Serene Style & Ceremony at Casa Hormiga Bacalar

If you want to get away from it all, look no further than Casa Hormiga Bacalar, a serene and chic boutique design hotel in Bacalar, one of Mexico’s most breathtaking pueblo magicos. The whole world melts away the moment you step inside the doors of this zen getaway, with its eclectic Mayan treehouse meets chill-out design vibes. There’s lots to swoon over here, including dreamy indoor/outdoor living spaces that honor the tropics at every turn, a beautiful yoga shala, dedicated spaces for ancestral Mayan ceremonies, and a stunning, labyrinthine pool complex.

Located in the southeastern state of Quintana Roo, Bacalar is home to Laguna Bacalar, an unbelievably mesmerizing and shimmery blue lagoon. This surreal body of water is hidden deep in the jungle, but its turquoise beauty will make you swear you’re on the Caribbean. As the resort towns of Cancun and the Riviera Maya overflow with tourists, sargassum and rising prices, Bacalar, also called the home of the The Lagoon of Seven Colors, remains somewhat of a hidden gem… for now. Wanderlusters looking to luxuriate off the beaten path will discover an intimate and authentic travel experience that’s filled with friendly locals, a burgeoning foodie scene and, above all, remarkable natural beauty.

Casa Hormiga is an excellent choice for travelers seeking serenity and style along with everything else Bacalar has to offer. I recently stayed here for 6 days, and if you feel as effortlessly at home as I did, you’ll have to nudge yourself off the property. I literally had to remind myself that one of Mexico’s most spectacular bodies of water was right outside!

Wondering if Casa Hormiga is the best hotel for your Bacalar break? Read on for my totally honest, absolutely not compensated review of everything Casa Hormiga has to offer.

Location is Everything

Casa Hormiga is nestled away on a residential street a short block above Bacalar’s meandering, coastal road. This chic hotel isn’t on the lagoon, but it still boasts an excellent location. Depart Casa Hormiga on foot and within 2 to 5 minutes you’ll be tucked in at a table inside one of Bacalar’s best restaurants. Tierra Ixim, Ruda and Picaflor all come to mind. They’re delish, so don’t skip! Casa Hormiga is also just a few minute’s jaunt to Balneario Ecologico, a grassy getaway on the edge of the lagoon where you can spend a perfect day swimming and lounging for a mere $20 pesos. That’s literally one dollar!

A Warm Welcome

Casa Hormiga sits behind lofty concrete walls painted a sunny yellow, and which occupy an entire city block. You access this discreet fortress through a gorgeous assemblage of hand-carved, wooden doors imported from Morocco. Cross this threshold and the zen unfurls. You’re greeted by a cavernous foyer that’s filled with the aroma of sage, and the downtempo beats of chill-out house. Once inside, your eye is immediately drawn to a new outside — the courtyard around which the hotel is centered. This features a maze-like pool complex partially hidden behind by towering concrete walls, lush jungle foliage, and a glorious canopy of Gumbo-Limbo trees.

Rodrigo and Jen greeted us at Casa Hormiga’s front desk. They’d been expecting us and had all of our details ready to go, including our room even though we arrived a whole 3 hours before check-in. Major score! Both were lovely, professional and spoke excellent English. After my husband, son and I settled in to our Tree Top Loft, Rodrigo led us on a short, informative tour of the hotel and the grounds. This was great a touch that instantly made us feel welcome and right at home.  

A quick nod to Casa Hormiga’s flexibility. A very clear no changes or cancellations notice is part of Casa Hormiga Bacalar’s booking policy. However, I’d originally booked this as a birthday getaway in July, which unfortunately coincided with the arrival of Hurricane Beryl. When I contacted the hotel with my reservations about vacaying during a major storm, they immediately offered to reschedule our stay at another time of my choosing as long as I paid the difference for the nightly rate.

The Vibe

Casa Hormiga Bacalar is the epitome of zenned-out boho chic. And not in a manufactured, Tulumified kinda way. Casa Hormiga is home to a genuine soul. 

Design wise, expect low-key luxury, contemporary touches and lots of old-world Mayan spirit. Common spaces coalesce in a calming fusion of alluring textiles and materials. Think patterned Eastern rugs and cushions, local artisanal decor, sky-high thatched ceilings, soothing earth tones, and a rich melange of timber. Outside, the artificial and natural worlds find harmony, with polished concrete walls and verdant tropical landscape enveloping spaces for water and rituals. 

Amenities such as Casa Hormiga’s impressive library, lovely yoga and meditation shala, tranquil spa, and mystical spaces for Mayan ceremonies and rituals encourage guests on a journey of peace, renewal and introspection.

During my stay at Casa Hormiga Bacalar, hotel guests tended to be mostly youngish couples (late 20s/early 30s), solo female travelers and digital nomads. We were the only family at the hotel during our stay, but guests and staff alike went out of their way to make our son (he’s 8) feel welcome.

Guest Rooms

Our family of 3 stayed in the Tree Top Loft, which is the largest of Casa Hormiga’s room offerings. The Tree Top Loft is a 660-square foot jungle retreat that’s split on 2 levels, and topped by a soaring palapa. On the lower level, there’s a firm, king-sized bed, a seating area and a bathroom. Upstairs there’s a queen-sized mattress with a few sturdy cushions nestled at the foot of the bed. The Tree Top Loft is free standing and doesn’t share walls with another room, which is amazing for privacy. 

What I loved most about our room was the incredibly high ceiling, unparalleled privacy, daily maid service, the large, sliding patio doors, and our private terrace, which had a small table, set of chairs and a hammock. There were also great, big baskets everywhere. Baskets for towels, baskets for shoes, baskets for dirty clothes. I know I’m not the only one around here who loves a cozy, artisanal touch! The terrace delivered on the “Tree Top Loft” promise — we were literally eye-to-eye with billowy leaves and majestic branches, where we spotted toucans and amazing, fist-sized, indigo butterflies flitting about. We also had a marvelous view of one of the outdoor spaces where Casa Hormiga Bacalar hosts ancient Mayan rituals.

I did wish our room had a bit more ventilation. While one side of the room had a large pair of screen doors that allowed for fresh air to come in, the other had a tiny window in the corner with wooden blinds that hardly opened. So the room didn’t get as much air flow as we would’ve liked. Although there was a fan in the loft area, the lack of ventilation made this area much warmer than downstairs. So we had to keep the air conditioning on at night.       

In-Room Amenities

The Tree Top Loft is outfitted with cream-colored bed linens and bathroom towels. Despite the understated aesthetic, you can tell that linens are made of high-quality, natural and organic fabrics. Rooms have a powerful air conditioning unit and a central ceiling fan, as well as a few, free-standing fans for additional cooling. Our bathroom had excellent water pressure that heated up immediately. It also came stocked with eco-friendly toiletries like shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and individually wrapped hand soap. Rooms have a Nespresso Machine, and the hotel replenishes the pods daily. This sits on a long, narrow desk, which is perfect if you’re a nerd who vacays with their computer, like me. There is also a safe and reliable Wi-Fi.

So, what do rooms lack? A mini-fridge, a microwave and televisions. For us, the mini-fridge and microwave weren’t necessary, but they would’ve been welcome. As for the missing television, this was one of the reasons I booked Casa Hormiga in the first place — the blissful promise of disconnection!

Hotel Amenities & Perks

Casa Hormiga’s showpiece — and its biggest perk for a coffee table book nerd like me — is its gorgeous library. Anchored by a never-ending table, and a cushy cubby for cozying up, the library invites you to dig in and lounge with its sumptuous book collection. You’ll find something for everyone among these beautiful books, many from renowned luxury publisher Taschen. There’s everything from art books celebrating icons like Frida Kahlo and Andy Warhol, to travel tomes that transport you to destinations like London, Los Angeles and Rome. Even our 8 year old was able to tuck into a hefty Star Wars Encyclopedia. It’s the perfect spot for an enlightening read, digital nomading, and chillaxing.

Daily Yoga goes down every morning at 8:30 in the Nido, Casa Hormiga’s communal yoga and meditation space. We hit the Nido 5 out of our 6 days at Casa Hormiga Bacalar, which made for a perfect start to lazy, blissful days on the lagoon. We had 2 lovely instructors, Sabrina and Josie. Both led practices that were adaptable enough for newbies to seasoned yoga teachers like me.  

Casa Ritual is a lovely and thoughtful spa secluded at the back of the property that offers a multitude of “rituals.” Providing guests more than just your average massage, the spa specializes in treatments that detoxify body while seeking to align the senses with the natural elements (fire, earth, air and water).

Casa Ritual also hosts a number of ancestral Mayan ceremonies. There’s a Cacao Ceremony, Sound Bath Healing, an Energy Ceremony, and others that guests can customize. These ceremonies are definitely one of the more unique and fascinating perks I’ve come across in a boutique hotel stay, as is the on-site temazcal. A temazcal, which looks kind of like a life-sized pizza oven, is where guests can engage in a purifying steam bath accompanied by aromatic herbs and sacred chants.

Guests also have priority access to the much-hyped La Playita, an enchanting restaurant with a “beachfront” terrace where you can spend the day nibbling, cocktailing and swimming in the lagoon. Shortly after arriving at Casa Hormiga, we ventured out to La Playita after Rodrigo at the front desk called ahead to make a reservation for us. When we arrived at La Playita we were greeted with exclusive, lagoon-side seating, even though most of the restaurant was packed. I’m not sure if all Casa Hormiga guests get a table on the lagoon, but you’ll definitely get extra attention.

Other Casa Hormiga amenities worth noting include daily breakfast at the restaurant Brote, and the hotel’s beautiful pool complex, which has a private pool for adults-only, and a larger pool for families. Casa Hormiga also boasts an amply stocked bar and lounge, with a resident bartender until 11 pm most nights.

Food & Bev

Aesthetically, Casa Hormiga’s restaurant Brote is as lovely and inviting as everywhere else in the hotel. Service is prompt and excellent. The vibe is super chill, which made it a little too easy to linger after we’d finished our morning coffee.   

Brote serves breakfast & lunch daily from 8 am to 4 pm. Breakfast was included in our stay, and it was substantial & delish. Bacalar has so many awesome restaurants, but honestly breakfast here was yum enough that I didn’t get to nearly as many eateries as I would’ve liked. During our 5-days at Casa Hormiga Bacalar, my family ate hearty portions of chilaquiles, pancakes, enchiladas, guacamole, and the fruit plate with granola. In fact, the portions were so generous that my husband and I decided sharing was a better option.

The only disappointment here is that Brote doesn’t serve dinner or room service. After a long day on the lagoon, tucking into a meal at Brote, or ordering a bite to our room, would’ve been lovely instead of showering up to go back out. Hopefully, dinner and room servive is something Casa Hormiga Bacalar will consider doing in the future!

Sustainable Touches

All of the bath towels and toiletries at Casa Hormiga Bacalar are natural, organic and made by local producers. Our shower had refillable bottles for shampoo and conditioner, and the bathroom included refillable bottles for hand soap and lotion. I loved that our room had a large metal jug filled with potable drinking water, which the hotel refilled daily. (Don’t drink the water in Mexico!). And much of Casa Hormiga’s high-quality furniture and decor is produced by local craftsmen and artisans. 

Who Will Love Casa Hormiga

Casa Hormiga is an oasis of tranquility, design and Mayan heritage that’s suitable for a range of travelers. 

❤️ Couples will love Casa Hormiga’s lazy love nest vibes. Rooms allow for maximum privacy, as does the adults only pool area. Lovers will relish bonding in the spa’s couples rituals that include deep, twin soaking tubs.

❤️ Solo travelers will love relaxing in maximally chilled-out style, with daily yoga and spa treatments at their fingertips. Solo digital nomads, in particular, will love working in the inspiring library. There’s coffee and nosh served all day long and strong wi-fi. 

❤️ Families with older children will love the fun layout of the spacious Tree Top Lofts, the stunning and oversized family pool, and the library, which boasts a collection to suit all ages (my 8-year-old couldn’t put the Star Wars Encyclopedia down). Casa Hormiga requires guests to be 6 and older. However, this is a super serene place, and nothing about Casa Hormiga’s layout screams child-friendly. So to avoid accidents and side-eye, my personal recommendation is to keep it to kids 8 and up.   

Value for Money

Depending on the season, rates at Casa Hormiga Bacalar run anywhere between $200 – $550 per night. You’ll pay a premium to stay from December – February, which is high season. We enjoyed Casa Hormiga during the week of Thanksgiving, which falls during the shoulder season in late November. This means our rate fell closer to the lower end of the spectrum. We stayed in a top tier room, the weather was sunny and brilliant, our breakfast was super proper, we had VIP access (lagoon-side dining) at La Playita, the hotel was quiet and not over-crowded, and the daily yoga was icing on the cake. We absolutely received a ton of value for our money.

Also, the moral of this story is to travel the shoulder season, people. You’ll get max bang for your buck every time!

Standout Feature

Casa Hormiga’s pool complex is an absolute stunner. Private, graceful and unique. The on-site Mayan ceremonies seemed amazing, too. I didn’t participate in any, but I caught a glimpse of a few from our terrace. These added a whole other level of cool and sacred to our stay, so I can only imagine what the participants felt. And that library! Even if you’re not a bookworm, you’ll find the extent of the collection and design of it all utterly inspiring. Also, big ups to anywhere I can roll out of bed and straight onto my yoga mat.

Any Cons

Dinner and room service would have been the cherry on top.

How to Get to Casa Hormiga Bacalar

We drove to Bacalar from Merida, which takes about 4 ½ hours. Driving is really the only way we travel around the Yucatan Peninsula since we live here. But even if we didn’t, I highly recommend renting a car to get to Bacalar since it’s well off the beaten path. While you’re in the area, there’s also awesome spots you’ll want to visit just outside of Bacalar, like Los Rapidos, Xul-Ha, and some of the nearby Mayan ruins. 

Once you’re in Bacalar, you’ll see that it’s fairly small and you can easily find your way to Casa Hormiga. Bacalar is small, so you can pretty much walk or bike anywhere around town. There are local taxis, but there’s no Uber or other rideshares in Bacalar. 

Here’s a list of drive times

🚘 Merida to Bacalar | 4 ½ hours
🚘 Cancun to Bacalar | 4 ½ hours 
🚘 Playa del Carmen to Bacalar | 3 ½ hours
🚘 Tulum to Bacalar | 2 ½ hours
🚘 Chetumal to Bacalar | 45 minutes

The Wrap

If you’re looking for a stylish, serene and special stay in Bacalar, Casa Hormiga is it. I’m besotted with this boutique marvel, and after your stay here, I know you’ll be, too!

For another one of my favorite boutique stays in the Yucatan Peninsula, check out my review of Cucu Hotel & Kite El Cuyo. For even more terrific boutique El Cuyo hotel options, you can go here.

But wait — wondering where in the world El Cuyo even is? Discover everything you need to know (and then some!) about this fabulous Mexico hidden gem in the state of Yucatan in my Unrivaled Guide to El Cuyo.

And don’t even think about going to Bacalar without all the inside dish you’ll find jam-packed in my other articles. Check out my Unrivaled Guide to Bacalar, which is chock-full of essential Bacalar travel tips, including the 30 best things to do in Bacalar. Here’s a rundown of the 17 best beach clubs in Bacalar, my Unrivaled Guide to Los Rapidos, Bacalar’s must-visit “lazy river,” and everywhere in Bacalar you absolutely need to eat.

As always, inspired travels Amiga! 💜

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