FORMER HENEQUEN HACIENDA NOW A LUXURY HOTEL by Marvin Perton Hacienda Katanchel was once a thriving 17th century cattle ranch, and later, in the 19th century, with the advent of henequen, became one of the lucrative haciendas of the region. Much earlier on, in the 3rd century (A.D.) it was an astronomical observatory (the name Katanchel is a Mayan word that literally means "the place to view the Milky Way"). An ancient pyramid and cenote, unearthed at the property, have yet to be fully excavated and restored. When the henequen boom went bust in the early 50's, the property was abandoned, and subsequently reverted to nature, with many of its buildings hidden under a cover of dense and exotic jungle growth, much the way it was in early Mayan times. The property remained untouched, a rich and untamed nature reserve with some 80 different species of birds, for 35 years, until its present owners, Anibal Gonzalez, and his wife, Monica Hernandez purchased this 741-acre site. When they removed some of the tall underbrush on the property, they discovered 33 separate structures that once housed the henequen workers. Suddenly the idea to transform this rustic site into a luxury hotel was born and the primitive worker dwellings were converted into luxury suites (pavilions). There are also six additional units which were part of the original hacienda complex. Even the original henequen factory became the lofty restaurant now bearing its original name, Casa de Máquina. The rest is history. Hacienda Katanchel, about 15 miles east of Merida (on the Merida/Cancun Road), is not only an ecological retreat, it's now a very "in" place to stay in the Merida area. Rates range from $300 to $400 a day. The toll-free fax from the U.S. is 888- 882-9470. E-mail: hacienda@mda.com.mx ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marvin H. Perton is a freelance travel writer with "Mexico" as his specialty. For over three decades, Perton has traveled throughout Mexico, first as a tourist, then as a public relations executive for major hotel companies in Mexico (also was president of his own public relations firm), and for the past 12 years, as a journalist.

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