Genesis Eco-Oasis Ek Balam - Ek Balam Village

A true hidden gem, off the beaten path. It's a lovely property; the entire place is a jungle/garden oasis complete with beautiful colors and cute string lights. We loved the outdoor shower in our room! The owner is so nice and accommodating, and the common area is perfect for a hammock siesta, reading a book or meeting the other guests. The breakfast is great and we had one dinner here which was fabulous. It's a great property for exploring the village, the nearby ruins and doing day trips into Valladolid or surrounding cenotes. A true eco resort!

What a life changing experience this was to stay at such a beautiful place. My brother and I stayed here for 4 nights and we absolutely loved it. The nature made it such a peaceful and tranquil experience. At the same time there was plenty to explore with the Ek balam ruins, tons of cenotes, and the amazing town of Valladolid nearby. The people here are what made the experience unforgettable. Gloria made us feel at home from the moment we arrived. She made us delicious traditional meals while keeping them vegan (which I didn't think would be possible!) and guided us with any information we needed! From playing soccer in the town with all of the kids, to seeing how they make the local honey, to making tortillas and hot cacao with Guadalupe, the experiences go on and on... All of it just showed me how open hearted these people are to the point that I felt like family, and that's something I will never forget. Thank you Lee for giving us the opportunity to stay at such a beautiful place. Maybe I will be back one day.

My husband and I stayed here 4 nights as part of our honeymoon and would definitely return. Our accommodations were simple but adequate (and elegant -- we stayed in Bamboo). The grounds of Eco Genesis are very beautiful - the owner, Lee, has done an incredible job turning this place into an oasis. As it was a little chilly, we did not get to enjoy swimming in the pool, though I'm sure it is very nice during the summer months. The Ek Balam ruins are very close and very worthwhile (get the guide!), as well as a number of cenotes (though we only saw one). We also enjoyed making tortillas and chocolate with Guadalupe, Having just come from a large resort in Playa Del Carmen, we enjoyed the quieter pace of life in Ek Balam and getting to know the staff at Eco Genesis. Lee was very helpful in assisting us with getting a COVID test and arranging a taxi to get us back to Valladolid in time for our bus home. As other reviews have mentioned: you must love animals to enjoy your stay here! And also either be a deep sleeper or not mind the village roosters waking you up between 3 and 5 am. Thanks for making our trip special, Lee!

We spent the whole of December with our 3 children in Yucatan and since we wanted to escape the tourist crowds for Christmas, we booked 5 nights in Genesis. At first we were a little concerned about whether we would get too bored here. The opposite was the case. After a very short time, we fell in love with the Eco Lodge, the nice and hard-working team that met every wish with a smile on their faces and the sleepy little village. We went on excursions to wonderful cenotes, which we almost had to ourselves in spite of the high season (Sac Aua is amazing, you can even go kayaking for free). Our children wanted to go to their neighbor Dona Guadeloupe every day - she showed them the traditional production of the cocoa drink, baked tortillas with them over the fire and woven small hammocks with them. Our new grandma in Yucatan! There are some animals in the lodge that were a highlight for our children - cats, rabbits, ducks and chickens ... You fall asleep with the sounds of the jungle and village and you wake up in the same way. Here you can experience the true village life of the Yucatans up close and can hardly imagine that only 2 hours away by car, there is a completely different world on the Riviera. For us, the stay in Eco Genesis was our best time in Yucatan, which we and our children will remember for a very long time.

I stayed at this magical place with my parents for 4 nights. I recommend you staying for at least 4 nights to take advantage of all the fun things you get to do around Ek Balam. Here’s our itinerary: Day 1 Valladolid; Day 2 Ek Balam Ruins, cenote, and chocolate and tortilla making with Guadalupe (a lovely local Mayan lady). We bought hammocks from her too. Day 3, Rio Lagartos to see flamingos (highly recommend! The guide they help you book with is excellent); Day 4, Chichen Itza + Izamal, and we arrive in Merida for the night. I love that they keep and rescue animals here. They have birds, cats, ducks, even Mayan bees. The tropical garden in the middle is so beautiful. Food is very delicious but a little bit on the pricey side for us. This is not a resort experience, it can be a bit rustic at times, but if you love nature you will definitely love it here! Tips on rooms, I stayed at Cielo and Bird House. Bird House is pretty with hammocks and a cute attic bonus room, and it comes with compost toilet and a shower that takes time to heat up. The bed there is a hanging bed. Cielo has a normal flushing toilet and an amazing outdoor shower that I loved. Next time if I visit again I likely will choose Cielo. My favorite part of staying here is the staff. Alice (front desk) and Monica (chef) are truly amazing people and we connected right away. The itinerary I wrote above was actually suggested by them.

This is a very tardy review but we LOVED our stay at Genesis in December 2021. They had recently reopened after the forced pandemic shutdown, so one might have expected things would be a little less than organized, but on the contrary, everything was perfect. The setting is amazing, set right in an indigenous village, and is not at all out of place there (like the all-inclusives plopped into coastal towns), but fits right in. The rooms and grounds are beautiful, if what you want is nature and rustic beauty this is your place! The food is delicious, Monica is an amazing Italian chef and a delightful person as well. Alice from France who was also helping out at the time was such a lovely soul, she has moved on to further adventures but no doubt Lee has found some other great person to help her share the warm Genesis hospitality. Lee the owner is obviously an integral part of the community, knows everything a visitor would want to see/do in the area and happy to facilitate authentic experiences you can’t get elsewhere. With her Mayan neighbor Guadalupe we made Mexican hot chocolate (the drink of the Mayan royalty!) from raw cacao beans, and made traditional tortillas over her kitchen fire. The nearby Ek Balam ruins are a hidden treasure, just as fascinating as Chichen Itzá and the other heavily visited sites, but much more peaceful and not crowded. The cenotes are the same – equally refreshing and beautiful but without the tour buses. Ek Balam takes a little more effort to get to, but it’s still less than half an hour from the city of Valladolid and well worth it. Genesis is now a must-visit for us next time we go to the Yucatan!

Gorgeous hideaway in the Mayan jungle. It felt like home, without having to cook my own meals or do my own dishes. Lee has done an amazing job building and caring for this place. The details!! The layout!! Amazing. Monica was so welcoming, so thoughtful in her tips of things to do and such a great cook!! I enjoyed the Birdhouse thoroughly, doing yoga on the deck, having my cold showers outside (there is hot water too), the hanging bed…and also just chilling out in/near the lobby. Playing with the cats, the dogs, reading a book. Life is great here.

We visited with our two young children (3 and 5) and had the most wonderful time. My only regret is we didn’t stay longer. The garden is beautiful. We switched off and just took in the nature and calming experience of the place. The visit to Guadalupe’s house to make chocolate and tortilla was wonderful for our children and for us. I was worried it would feel strange or like we were taking advantage but genesis feels part of the traditional Mayan village by genuinely befriending and becoming part of the community it seemed to us. So we felt comfortable ourselves and welcome. The garden is beautiful and the hospitality is so warm and genuine. Monica in particular made us feel so welcome. She was wonderful with our children showing them the animals and opening coconuts they found in the garden. My daughter fell in love with her and wants to return tomorrow if possible to see her again! Monica’s kind warm presence really made the experience for us. She’s a really special person. The food was also wonderful. All in all we can’t wait to return.