OVERVIEW
In the southeast of Mexico, surrounded by the clear blue waters of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, lies the peninsula of the Yucatán, where the great Mayan culture once flourished amidst tropical forests. A 25 minute drive from the airport of Campeche, the state capital, and a 2 hours drive from the International Airport of Merida lies Hacienda Uayamon.
Uayamon, a superb residence not far from the city of Campeche recreates the belle époque of the Mexican southeast. The 12 rooms and suites are conditioned with exquisite details and locate in the main 18th century building, surrounded by beautiful gardens.
We invite you to evoke the splendor of past eras, eveloped in the luxurious amenities and services expected of a five-star hotel. Learn about the history, our role in the social context of this ever evolving land, the rich juxtaposition of the ancient and modern cultures. Delight in the flavors of our cuisine, the architectural heritage of our rooms and the archeological zones, colonial villages and the natural reserves that surround us.
BRIEF HISTORY
XVII Century
1685 Records exist the 17th century about Uayamon being a cattle farm that was ransacked in this year by the corsairs Graff and Gramont. At that time the farm was the property of Don Francisco de Cicero who held the ranks of commander and colonel. The Cicero family dates back to the earliest times of the Spanish conquest and they were very important among the elite of encomenderos. The encomienda was a type of administrator-ownership in use during the colonial era. Under this system, commanders received large territories in acknowledgment of their valor proven in battle and held them as both owners and administrators.
The Cicero family received the area surrounding and including the town of China and the Hacienda Uayamon. Eventually Mr. Cicero sold the hacienda to the son of one of his friends, José Segundo Carvajal, colonel of engineers and commander of the army.
1695 Uayamon means, "place of tender huayas". There were many Huaya trees, if tender ones, in the place that was chosen for the construction of the Main House. The word Huaya (a common regional fruit) is of Mayan origin, while mon or mun means "tender".
At the same time, the Diccionario de Etimologías Toponímicas Mayas suggest that "Uayamon" without the "H" means, "here we come down", uaye meaning "here" or "there". The name could even mean, "place where the witches come down", based on uat or buay, which means "witch" or "ghost", and emal or emoon, which means "come down".
XVII Century
1685 Records exist the 17th century about Uayamon being a cattle farm that was ransacked in this year by the corsairs Graff and Gramont. At that time the farm was the property of Don Francisco de Cicero who held the ranks of commander and colonel. The Cicero family dates back to the earliest times of the Spanish conquest and they were very important among the elite of encomenderos. The encomienda was a type of administrator-ownership in use during the colonial era. Under this system, commanders received large territories in acknowledgment of their valor proven in battle and held them as both owners and administrators.
The Cicero family received the area surrounding and including the town of China and the Hacienda Uayamon. Eventually Mr. Cicero sold the hacienda to the son of one of his friends, José Segundo Carvajal, colonel of engineers and commander of the army.
1695 Uayamon means, "place of tender huayas". There were many Huaya trees, if tender ones, in the place that was chosen for the construction of the Main House. The word Huaya (a common regional fruit) is of Mayan origin, while mon or mun means "tender".
At the same time, the Diccionario de Etimologías Toponímicas Mayas suggest that "Uayamon" without the "H" means, "here we come down", uaye meaning "here" or "there". The name could even mean, "place where the witches come down", based on uat or buay, which means "witch" or "ghost", and emal or emoon, which means "come down".
XVIII Century
1770 At the beginning of this year the property came into the hands of Rafael Carvajal Iturralde, whose family was dedicated to agricultural enterprises throughout the Peninsula.
1780 Uayamon functioned like a little city that was dedicated to the raising of cattle and the production of corn, sugar, so-called Campeche wood (a natural dyewood) and mainly henequen.
XIX Century
1856 It was not until the second half of the 19th century did Uayamon become one of the main Haciendas of Campeche. During its pinnacle, the Hacienda Uayamòn was considered an Institution and a pilar of the national economy.
1882 Fernando Carvajal Estrada, the son of Rafael Carvajal Estrada, inherited the property at which time the Hacienda had 35 servants.
1883 The estate included the following building and sites: the Main House, the Chapel, the Charity Hospital, a cemetery, a school, an irrigation system, an office building, a house for the workers and a machine house. The Hacienda also used electrical lights at the time.
XX Century
1904 Thanks to the railway, Uayamon was able to transport its products to the Chenes and other important places. The first ten kilometers of the railway, connecting the Hacienda with the town of China, were constructed in this year.
1908 Nineteen more kilometers of rail lines followed connecting the Hacienda with the city of Campeche. The construction of the track was very important for Uayamon because the export of henequen and Campeche wood profited from this line.
1910 The last owner of the Hacienda was Joaquin Baranda Carvajal.
1913 An uprising under Manuel Castilla Brito, then Governor of Campeche, heralded the sunset of the Hacienda. Uayamon was witness to clashes between rivaling political groups, led by the Governor of the State and the Federal Government of General Huerta respectively. The former occupied the Hacienda as his camp and during his flight from the overwhelming force of the federal army the site was bombarded. The caldrons were destroyed, as were the machines for rasping the henequen and the train station. This was the beginning of the Hacienda’s decline.
2000 The Hacienda, after being restored for almost two years by a team of architects and restoration specialists, was opened as a hotel in December. The most worthy aspect of this specific hotel-hacienda project, however, may be the social issues implied in the hiring and systematic training of local workers, first in the construction work and later on in hotel positions.
2000 The Hacienda’s former splendor. The Main House, built in the last decade, spread its elegance across different ground levels. The machine house and the chapel are silent testimony to past glories, while a grandiose Ceiba tree harbors memories that are still alive in its magnificent branches.
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