About an hour’s drive from Mérida, in Homún, Hameki offers a distinctive experience: glamping.
Combining a bit of camping with hotel room amenities, glamping is a way to get away from the city and enjoy some nature without roughing it too much. Hameki promotes itself as “the best glamping experience in the southeast of Mexico.” They also note that they are located in Mexico’s largest cenote ring. As of right now, it is the only glamping in the state of Yucatán.
What is glamping? Glamorous camping. A hotel room with a large canvas tent roof gives the experience of camping with a floor, comfortable bed, and electricity, it provides a more comfortable camping experience. Bathrooms and showers are in a shared space that is clean and well-lit.
Hameki is a woman-owned, family-run business. It started in late 2017/early 2018 when the land was purchased and cleared before the rooms were constructed. There are six tents available. Currently, five have fans and one has air conditioning, but all the rooms will have air conditioning in the near future. There is also a pool with nearby hammocks to hang out in, an outdoor cinema at night, and a romantic package available which includes dinner in a private teepee, a cenote tour, and massages. There is a zip line for those inclined.
With your stay, you also receive a choice of a cenotes tour, breakfast, or a massage from a certified masseuse. For my stay, I chose the cenotes tour, which includes the picturesque ruins of Hacienda Kampepen. A golf cart took me and some other guests to the site, which provides a loop walking tour of three cenotes, the hacienda, and a little chapel. It’s a lovely way to spend a morning or afternoon.
My room was cozy and the wood-framed bed was very comfortable. There were nice touches, such as a rug by the bed, a wood dresser, and pleasant lighting.
On the grounds of Hameki, I happily swung in one of the colorful hammocks where I was briefly joined by the resident cat, the aptly named (for her buttery color) Mantequilla, who is the official site bug killer. I also met the large resident desert tortoise, Nube, who is 17 years old and moved with the family from Mexico City. As I entered my tent toward evening, a beautiful rainbow greeted me. At night I cozied up by the campfire just outside my room and looked up at the dark sky filled with sparkling stars.
Hameki also has a good restaurant under the main palapa, which is for guests but will be open to the general public on weekends in the future. It has a good menu that features pizza made in a wood oven. The menu also includes vegetarian, vegan, and keto options. Not something I’d normally choose, but I enjoyed the tasty vegan hot dog.
If you go
Hameki is pet-friendly and costs 350 pesos per night. An English or French translator is available upon request. Visit hameki.com.mx.
