Rosas & Xocolate Mérida

Rosas & Xocolate is the hotel that put boutique Mérida on the map. It occupies two restored colonial mansions at Paseo de Montejo 480, linked by gardens and painted in a vivid pink that makes the house easy to spot on the boulevard. The 17 rooms and suites have high ceilings, period details and private terraces or balconies, and the style mixes antique tile floors with contemporary design in the way that suits the city. The spa uses traditional Yucatecan treatments built around herbs, spices, essential oils and organic cacao, and the cacao theme runs through the hotel, as the name suggests. There is an outdoor pool in the garden, a restaurant and bar called Moon Lounge Bar, and a calm, grown-up atmosphere that suits couples and honeymooners.

Location and getting around: Paseo de Montejo is the city's grand boulevard, lined with mansions, museums and restaurants, and the hotel sits on it in the Centro area. The Plaza Grande, the cathedral and the markets are a walk or a short taxi ride away, and the evening restaurants of the Paseo are on your doorstep. The airport is roughly nine kilometres away, and the hotel offers an airport shuttle. Taxis and rideshares are inexpensive for trips to the museum district and to restaurants, and day-trip operators will collect you from the front door.

Rooms and service: the property has two buildings with different moods, with rooms and suites that have high ceilings and private terraces or balconies. Turndown service, room service, concierge and daily housekeeping are available, and there is a gift shop, on-site laundry and complimentary bicycle rental, which is a lovely way to see Paseo de Montejo on a Sunday morning. Free Wi-Fi is offered to Marriott Bonvoy members. Check-in is mid afternoon and check-out at noon. Complimentary self-parking is available on site, which is useful if you hire a car for Uxmal or Chichén Itzá.

Good to know: breakfast arrangements are not detailed on the hotel page, so confirm what your rate includes. Pet policies appear inconsistent across the hotel pages, so check directly if you are travelling with an animal. The hotel is on a busy boulevard, so ask for a room at the back or in the garden building if you are a light sleeper. It is the right choice for a honeymoon, an anniversary or a first trip to the Yucatán when you want to be somewhere memorable, and it pairs well with Chichén Itzá, Uxmal and Celestún day trips arranged through the concierge.