Hacienda Xcanatún was constructed amid the European embrace of art that championed emotion, individualism, and nature during the first half of the 19th century.

Hacienda Xcanatún's roots date back to the mid-18th century, when its original structure was located on the grounds of a magnificent estate. This grand structure found its original use housing horses and mules that pulled transportation vehicles known as bolan koche, which resemble wagons. As the years passed, a man named Don Manuel Zapata y Bolio eventually introduced the production of sisal to Hacienda Xcanatún. Sisal was an immensely popular crop to grow at the time, as it was integral in the manufacture of ropes and other textiles. The export of sisal proved so lucrative that Don Manuel Zapata y Bolio’s son, Manuel Zapata Martinez, decided to develop a port to move the fiber more efficiently. The Port of Progreso was thus created in 1881, which allowed for trains to transport sisal from Hacienda Xcanatún with relative ease.

The region soon entered the Agrarian Reform, causing the owners to downsize the property to 18 acres. The demand for sisal fibers dropped dramatically, and thus the Machinery House, Main House, Chapel, citrus orchards, and livestock pens were converted and sold away. Soon the property fell into a desolate state, being utilized intermittently as a vacation house for the owners to enjoy. The years passed, and the property's identity continued to decline.

In 1988, the location was ravaged after Hurricane Gilbert made its way throughout Xcanatún, which left ruin in its wake. Five years later however, Jorge Ruz Buenfil saved the hacienda by renovating it into a luxury boutique hotel. Ruz Buenfil worked tirelessly to maintain the original identity of the hacienda through careful reconstruction. Utilizing locally-sourced materials including hardwood, wrought iron, clay, marble, and coral stone, Hacienda Xcanatún was restored to new glory. The hotel's gardens were also re-established, with palm trees, fruit trees, and other species of unique flora abounding throughout the grounds. When the final details were completed, the hotel became a modern travel destination boasting the sensibilities of the past. Since its advent, Hacienda Xcanatún has welcomed a variety of guests, who are all interested in having a unique Yucatecan travel experience.