December 23, 2025 | TRAVEL
HOTEL SEVILLA:
a BASE in MÉRIDA
words YUZU Editorial
photos Rodrigo Hermida
The final stop on Grupo Habita’s map sits in the historic heart of Mérida, on the Yucatán Peninsula. Hotel Sevillaoccupies a 16th-century casona (a colonial-era urban mansion organised around an inner courtyard), now quietly reworked into a measured and context-aware place to stay.
Built over the ruins of the ancient Maya city of Tihó, Mérida is known for having Mexico’s second-largest historic centre. Spanish colonial architecture, wide streets, shaded plazas and a steady tropical rhythm define daily life here. The hotel is just one block from Plaza Grande, the city’s main square, where the cathedral, Casa de Montejo, street musicians and everyday movement intersect. Stately homes along Paseo de Montejo and the lively Mercado Lucas de Galvez—filled with textiles, crafts and local produce—are all within walking distance.
The architecture of Hotel Sevilla brings past and present together without blurring the line between them. The original façade and colonial layout have been carefully retained, while new interventions are clearly contemporary. Concrete additions—a bar, pool and spiral staircase—sit alongside the historic fabric with restraint, establishing a calm balance rather than a visual competition.
At the centre of the hotel, a double-height courtyard sets the pace of the day. A relaxed open-air cantina shaded by almond trees creates a gentle sense of activity, while the small bistro upstairs feels more contained and quiet. The kitchen works with French–Mexican influences, shaped by what is available at the nearby market. At the bar, classic cocktails lean on mezcal and tequila.
The hotel has 17 rooms and four suites, all designed with a deliberate simplicity. Ceramic floors reference traditional Yucatán homes, custom furniture is made from local woods, and henequen textiles appear throughout. Grey concrete bathrooms add a Brutalist note, softened by warm brass details. In each room, a digital guide points guests toward nearby museums, galleries, restaurants and bars.
To the rear of the property, a second courtyard offers a more inward-looking atmosphere. Here, a concrete pool—divided by an existing stone wall—occupies the space where stables once stood. Adjacent to it, the spa draws on Mayan wellness traditions, with a Tuj steam sauna, cold plunge and ritual-based treatments. It is a place designed for slowing down after a day spent walking the city.
Hotel Sevilla does not attempt to frame Mérida as a spectacle. Instead, it works as a quiet point of entry into the city’s everyday rhythm—where history, architecture and daily life sit side by side, held together by a sense of balance and restraint.
