Nestled within the sprawling Yucatán jungle, an abandoned hacienda has been repurposed into a beautiful wedding destination and holiday rental.
Carolina Rodríguez Hernández: What does hacienda Dzibikak mean to you?
Richard Nichols: Two things.
Firstly it is a home for me and my family. Secondly, it is a business. We specialize in weddings, with the emphasis on destination weddings. But we also do corporate events, retreats, group holidays and photo sessions.
CRH: What is the history of hacienda Dzibikak?
RN: We do not know much about the early history of the hacienda as the documents seem to have been lost to time. We do know, however, that it dates back to the 1600s and that it would have been a humble cattle ranch in those days. Then, following the industrial revolution, with the demand for rope at an all-time high, the hacienda responded by growing and harvesting henequen - a spiky succulent plant similar to the maguey - which is one of the best natural sources of rope fiber. As with all the other haciendas in the area, it then enjoyed a boom of some 50 years during which it grew dramatically. The good times were not to last, however, and the boom came to an end in the early 1900s, making this and all the other haciendas in the area uneconomic. Before long they were abandoned and Dzibikak stayed that way until we finally purchased the ruins in 2004.
CRH: When did you first get the idea of restoring a hacienda? Was it something you always envisioned, or did it develop over time?
RN: Being half-Mexican, I had always loved Mexican culture, including its architecture and history. However, I had been raised in the UK and never really thought I would leave that country. Then, in 2004, my wife Lena and I were living in central London and were looking for a place to move to in some distant future so that we could start a new life away from the pressures of the modern world. We had no real idea of where exactly this place would be until we spent a few days in a restored hacienda close to Merida. We were enchanted by the place and after only a day or so decided to explore the possibility of restoring one ourselves. At first the challenges seemed overwhelming, but things moved forwards gradually and within a year we had bought the ruins of the hacienda. It took six years and a colossal amount of work (and money!) to restore it, but the results were all that we expected and it has now become exactly the kind of home we were hoping it would be.
CRH: Where do you like to go to get away from it all?
RN: I don´t get much time off due to the demands of the hacienda, so most of my trips tend to be to the local beaches, especially those around Sisal, a charming little fishing village about 30 minutes away. When time allows for a longer trip, we tend to go to the Caribbean coast which is just a 3 hour drive away.
CRH: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
RN: A cold beer on the patio in the early evening with friends and family.
CRH: What's next in your business life and for Hacienda Dzibikak?
RN: We intend to continue with weddings but also expand more into the holiday rentals market as the hacienda is very well located and equipped for that sort of use. Gradually, we may consider the possibility of opening a restaurant or boutique hotel.
