Hotel Caribe

The most attractive section of Mérida is the very heart of the old city, where the cathedral looms over the picturesque central square. Just steps away, you find the Caribe Hotel, which enjoys the prime hotel location in town. To add to its appeal, the hotel faces onto a small plaza, the Parque Hidalgo, dotted by shade trees. The building is attractive with tall windows opening onto wrought-iron balconies that reflect its Spanish heritage. Within, the old-world appeal continues with stone arches accentuating handsome black-and-white marble floors. In the traditional Colonial style, the hotel wraps around a central courtyard where a series of arches supports a gallery above. Another of the hotel’s pluses is its restaurant, El Rincon, which features regional specialties. When the days are warm, guests also enjoy a light meal or cool drink outside on the plaza. The decor in the guestrooms is rather bland, but everything is fresh and tidy. For a moderately priced hotel in such a good location, it is a good value. Another bonus of the Caribe is that it has a small swimming pool tucked on its rooftop terrace, a pleasant place to take a dip and relax after a day of sightseeing. There is a wall surrounding the terrace with arched windows through which you can view the cathedral and square.