Best Bed & Breakfast in Merida
This week, Working Gringa's father and stepmother are coming to town. They are staying the month in Akumal (escaping the impending Colorado winter for awhile) and coming to Merida for a brief sojourn, to meet the dogs and tour around the not-quite-finished house. Since our rental home doesn't have a comfortable place for them to stay, we were faced with the decision of where to put them up for the night.
We imagine this is not unusual for other people who live here, who often have guests that need to stay somewhere other than their home. So in service to those of us who want to give our visitors the best experience when they are visiting, here are our initial nominations for Best B&B in Merida.
They are probably (but not necessarily!) priced lower than the small hotels of our previous poll. They also probably afford the visitor a more intimate experience of Merida, since most B&B's are indeed an extension of people's homes. We realize the category has been stretched like a piece of semantic taffy in the last few years, so we are going to create our own set of rules for the purpose of this poll. Each of the B&B's nominated by us or anyone else should have five rooms or less, should have the owner or owners living onsite and should serve breakfast as part of the cost of the room.
Here are our initial five nominations. Anyone can add a nominee over the next two weeks (before November 31) by suggesting another B&B in the comment section. The voting will continue until December 31, 2007 at which point we will turn off the poll (and all the others) and in January, we will award the winners.
Oh, and just so we can avoid having to explain this multiple times, our next poll is going to be Best Budget Hotel in Merida and will be the best category for places where the owner DOESNT live or which DONT serve breakfast.
Yucatan Living's Readers Choice Polls Best B&B in Merida nominees are:
Angeles de Merida - Created by John Truax and his partner, Angeles de Merida has new expat owners who have moved in and are carrying on the Angeles de Merida tradition. The rooms are set in a multi-storied old home, beautifully renovated with the rooms all loosely centered around a courtyard with a swimming pool. The location, just down the street from Parque Santiago, is ideal for a combination of quiet getaway and tourist convenience.
Website: www.angelesdemerida.com
Casa Santana - One of the most uniquely and personally decorated and renovated homes in Merida that we have ever seen, Casa Santana is the brainchild of Debbie LaChapelle, who lives half the year in Merida and half the year in Maine. The house is filled with folk art and antiques from Mexico and other lands of apparent enchantment. The garden is surrounded by old stone walls and features a swimming pool set among the trees. It feels miles away from downtown Merida, which it isn't.
Website: www.casasantana.com
Cascadas de Merida - Run by Ellyne (from New York) and Chucho (from Merida), this unique B&B has four modern rooms that all open to a sparkling swimming pool in the center of the property. Thanks to Chucho's ingenious construction abilities, each room boasts a glass-enclosed shower that looks out onto a waterfall. Water features are everywhere! Thanks to Ellyne, guests enjoy a delicious breakfast and lots of sound advice on what to do and what to see in Merida.
Website: www.cascadasdemerida.com
Las Arecas - Another colonial turned into a B&B, but run by a Merida local. Mauro Ruiz spruced up his family home and runs it as a modest bed and breakfast. Five rooms in the back of the house share a living and dining room and a central outdoor patio. Each room is charming and simple, with a few whimsical touches like stone sculptures or sixties-era lamps. Some rooms have kitchenettes, one has a private garden, another has a rooftop view. The location couldn't be better, close to everything.
Website: www.lasarecas.com
Los Arcos de Merida - Only two guest rooms in this popular B&B. The main house and the garden are chock full of books, art, plants, furniture... enough to keep any guest busy who isn't already swimming in the large pool, enjoying a delicious breakfast by that pool or going just down the street to the center of Merida for entertainment. Rooms are tucked away in the back of the garden, away from the main house, in their own little world.
Website: www.losarcosmerida.com
Casa Esperanza - Casa Esperanza is located in a colonial home originally built in the 1890's. Claudette and Sergio have turned this lovely building into an even lovelier and very comfortable home away from home. The rooms are painted in a bouquet of pastel colors, all within easy access of a lovely pool. Casa Esperanza is just a few blocks from the Plaza Grande, Parque Mejorada and the city's main market. Gourmet breakfast served daily.
Website: www.casaesperanza.com
Casa Santiago - A reader-nominated bed & breakfast, Casa Santiago is a 3-room establishment that has recently come under new management. The owners, Vince and Frank, share their home with guests and a "quiet and friendly" Boston Terrier named Felix. There is a pool in the back, breakfast served each morning and wine and cheese in the afternoons. Casa Santiago is close to the park of the same name, and just a few blocks west of the Plaza Grande.
Website: www.mexicanbedandbreakfast.com
Comments
Joanna Rosado 17 years ago
If I didn't live in Merida, I would definitely want to stay at Cascadas de Merida. It is an absolutely charming B & B - lovely appointments, ambiance and attractions... but it also has something additional: Cascadas de Merida has Ellyne! She is a wonderful hostess who treats her guests like royalty. She loves her work and it shows. Her collection of Mexican popular art is something to behold... I would highly recommend Cascadas de Merida to anyone who needs accommodation in Merida and who enjoys being pampered.
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michael higgins 17 years ago
We found the Casa Santiago to be a wonderful place to stay. The house is quite nice, the rooms are large and comfortable, and the small pool is a real treat. The location is close to the centre of city, thus walking to many places is quite easy. The owners work as the staff, and they are helpful, friendly and informative. We strongly recommend the Casa Santiago.
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Bryan 17 years ago
We were very glad to find Casa Santiago and Merida as a quick getaway from our longer trip to Cancun. Vince is a very thoughtful inn keeper, even loaning us some pesos until we were able to make it to the bank. Casa Santiago is clean and comfortable and Vince makes everyone feel as if they are at home.
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Brad & Annie 17 years ago
Our absolute favorite and the only place we stay in Merida is Casa Esperanza. You have to experience this amazingly tranquil, beautiful and historical B&B to appreciate all it has to offer. The only thing better than the atmosphere is the warmth, kindness, hospitality and laughter of it's owners, Claudette and Sergio. We felt like we were old friends within minutes of meeting them! If fact, we extended our first visit longer than planned because we couldn't bear to leave. Claudette's breakfasts are to die for! All the rooms are gorgeous and full of interesting local items. There is a well-stocked library and the swimming pool is surrounded by lush tropical gardens. We love to sit out on the patio and read or enjoy a nice glass of wine in the evening before heading out to explore a new place for dinner. We truly feel like we are "home" when we enter the doors of Casa Esperanza.
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Robert Flury 17 years ago
Casa Esperanza is an incredible oasis of tranquility hidden in the middle of a bustling and fantastic city that teems with history. The propritors Claudette and Sergio are well versed in the area, culture and attractions. With broad smiles and genuine hearts they are more than happy to share the warmth of thier home and beautiful city. I have stayed at what is the best B&B in Merida twice and intend to return ASAP. When its time to leave the Canadian Winter behind Casa Esperanza is just what the DR Orders.
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Finlay 17 years ago
After staying in several B&B's during our frequent visits over the years, Casa Santigo has become our choice several times during the last year when we have been in Merida. Newly established, the inn is very conveniently located, has a sunny atmosphere as well as a sunny pool...and the owners (two sets that we have experienced) have been wonderful hosts. The present innkeeper, Vince, is a masterful, caring professional who goes that extra mile to make sure his guests are happy and well cared for. This even included taking us to a near by pharmacy to get meds! The breakfasts are hearty and delicious, the afternoon wine and snacks are welcomed treats after a day of touring and exploring. The price is very reasonable, allowing longer stays without breaking the bank.
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Fortunato Velasquez 17 years ago
Casa Esperanza B&B is indeed my home away from home when I travel to Merida from Seattle. Proprietors Sergio and Claudette never fail to please when it comes to providing a scrumptious breakfast to start the day. Centrally located in the colonial district, Sergio, always the gentleman and with a cheerful smile, will arrange tours to the surrounding Maya ruins and have the 9-passenger van pick you up at the front door right after breakfast. I will be making my third visit to Merida in March and look forward to that cold bottle of Superior that I know will be waiting in my room's fridge when the taxi drops me off from the airport at 9PM. Then it's off to a late night dinner with my grandson.
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Nathan Waldon 17 years ago
We just finished a short, but glorious holiday at Angeles de Merida. What a fabulous place! Comfortable, tastefully appointed rooms...yummy breakfasts with cosmopolitan flare...lovely hosts...fun, lively chat, but quiet privacy too...just wonderful in so many ways. Without hesitation - this has been our favoirte getaway yet in Merida. We will be back many times...Angeles de Merida has set the new standard for B&Bs.
Enjoy!
N. Waldon
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Mike Walker 17 years ago
This year our escape to Mexico from sometimes damp and gloomy Seattle included a four night stay at Angeles de Merida.
Dawn is running a first class operation. My wife and I tend to get lost easily. Dawn was our personal GPS in Merida. Dawn's breakfast Mojito would definately start the day off right.
Mike walker in damp Seattle.
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Deb Shepherd 17 years ago
November 18, 2007
We stayed at Angeles de Merida for 4 days, a couple weeks ago. My husband and I were charmed by the B&B as well as the owner, Dawn. From the moment we arrived (after she had to come pick us up because we were wandering around the Centro lost) she was the perfect host. Food prepared for us, margaritas waiting at 9:30 PM!
The rooms were lovely, decorated beautifully, fluffy towels, robes, first class all the way.
Breakfast every morning made by Luis was marvelous daily, snacks in the afternoon.
Enjoyable and highly recommend.
Deb Shepherd
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Joe & Gil 17 years ago
Casa Santiago is a great bed and breakfast to stay at. It has been in business for 1 1/2 years, and anyone looking for a reasonable and friendly experience should consider it. Vote for the others, but stay at this one.
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