When traveling in the Yucatan, our favorite hotels are the Club Med Archaeological Villas at the sites of Chichen Itza and Uxmal. We have also enjoyed the Club Med Archaeological Villas at Teotihuacan, north of Mexico City (see separate journal for details).
The Club Med Villas are little gems in the world of overpriced and over-hyped lodging. The rooms are small—more bedrooms than hotel rooms. Whitewashed walls and convenient cubbies make them homey without being cramped. The beds themselves are only single beds, but they are firm without being hard.
Our fondest memory was one night at the Club Med Chichen Itza when my son, having planned this in advance, placed a rather large rubber snake under the pillow of his Aunt Bobbie's bed. This was done before dinner, and Ricky could barely conceal his anticipation throughout the meal. When Bobbie finally went to bed, her scream certainly awoke the dead at the sacred cenote of Chichen Itza. She hasn't forgiven him since.
The little restaurants at the Club Med Villas serve outstanding meals, simple but very tasty. Always fresh, and inexpensive.
There are commons areas with books (no television) and at the Uxmal Villa, a well-loved pool table. I am sorry to say that was where my kid first skunked me at billiards.
The pools are large, deep, and spotless. Chairs abound, and the pool area is never over-crowded.
Little shops, complete with the obligatory Club Med merchandise, are at every location. Good for trinkets, and in my case the handy pair of swim trunks.
No beads, no screaming teens, no over-liquored adults; just folks who came for the ruins and a reliable place to stay.
There are three locations in the Yucatan: Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Coba. Also in Cholula and Teotihuacan.
Highly recommended. Here's the website, in case you can't find it through the regular Club med location: http://www.come2clubmed.com/mexican_villas.htm.