ART-DECO HOLIDAY OASIS WITH POOL IN THE HISTORICAL CENTRO OF MERIDA - LOCATION!

Yes, the host responded quickly and charmingly.

Barb and Jonathon are the most considerate hosts we’ve ever had-very attuned to our comfort and very quick to respond to my questions. The house is in a great central location and has everything we needed. It is very spacious, with rooms for gathering or allowing alone time. The patios spaces are charming. I do recommend bring ear plugs if you go to bed before the nearby nightclubs with the live music. Also don’t forget shampoo and soap for the showers.

We arrived in Merida on a day that was 39 degrees, felt like 43. The frame of the taxi window was too hot to rest my arm on. When we arrived at the house we were happy to find a pool to cool in. The AC in the bedrooms was crucial too. The location was great, only a 5-10 minute walk to the main square. We only stayed for a few days but had a great time.

Having rented this house partly on the basis of the effusive reviews, I felt obligated to write this one to provide a different perspective. Three of us rented this house for two weeks. I have rented 5 houses in Mexico and this would rank fourth in quality and fifth in terms of value for money. There are pros: the location is perfect – 4 blocks to the main plaza. Lots of square footage, though not all that effectively used. The beds are comfortable. The appliances work. The plunge pool is a refuge from the heat. The wifi is generally pretty good and the washer and dryer work well. The light controls are pretty advanced and if you like big canvases of warrior princess themed art (I did), you’re in luck. The decorative touches are nice, although calling the place Art Deco is a stretch. The owner is prompt and friendly. And yet…. You’ll notice in the photos that the kitchen is not featured. This is no surprise – the kitchen is awful, by far the worst of the 5 I’ve experienced. It’s decently equipped with a gas stove, a couple of coffee makers, a good blender, and lots of plates. There is almost no work space – if you’re at all serious about cooking it is severely cramped. The pots and pans and the cutlery are worn out and cheap – with normal use we bent more spoons than Uri Geller. There is a decent sized yard and two large terraces off the bedrooms on the second floor, but nothing much has been done to make the spaces appealing – no plants, no furniture on the front terrace, nothing inviting at all. The water feature and outdoor shower are connected to a complicated piping system that leaks when you turn on the tap on upper terrace. We didn’t come here to watch TV but the tiny medieval set – looks like about 14” diagonal – with no cable connection is far below the contemporary standard of a flat screen to which you can attach a computer to show movies. There is no cleaning – not even once a week – which is a unique in my experience (in two rentals there was daily service, which was overkill). The bathrooms are drab and comparatively small. The paint is peeling in several rooms, no mirror in one of the bedrooms, and the general aura is that of a house that is rented but not lived in. There’s no “aha” feel to this house, and it’s certainly not luxury digs. It was a place to crash, not an oasis to enjoy hanging out in. It wouldn't take a lot of money to make the place more appealing.