack and drinks there even if the food is not always great.

Ochil

Even if you're in a hurry to get to Uxmal you should stop off here and see the workshops of the craftsmen & women.  See the little museum of hennequen & have a drink or meal on the terrace.
This is the site of a recent Phillip Glass concert with installation of by James Turrell.   This is one of the nicest restorations in the Yucatan.

Yaxcopoil

Was one of the largest hennequen producing haciendas in the Yucatan and is in a beautiful state of disrepair but not decay.  It looks like the family is still in residence circa 1916.  It's well worth beginning your tour of the Yucatan here.

Muycuche

Hard to see from the road and hard to get permission to see but worth taking a peek if you are on the road nearby from Sotuta de Peon or Ochil.  Not the only Moorish arches in the Yucatan but some of the prettiest still untouched by contemporary architectural demons.

Sotuta de Peon

Not the most beautiful hacienda but a great place to launch a tour if you have kids or just have a curiosity to see how hennequen was produced and processed.  There is a good restaurant here (2012)
and a nice cart drawn ride to the cenotes for a swim.  Check the schedule for tours.

Uayalceh

A private hacienda in the middle of a small village.  The owner lives part of the time in one wing of the casa principal but the villages use the chapel and no one has ever said a word to us about walking around the property and taking photos...which we've done dozens of times.  One of my favorite places in the Yucatan.