Cooperativa Maya Ixchel y Restaurante Yaxkin — Restaurant in Yucatán

Went here as part of a tour the other day and was told by tour guide from Baktun Tours, (whilst on the coach to the place), that it would be good to support the locals by buying their handicrafts, etc.

Though staff were friendly, this place is a bit of a money making trap. I was definitely ripped off. I bought a mask and a bracelet, which cost me lots. The mask chipped after a day - not like i can return it. The staff in the shop were pushing for sales. IF you want to buy, HAGGLE with them. (I hate to say it, but I question if the items that were handmade.)

You can buy the same or similar things cheaper at Chichen Itza, where you can pay way less. (With my tour, Baktun Tours, they stopped at this place first, then they headed to Chichen Itza). .

The best thing i bought was a Mayan "birth certificate", which cost 20USD which made a unique and lovely gift.

We had chocolate tasting, which was nice. Was a bit rushed. But wasn't pushed to buy.

Went to have photos with men dressed up in traditional Maya warrior clothing, and one of them kept looking and pushing for tips. He looked in my purse which was open, and noticed that I had 200 MXN pesos. He said "look you have 200", I told him that I wasn't going to him that and he said he would give me 100 back. I gave it to him just to get him off my back. I can't believe I paid the equivalent of £4.50 to be allowed to have a photo taken with them, with my own phone!

The buffet food was ok and you could eat as much as you wish, and it was part of my tour package. The staff waiters were really friendly, but you can tell were looking for tips. I paid for Deluxe Tour so drinks were free for me, which they were very generous with, otherwise, you pay SILLY amounts for WATER and that.

The traditional dancing whilst we were eating was lovely, and entertaining. Though they had signs up requesting tips, they did not push.

They asked for TIPS in the TOILETS which is very wrong!!!

There was a Mayan shaman who did a traditional ceremony, which I found interesting, and was part of my tour.

A guy took photos of us, then put it on bottles of alcohol, and whilst on the bus heading to Chichen Itza, told us he was a student and was looking for funding to help him so wanted to see if we wanted the bottles with our photos on it. He was lovely and didn't push for us to buy. (I wish him well, of course, but wasn't about to spend more money).

ACCESSBILITY/DISABLED ACCESS: There is a STEEP step to go to the male and female TOILETS. If you can get onto that level somehow... the toilet cubicles themselves have wide doors, but no specific disabled toilets to be able wheel your chair to the side of it, and transfer. So you would have to somehow, transfer from wheelchair facing the toilet. The toilets are low down and i think there was a handle bar. I personally had to have help being lowered onto the toilet and lifted off of it. There is a STEEP STEP where you go to do the chocolate tasting, and have photos taken with "Mayan Warriors", from there, there is a ramp down to the 'restaurant" area. The souvenir shop, restaurant are flat so fully accessible.

I am a tourist who travelled 2 1/2 hours to get to this place, but left feeling a tad deflated and used for money. If you decide to do a tour with whomever, I hate to say it, but don't go with a tour that includes heading to this place as part of it for lunch/buffet. Or if you do, refuse to pay the prices in the store, haggle, or DON'T BUY, and certainly don't feel pressured to pay tips (especially for a photo).

Hence why I didn't give...

If you have a ton of $$ and you don't mind getting ripped off, then you will enjoy it. The tour people will make a lot of big deal about this place, they will first present you the "shaman" he will try to sell you "protection" (high price) (you will find the stone everywhere in mexico)then, the store, people will try to sell you everything in a really high price, (a regular bracelet that can cost you 5 or 10 bucks, was $39.00 there, yea no kidding) if they ask for your name, is to sell it to you in "Maya's letters" dont do it, also, the people that works in the store has "target people" they will follow you every step inside the store. Next, the Chocolate tasting is also for you to buy with exuberant prices,be carefull with the chocolates powder that you try, if you are allergic to peanut, one on my group has to be rush to a medical clinic with an allergic reaction, i dont think the powder specified that contains peanut.. then, they pass you to the "buffet area," where they will make you share a table with other people based on your package "clasic or deluxe" if you need to buy beverage, be prepared $$, at the end the people that really do an excellent and hard job preparing the food end up with nothing and no recognition, the food was not bad, but, there are people serving and looking at you as you can not have more than what they put in your plate, the waiters will rush you as they will have another group comming in even before you get up of your chair, you will have top 15 to 20 min to get serve, eat and go. Another thing, the bathroom, at least the ladies' bathroom was attended by a lady super nice, she will need you to give her a tip. We were really looking into this experience, but unfortunately, the desire to sell and charge more takes away everything, making you...

We came here as a tour package with Chichen Itza. It's where the buffet lunch is before heading to Chichen. At this stop, we all got to experience a general blessing with a Mayan Shaman. We were chosen for a more personal blessing and took the opportunity. It was an amazing experience and well worth it, in our opinion. Afterwards, we were all ushered into the souvenir shop where they had beautiful obsidian statues along with other handmade trinkets. There is a person inside the souvenir shop that asks for names. It’s not for the buffet but to personalize an art piece with your name on it. Just be aware of that. After the shop, we were given a chocolate tasting. There are many varieties of chocolate that did taste good! We then had our buffet lunch. We tried the Mayan Pizza and it was really good! Even with a picky eater, we were all able to find something to eat! They had people dancing while we ate and it was nice. The service was quick and everyone is really kind and accommodating.

*I want to point out: Yes, this is a tourist stop. Yes, they pressure you to buy things. Yes, you can control your mental aspect of what this is. *A simple "No Thank You" is all it takes for them to leave you alone. *Now understand, this is how they make a living. Take it however you want but at the end of the day we are helping a community thrive. I wish more people looked out the window while we're driving through these towns and see the living conditions and then decide if...