Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1530891
O nce the whispered t r a v e l s e c r e t o f adventurous style- seekers, Mérida and Yucatán have become the passionate focus f o r a r c h i t e c t s , interior designers, artists, photographers, and romantics at heart. Poised between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, the Yucatán Peninsula is a trove of archaeological sites and handsome By Diane Dorrans Saeks Newell Turner's Merida "Mérida is a whirl of creativity. A new super- elegant boutique hotel with a Michelin- worthy restaurant rises in a historic building every month," says Newell Turner, author of Mexican (Vendome) and former editor in chief of Elle Decor, who acquired a neglected French neoclassical mansion, circa 1900, and is returning it to its original grace. "Like others in Mérida, we are working closely with the best local artisans and builders, saving derelict buildings, and keeping refined traditional skills, crafts and exquisite Mexican arts alive." "Mérida is very much a walking city," says Turner. "The iconic Paseo Montejo is ideal for a stroll anytime. This broad boulevard with tree-shaded sidewalks is lined with the best shops, restaurants, and even a few restored historic residences that are open for tours." Art The art scene in Mérida is active year- round, Turner says. European, Canadian, and American expats and locals open their studios, and vernissages are a great way to mix with local artists and collectors. The alluring new cultural center Centro Cultural la Cúpula is housed in the spectacular former stables of a Paseo Montejo casona. lacupulamerida.org. "I first traveled to Yucatán in the '90s to photograph centuries-old haciendas in the jungle and hidden 18th- century mansions of Mérida, before it was 'discovered.' I was enchanted. I return every year. I'm happy to say Yucatán is still authentic, vivid, and as mysterious and magical as it was 30 years ago." — Tim Street-Porter, architectural photographer, Los Angeles Travel Inspiration New Style Destination Yucatán and Mérida centuries-old towns. Designers love Mérida's architectural authenticity, the exuberant cultural life, expressive culture, crafts, and the vibrant food scene. A new generation of young, creative Mexican entrepreneurs is drawing crowds to their chic local craft shops, art galleries, and the Mayan flavors infused in the menus at their cafes. Fierce preservation efforts protect Mérida's architectural legacy, from neo- rococo mansions to Spanish baroque palaces, Art Deco hotels, and French neoclassical residences, many with ornate statuary and elaborate ornamentation. Meanwhile, news of exciting new high-design, high-service hotels enlivens the daily gossip. The 22- room colonial-style Hotel Sevilla, in an imposing formerly abandoned colonial building, is about to open in Centro (city center). French tycoon Bernard Arnault recently acquired Hacienda Katanchel, a 17th-century estate in Tixkokob, 45 minutes east of Mérida; part of the international luxury hotel chain Belmond, it's slated to open in 2026. Casa Lecanda Hotel, Mérida 70