There is nothing quite like sipping a cold passion fruit margarita at the Diplomat’s Hola honor bar and watching tiny lizards chase each other along the walls in the heat of a Merida evening. I have stayed at The Diplomat several times now and it is hands down one of my top three hotels in Mexico to date. The staff is phenomenally friendly, ready to help you with any query, and the hotel has all of the necessary luxury to make you feel taken care of without the fuss that sometimes permeates boutique lodging.
Just outside the city center one of Merida’s gorgeous old colonial homes has been renovated to include a swimming pool surrounded by lush vegetation and two high-ceiled rooms just off of the back open-air dining area. In the front of the house are three more rooms converted from the home’s original bedrooms.
Rooms in the front of the building were designed conserving their colorful original floor tiles and those stunning high ceilings, with desks for working, comfortable chairs, and in some, a corner hammock for lounging. Each room is outfitted with bath products made from local honey, light cotton robes for the heavy heat that often permeates this town, hair dryers with all the necessary attachments, lockboxes, an unending supply of drinking water in refillable glass bottles, and little sweet surprises when you come home from a day out in the city or a night exploring local bars and restaurants.
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The color scheme is light and airy with quality linens and a plethora of pillows. Tropical plants grace shower nooks and large art pieces the walls. Upon arrival, the staff provides you with a great walking map which is marked with all the favorite watering holes and eateries of the food-savvy owners. Mezcal and tequila are laid during the day and an honor bar with cold drinks waits for you to choose your poison, be it a cold glass of rosé or a San Pellegrino.
Breakfast at the Diplomat is simple beyond anything you will find in another hotel. The Turkish eggs come layered on a dill and garlic labneh base, with fried potatoes and roasted tomatoes, perfect with the sweet and acidic five-chile salsa that brightens up any dish. Or the build-your-own tostada board with chipotle refried beans, eggs, salsa verde, and fresh toppings of avocado, pico de gallo, lettuce, radish, and cilantro. The coffee is always hot and the juice is always frosty. Breakfast here is one of my favorite parts of the stay. If you happen to find yourself by the pool in the afternoon you will no doubt be offered a drink by one of the staff who seem to be everywhere and nowhere all at once, there when you need them, a silent presence refilling the fridge and stocking the towels when you don’t.
There’s also a hip little honor store in the front entryway consisting of gorgeous little items that the owners have come across in their travels – everything from handmade jewelry to local mezcal and chocolate.
The Diplomat is located just a few blocks away from the main hustle and bustle of downtown so Merida’s best shops and restaurants are almost all walkable from the hotel. It is also just steps away from Mercado Santiago, which is a local market with lots of food stalls were you can try downhome versions of the Yucatan’s most iconic dishes like cochinita pibil or relleno negro. For the days when the heat is unbearable (which happens a good bit from the end of April to the beginning of June), the city has both Uber and Didi as well as a decent public transportation system.
For me there is nowhere else I would rather be when I visit Merida, a city which continues to charm me with its tropical style and grace. The combination of the hotel’s lovely rooms, the phenomenal customer service, and the top-quality meals and drinks (oh, and that luxurious pool) place The Diplomat in a league of its own when it comes to hospitality in the city. Rooms run from US$225 to US$375 a night with breakfast, not including tax. You can also compare rates at Booking.com or Expedia.
