11 Reviews of Property 191351 in Merida, Yucatan / Mayan Riviera

"The best vacation ever!"
"There are not enough stars to rate Hacienda Petac. We had the most amazing experience there. It is like being on your own private island. The food and service was outstanding,we can't wait to go back!"

""Hacienda perfect - not to be missed"
Hacienda Petac is absolute luxury yet maintains an authentic and unique historical appeal. We were spoiled with all the comforts of a Four Seasons hotel but it was beautifully private. The staff is extremely well trained - always there if you need anything but never intrusive. Our group consisted of both married couples and single people. We left the property twice during our 7 day stay- once to visit 2 different cenotes and one trip to Merida. The cenotes are amazing and not to be missed, no tourists in site. Merida is typical of a non-tourist working city, interesting to see and shop for an afternoon. Needless to say, our 4 hour excursions left us wanting to be back at the hacienda, laying by the pool with a margarita or getting a massage. There is plenty of space and privacy for those who wanted to spend time alone but we all gravitated towards the game room which had every game you could imagine - pool, ping-pong, board games, card games, chess, etc. It was refreshing to play the old school games together, through the night, while getting away from the television, phones and computers. We also spent time at the gym which although small offered all the basics - treadmill, elliptical, bike, weight bench, free weights & yoga mat. The rooms are all stunning, the attention to detail through out the property is impressive, and the meals were local yucatan cuisine and magnificent. I think we all gained weight while we were there. Bottom line: if you have the right group, there is no better place to be."

Our extended family 8 adults and 3 children 8-1 yrs. spent Christmas week at Hacienda Petac. We were not sure what to expect since the location is land-locked and we normally gravitate to the coast. Hacienda Petac is it's own island of beauty, peace, serenity and gourmet food. The beauty of the physical facilities is impossible to describe beyond the word "perfection" and is only exceeded by the warmth of the staff and the mind numbingly delicious food. We have been to many 5 star hotels but have never experienced the level of service provided by the management and staff at Hacienda Petac. Our 8 year old daughter spent a great deal of time with the women in the kitchen and learned how to prepare traditional Mayan meals and the the importance of the food's presentation. Each meal our table was set and resembled a work of art. The staff arranged wonderful day trips to Merida and Uxmal ruins with an expert guide/driver. A live performance by the incredible Tres Yucatecos filled one evening at the Hacienda. Please do not miss an opportunity to visit. We rarely return to the same place twice since there are so many places and so little time, but we are returning to Hacienda Petac to celebrate New Year week this year. We recommend Hacienda Petac unconditionally!

Hacienda Petac could mean tranquility in Mayan for all I know, because that is what I felt during our stay. The archictectural blend of saving some of the old and restoring some of the new was in perfect balance. The tropical vegetation around the gounds and "rooms" to sit in the jungle were great. I particularly liked the flowing and falling water in various places, as it adds to the tranquility of the setting. The Mayan staff are amazing...always with wonderful smiles and sincerity of service. The food, the service, and the stay were all perfect!

"Serene regrouping in the most luxurious surrounds imaginable...."
Sometimes when my insane lifestlye catches up with me, I actually go to the website just to "re-visit" the Hacienda and recall the serenity of my visits there. I travel frequently and have spent time in spectacular resorts throughout Europe, South America & the US, but I can't think of a single first-class accommodation which offers a nicer, more luxurious experience than Hacienda Petac. The rooms are enormous &luxurious; the meals are theatrical in presentation & superb in content; the staff is the most wonderful, unobtrusive staff ever assembled in a resort. I simply can't recommend this getaway highly enough!

Guest Review from Jan, 2010
"While traveling home from Hacienda Petac, I was making plans ...'
"This was my first Mexican experience. I wonder now, why it took me so long to get there! As a non-Spanish speaking traveler,(this trip made me vow to change that), I was made to feel totally comfortable upon meeting Petac's manager, Colleen Casey, who told me there would be no problems with communication and she was right. For basic needs like,"do I want my breakfast now, or later?", the native Yucataks did their very best to understand and accommodate me. For more complicated transactions, Colleen, or our driver, tour guide, Miguel, solved whatever needed solving. The Hacienda itself is an oasis for de-stressing and getting a real feel for Yucatan life and its spirit. Throughout my 5 day visit, it was a continuous delight to observe the staff's attention to beauty and detail. Also, I cannot compliment enough, Petak's visionary owners on their artistic choices in its unique interior design. I was in awe upon discovering grand hand-crafted armoires, Moorish design influenced head boards in high-ceilinged bedroom suites. Also, I adored the comfy leather "scoop" chairs (my name for them) that you'd never want to move from while sipping your chilled margarita and dipping into fresh guacamole, both of which rank as the best I've tasted. At every meal, the food presentation was such, that you started talking about the next meal while eating the present one. Petac's well-trained and courteous staff come from nearby villages. With an obvious love and talent for cooking, they present great regional fare with a romantic flare. To complete that sense of romance came the nightly delight of improvised floral petal designs. The flowers are picked from Petac's gardens and found at every meal setting, bedside mat and throughout the newly completed zen-like spa. Having worked many years for the "Four Seasons Hotels", I found Petac's spa amenities, grounds and personalized service on a par with our acclaimed resorts."

Guest Review from Jan, 2010
"Peaceful elegance in a restful and romantic corner of the world"
"My partner of five years and i decided to leave the cold and damp NYC winter behind us and fly from Newark through Houston to this beautiful city in the Yucatan state called Merida. Not far from Merida, with its open air markets and palatial homes lay our destination--Hacienda Petac. As we entered through the front gates of this beautifully restored Hacienda, we were greeted by our hostess, the lovely Colleen Casey, and her staff, with an exotic and healthy cocktail. We realized that we had come to the right place! It's difficult to put into words the perfection and beauty that are the daily workings of the Hacienda Petac. From exquisite yet simple meals with the finest wines, to service that is not only impeccable - but executed with a smiling sweetness and gentleness that must be part of the native Mayan DNA, we were enchanted! We have never felt so pampered. Our high ceilinged, very spacious room- always lovingly adorned with native flora -was a far cry from noisy Manhattan and we slept better than we ever had. When we finished our long walks, we swam, used the exercise room and/or the jacuzzi (complete with margaritas and the best guacamole we've ever had) and then after dinner played pool, scrabble or our favorite, Scattergory! There is no TV in the Hacienda, and we never missed it! The game room is HUGE with a wonderful sound system and we were served the most delicious and soporific after dinner drinks there, after which we fell into a deep and restorative sleep. Larry and I had spoken about getting married but never got around to it. The night before we were to say goodbye to this magical place, Colleen Casey was able to bring to the Hacienda four official shamans who, amidst insense and bougainvillea, under the Mayan moon, performed our marriage ceremony. It was a spur of the moment, spiritual connection to each other but also to the beauty and purity of our five days in what i can only call the magical kingdom that is the Hacienda Petac."

Guest Review from Mar 1, 2010
"A luxurious home away from home in the Yucatan..... "
"I can't remember if this is our fourth or fifth time renting the Hacienda Petac in Mexico, it keeps getting better every time we go back. Everything about the Hacienda is completely thought out and designed for comfort and fun. The bedrooms are beautifully decorated and include an iPod/ CD player. The bathrooms are spacious and each is individually designed and uniquely different. The public rooms are spacious and perfectly appointed and the grounds are meticulously maintained without being fussy. The pool area, complete with a row of chaise lounges and hammocks, makes for the perfect place to sip a Margarita. New to us this year was the full servce Spa that was added. Various Mayan treatments are available and our group took full advantage of the manicures, massages and facial treatments. All of this said, however, it is the staff that makes the Hacienda unique and keeps us coming back. The manager Colleen, is friendly, knowledgable and personable and keeps the place operating perfectly each day. She will make arrangements for local trips, tours, shopping and knows the local art community very well. The staff of local men and women attend to your every need and seem to appear out of nowhere, just when your wine glass is nearly empty or you want more of the homemade Guacomole (the best I ever had!) from the kitchen. But mostly it is the fact that you feel like this is your fabulous home for the week with 9 of your closest friends. (The Hacienda sleeps 10 - 11). The owners have put their hearts and souls into building this extraordinary compound that we are lucky enough to have for one blissful week each year. If you rent the Hacienda Petac, you will never forget it as long as you live, and maybe, like us, will keep going back again and again to experience this unique treasure."