While many travellers love Cancun and the Riviera Maya for the beaches and deep blue sea, one cannot forget about the joys of going inland to the state of Yucatan for a day or two of history, jungle and relaxation.  The Mayaland Hotel provides all of these things and so much more.

Located on the site of the famous Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, the Mayaland Hotel was built in the 1920’s to accommodate the archaeologists who were beginning to come to the area.  The hotel is still managed by the original family who built it.  With its simple charms and elegance it is as much a part of history as the ruins themselves.

Set on 40 hectares of jungle land, the hotel is comprised of the main building with 55 rooms and bungalows in traditional Mayan style spread throughout the magnificent grounds.  “The Lodge at Chichen Itza“, is a group of cozy villas in the gardens adjacent to the main Mayaland Hotel.  The hotel has an extensive history of celebrity guests, including Pavarotti for whom one of the buildings has been named.  Last year Placido Domingo graced Mayaland with his presence when he performed his grand concert at Chichen Itza.

The grounds of the Mayaland Hotel are nothing short of gorgeous.  Towering palm trees, flowering bougainvillea, almond, mango, lemon, “jicara”, and many other fruit trees are found lining the paths.  The hotel uses the fruit in its restaurants, the homemade mango ice cream is a must and you’ll taste the freshest lemonade ever!  Peacocks strut around the pool and restaurants and between the birdsong and the whispering breeze through the trees, your stress will melt away.

Set in a mystic and magical place, the hotel has its own tales of mystery.  The mischievous “alux” (pronounced “aloosh”) has been reported by a few guests, playing harmless pranks on occasion.  Once a year the staff of the hotel perform a ritual, making offerings to the aluxes to protect the land.  The Mayan culture plays a vital role in the hotel, rituals are performed at various points throughout the year, including a special ceremony for the “Day of the Dead”.

Guests are invited to participate in special Mayan cooking classes, learning how to cook with the underground “pib”.  The hotel restaurants feature Yucatecan specialties, including the delicious “cochinita pibil” and handmade tortillas that are out of this world.  The food in the breakfast and lunch buffets is fresh and varied, something for every taste.  The main a la carte restaurant offers tempting gourmet meals and will prepare special meals on request for groups or events.

The Mayaland Hotel is a very special place.  For anyone travelling to Cancun or the Riviera Maya with plans to visit Chichen Itza, consider taking the overnight tour and enjoying an extra piece of history.  The rooms and villas are cozy and inviting and the service staff is friendly, warm and extremely knowledgeable about the area.  You will be very glad you took the time to discover the Yucatan Peninsula outside of the beaches and nightclubs, stepping back in time and filling your mind with peace and tranquility.

We invite you to see our Flickr set for more photos of the Mayaland Hotel.

image courtesy www.sarahbrightmanenchichenitza.com

World renowned singer Sarah Brightman will be presenting a series of concerts in Mexico this month, culminating in a spectacular show at the ruins of Chichen Itza on October 31, 2009. The “Concierto de la Piramide” (“Concert of the Pyramid”) promises to be an unforgettable night, featuring the greatest songs of the world’s most loved soprano.

The Chichen Itza concert is part of a tour that includes shows in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico City, Puebla, Monterrey and stops in several South American countries. The performance is greatly anticipated by her Mexican and South American fans, 5000 people are expected to attend the Chichen Itza show. Please visit the official Sarah Brightman page for details of the Latin American tour.

Tickets for Sarah Brightman at Chichen Itza are available from Ticketmaster, with prices ranging from $500 MXN to $8000 MXN.  Regular transportation from Cancun and Merida is available for $475 MXN per person, departing from the Soriana parking lot (Kabah Ave) in Cancun at 2:30 pm and in Merida from the parking lot of the Convention Center Siglo XXI at 4:00.  The  VIP transportation packages offers dinner at Mayaland Hotel for $1410 MXN per person.  The VIP transportation option includes a welcome beverage, drinks on board the bus (sodas, beer, water) and exclusive  entrance to the concert, no waiting in lines!  Please call 01(998)193-3360 or  01-800-727-5391 or book online at  CancunTravel for transportation from Cancun or Merida.

"El Castillo" aka Kukulcán Pyramid

One of the new Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ruins of Chichen Itza are a spectacular place to visit any time of year, but there is no more exciting time than during a spring or fall equinox. On September 20, 21 and 22, thousands will visit this ancient Mayan ruin to witness a mysterious play of light on stone, when a shadowy serpent makes its way down the steps of the main Kukulcán pyramid.

While numerous Mayan ruins are found in Mexico and its neighboring countries to the south, Chichen Itza remains one of the most significant Mayan ruin sites, visited by thousands of travellers every year. Located in the state of Yucatan, Chichen Itza is easily accessible from Cancun and the Riviera Maya and is a popular day trip or overnight excursion. Considered to be the center of the Mayan civilization, the ancient city covers roughly 15 square kilometers. There are about 30 excavated buildings, with perhaps hundreds more left to be discovered buried in the surrounding jungle. The most impressive structure is “El Castillo”, also known as theis within easy reach of Cancun and the Riviera Maya for day trips or overnight stays. “El Castillo”, also known as the Kukulcán pyramid, stands 32 meters high with staircases climbing its four faces. The snake and the jaguar take prominent place in the carvings and statues of the site, great symbols of the ancient Maya. During the spring and fall equinox periods, sunlight and shadow plays on the stones in such a way that it appears that the body of a rattlesnake is descending the stairs to join the sculpture of a snake’s head at the bottom. It is a mystery just how the Mayans were able to accomplish this cosmic engineering feat, a mystery that continues to bring tourists, historians, astronomers and scientists from all over the world to the Chichen Itza equinox celebrations.

Join Dtraveller for the fall equinox at Chichen Itza, an unforgettable experience. Touch history and feel the magic of this astronomical event. Tours include transportation, bilingual guides, admission to the site, a buffet lunch and a visit to a nearby cenote. Comfortable footwear, sun protection and mosquito repellant are recommended. Contact us now to book your Chichen Itza tour from as little as $77 USD per person.

A unique balloon ride over Chichen Itzá (one of the New Seven World Wonders) visit this incredible archaeological site and Swim in an underground well.  Now you can enjoy this incredible experience, the top extreme activity of all the sophisticated tours around the world. Starts with a delicious Traditional Mayan breakfast and to inflate the balloon, you can participate and be part of the crew.
 
Flight between 45 minutes to 1 hour over Chichén Itza, depending on the wind’s intensity and direction, and receive your Flight Certificate in a traditional ceremony.

After all this experience you can do a Guided tour around the archaeological site given by an archeology expert.
 
At the end you will go to the community of Yaxunáh and to know the natural well (cenote Lol Há) and swim in the crystal blue waters and Visit  the Yaxunah´s archaeological site that is still in restoration.

Don´t miss this extraordinary experience now available in Yucatan at Chcihen Itza.
http://www.cancuntravel.com/balloon-chichen.asp#reserve

Placido Domingo will perform in the Mayan city of Chichen Itza on the 4th October 2008 to celebrate the city’s first anniversary for being named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

It has been named “The Concert of the Thousand Columns, Placido Domingo in Chichén Itzá”, and will reunite international talents in the legendary archaeological site.The tenor will sing alongside the famous Yucatecan composer Armando Manzanero at the piano, Puerto Rican soprano Ana María Martínez and the Yucatán Symphony Orchestra. The stage will be set in front of the Pyramid of Kukulcan which will make this a truly awe inspiring event.

Placido Domingo performed in Yucatan for the first time in 1957 and is absolutely thrilled to be returning and be able to perform in the incredible Chichen Itza. He has also performed in other amazing places such as the pyramids of Teothihuacan near Mexico City and in Luxor, Egypt.

Concerts are rarely performed in Mexico’s archaeological sites, as the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), which oversees Mexico’s ancient sites, has concerns about site degradation. The last great man to have performed here was Luciano Pavarotti who performed a concert in Chichén Itzá in 1997 before an audience of 17,000 – an event never to be forgotten for those that were lucky enough to attend.
From www.cancun.travel