Merida is a city of real contrasts. Here you will find elegant hotels, restaurants and malls in the northern part of the city. While downtown, there are hotels and restaurants to suit every budget. With a large central market and numerous small shops to be found all around the main plaza. Merida has a rich cultural life which also reflects its diversity. Many free concerts, performances and other events are held daily.
The city's ambiance is colonial and the climate is tropical. The daytime temperature varies; in January, it is about 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 Celsius) and in June, about 95 F (35 C). To beat the heat, most people are busiest in the mornings. They have lunch and the big siesta, then go back to work for a few hours in the late afternoon. The cool breezes from the Gulf of Mexico drift into Mérida in the evenings and this is when many of the residents spend their time outdoors. You can see them visiting and talking as they stroll along the streets, sit in the plazas or dine in the many sidewalk restaurants.
From Merida, you are well situated to take day trips to a vast array of destinations: archaeological sites, ecological parks, typical villages, caves, beaches, colonial missions and much more. Take your time and really explore the Maya sites… walk for miles along the Gulf of Mexico… attend a village festival… photograph the wildlife… crawl through a cave or swim in a cenote... what more could you want from a place?
Hacienda San Jose is a fairly special hacienda in which to stay. It is to be found about 40 minutes drive away from Merida. With just fifteen rooms in this large building with a pool and its own small chapel, this is a very pleasant and relaxing place to spend a few nights in the Yucatan. More…
Hacienda Xcanatun is just under seven miles from the centre of Mérida. The hacienda, built in the mid 18th century, had fallen into ruins, but after five years of meticulous restoration it is now once more a charming place to stay. There are eighteen rooms at the Hacienda Xcanatun, located at the edge of the Dzibilchaltun ruins (1500 BC-AD 540), There is also an excellent spa that uses traditional Mayan plants and herbs for treatment. More…
Casa Lucia is right in downtown Merida in the historic centre. It is just three blocks away from the main square, the Casa Lucia has fifteen bedrooms and all are individually decorated. This is the best place to stay if you want to be in the heart of everything. More…
Hacienda Chichen is just a stone’s throw away from the great site itself. A seventeenth century house turned hotel with large pool, it was previously used as a base by the archaeologists who were exploring the ruins in 1923 and the rooms in the hotel have been used after them. More…
Hacienda Santa Rosa, about 70 kms southwest of Merida is the place to stay for at least three nights if you can. It is a real home from home. With just 11 rooms it is a nice and small and set as it is in the heart of a village, it is quiet. There are two pools. More… Today, Chichen Itza is one of the new seven wonders of the world. Once, Chichén Itzá was the most important city of the Maya peoples and is now an important archaeological site in the northern part of the Yucatán Peninsula. More…
