Where to Stay in Mérida, Mexico
The Best Areas for First-Time Visitors
Calle Paseo de Montejo - Mérida, Mexico
Where to Stay Travel Guide
Quick Review of Mérida, Mexico
Local Area Guide to Centro and Paseo de Montejo
There are a lot of places to explore in Mérida and the surrounding areas. For a quick trip, most people stay in the central to north-end areas of Centro and Paseo Montejo, which are recommended as "the best centralized areas to stay for accommodations." While visiting there, I found it was a prefect location to explore.
Both of these areas have a reputation for being the best walkable, with plenty of sightseeing throughout. Wandering around, you can soak up the flavors of Mayan and Mexican cuisine, along with a variety of international options. We sampled some great-tasting local cuisine, Italian, Asian and American food while admiring the historic architecture day and night.
The north end of the Zona Paseo Montejo area is a great location, surrounded by easy transportation (ADO Paseo 60 bus station, local buses or ride shares companies - Didi/Uber), coffee shops that range from casual to fine dinning restaurants. The area has stores from everyday convenience stores to grocery stores. For shopping the variety of basic store to upscale boutique shops are within walking distance of the hotel area.
Hotel styles vary widely, with quaint bed & breakfasts surrounded by old, period-style mansions turned into living museums, along with other historic buildings. It has a reputation for being a clean, quieter area than other locations.
In the Paseo Montejo or Centro area, you'll discover several great places to stay across a variety of price ranges and styles — from modern to historical. Across the street from the IHG Holiday Inn and Hyatt was the Fiesta Americana Mérida, an upscale hotel with boutique shopping and several restaurants worth exploring. Nearby were more hotel options, from Marriott and Wyndham to other historic house-style boutique hotels.
It's very walkable to Plaza Grande in Centro, where you'll find free-to-affordable museums, cathedrals with unique old architecture. It’s a beautiful walk that is approximately 25 minutes away. If you'd rather drive, it's approximately 7 minutes.
Centro is another popular area to stay, with many smaller hotels that have their own unique charm. If you like being in a livelier location, this area has most of the main sightseeing spots — larger museums, cathedrals and parks. It also has a variety of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, dancing, street vendors, markets and more energy than Paseo Montejo.
Tip: If you want to save money on accommodations, rooms without a mini-fridge are usually less expensive — but you can visit a grocery store for a portable cooler, which comes in handy during hot weather or longer stays.
Personal Opinion & Final Verdict
VISIT: Yes, Mérida is a place I would visit again.
EXPAT: Not at this time. It might be somewhere I'd live for a few months if I chose to slow travel, but right now it's a great place to visit throughout the year.
It was a great little getaway weekend, but I'll need to make another trip, since I could have stayed longer with so much to see and do. I'd like to stay at a historical hotel next time for more Spanish colonial charm and history.
If you're visiting Mérida for the first time, I recommend staying in either Paseo de Montejo or Centro. Both neighborhoods are safe, walkable and close to the city's top attractions, making them ideal bases for exploring the Yucatán.
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