Beautiful Restored Colonial in Merida Centro – Santa Ana/Paseo Montejo

• Colonial Comfort in the heart of Merida

  Colonial Comfort in the heart of Merida

  • Guest Jim K
  • Date of stay 04/07/13
  • Review Submitted 04/14/13
  Casa Noel is a beautiful, recently renovated colonial house very well located in a quiet street very close to the Paseo Montejo with its shops, banks and restaurants. The house is extremely spacious and can certainly cater for 6 people in absolute comfort. The open design, high ceilings fans and air conditioning keep the house refreshingly cool in hot weather (the thermometer hit 40 deg C when we were there!!). All the fittings and fixtures are new. I would certainly recommend this house to others. The house is exceptionally well managed by Andrea who is able and willing to provide help and advice whenever required.

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, people with disabilities, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway.

  Owner response: Thank you very much James. We are so glad you enjoyed your visit.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Charming house but.....

  Charming house but.....

  • Guest RG
  • Date of stay 02/22/13
  • Review Submitted 04/07/13
  This was our 8th trip to Mexico in the past 12 years, several of those were extended trips so we are well used to noisy Mexico - we've done everything from camping on the beach in a VW van to renting houses. We spent just over 5 weeks at Casa Noel and loved the house, it was charming and well furnished, the internet worked well, and the pool was very nice, but we do agree with the review below that the bathroom situation is very awkward to say the least and the water pressure is very low (I had to wash my hair in the kitchen sink) but both of these are easily fixable. We had one other problem that was more difficult to deal with: the next door neighbor has opened a small sandwich/snack shop in her front room and keeps her dog in the small back yard - I'm guessing so he doesn't bark at her customers. He obviously doesn't like it and barks for much of the day starting somewhere around 6:30am. There were many days when the dog barked straight from 6:30am to noon, and then throughout the day on and off until about 10:00pm. Because we have spent quite a bit of time in Merida in previous years and were there long term we spent a lot of time in the house. Relaxing around the pool is pretty hard with the barking dog and sleeping in impossible since his bark echoes around the interior courtyard. There were other dogs in the neighborhood but they did the more normal barking - 10 or 15 minutes here and there then they'd stop - so they weren't a problem. We had some friends over who live in Merida most of the year for a swim and dinner and the dog barked the entire time they were there. They agreed that it was unbearable. I sent a note to the property manager, Andy, to see if anything could be done and she spoke twice to the woman but nothing much changed. Andy said she would contact the owner and see if he had any suggestions. His response was puzzling to us as he denied that the dog barked, accused us of wanting to euthanize the dog, and suggested that we didn't belong in Mexico but should consider the Outer Banks if we wanted complete quiet. This was a total shock to us, we thought it rude and uncalled for. So, even though the house is really nice I couldn't recommend it because of the barking dog but mostly because of the owner's response to the problem - he didn't handle it well, was rude and defensive, and while there probably wasn't much he could do about the issue, a little empathy would have gone a long way in making us feel better about the noise.

  Owner response: Hi Renee and Allen. We were glad to hear that overall you loved Casa Noel and Merida. Unfortunately, in a city you will have street noises, vendor's bells and horns, as well as barking dogs. But Merida's indoor/outdoor living offers many benefits. Cooling breezes through the courtyards and living spaces, and the sounds of birds in the surrounding trees are all part of the open air Merida lifestyle. Upon hearing of your concerns, our manager visited our neighbor and discussed your concerns with her on several occasions. She spent over an hour each time and reported to us that she did not hear the dog during those extended visits. We definitely considered other actions but they would not have been good ways to treat our older Mexican neighbor who depends on her dog for companionship. Even with the risk of a bad review, there was little else we could do at the time. We will continue to monitor this and remain open to any changes that might be needed. We are glad you found a lot to like and hope that you will visit Merida again.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Wonderful Vacation in Colonial Merida

  Wonderful Vacation in Colonial Merida

  • Guest tu_mes_manques
  • Date of stay 01/24/13
  • Review Submitted 02/23/13
  Casa Noel is the perfect place to stay in Merida! The beauty of the villa is captured in the photos. The photos however, are note able to reflect the spaciousness and grandeur of the villa. It took us a few minutes to soak everything in when we got there the first night. The rooms are large with comfortable bedding and beautiful tile floors. The villa is clean and well maintained. It has every amenity needed - from towels, plates and sugar to wifi and television with English channels. The villa is in an excellent location - close to the Paseo Montejo and a fifteen-minute walk to the historic part of the city and the main square. The area around the villa is very safe and had parking for our rental car as well. We used our rental car to take day trips to Uxmal, Izamal, Celestun and Cuzama. The owner of the property is very helpful and we had no troubles with checking in or checking out. Above all - the rental is very well priced. Great value for what we spent. We could not have had a better time in Merida and coming home every night to Casa Noel and swimming in the villa pool every morning was a big part of it!

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• 3 Nights in Cultural Merida

  3 Nights in Cultural Merida

  • Guest Laurie
  • Date of stay 01/30/13
  • Review Submitted 02/22/13
  We had an excellent stay in Merida that was made particularly special by the accommodations provided by Casa Noel. It was almost like going into the past without going into the past. The property is in an excellent location. We walked everywhere we went. It was wonderful coming back to the home base of Casa Noel and the unique environment that opens behind the simple blue street facade. Casa Noel is extremely clean and well appointed. All our questions were answered promptly and helpfully. We enjoyed treats and latte's Cafe Creme, a block away, dinners at Trattoria la Pasta, Chaya Maya, and Rescoldos Mediterranean Bistro. The Modern Art Museum was wonderful, as are the murals in government center in the main plaza. The little shop next to Cafe Creme offered many items to take home to friends and family.

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, age 55+, girls getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Huge, gorgeous house in a great location near Santa Ana

  Huge, gorgeous house in a great location near Santa Ana

  • Guest a&m
  • Date of stay 02/02/13
  • Review Submitted 02/22/13
  This is a beautiful and enormous colonial house in a nice location. There are 3 beds - enough for 6 people, maybe more if there are kids. There are two living rooms, one with a nice flat-screen tv and cable. There is a large dining room, and a decent-sized screened porch. The house is really huge, tons of space, with a nice pool also. The furniture is all very nice, all tastefully decorated, and comfortable. The kitchen was stocked with anything you'd need. The wifi worked great as well. The owners were thoughtful enough to leave maps, guides, and tips about what to do, where to eat, etc. Nice touch. There was an ipod dock there also. This location is great - near the Paseo Montejo and the main center, but not too near that it's noisy. There is also street parking right across the street. It's just a few blocks down from Santa Ana. Our only complaint was to do with the bathrooms. The main bathroom has a small window at the top with no glass, which opens into the master bedroom. So you can hear everything from one room to the other. We were brushing our teeth in the kitchen sink one night so as not to wake up the people sleeping in the master bedroom. Then, in the master bath, there is a similar issue - the wall between the bathroom and the kitchen stops about a foot before the ceiling, so if you are in the kitchen, you can hear absolutely everything in the master bathroom and vice versa. With high ceilings and stone/cement walls, there is a lot of echo in these houses. So there really is no sound privacy in either bathroom. We found this situation uncomfortable, and probably a reason we would not rent the house again, unless it was for only my husband and I. It would also be ok if it was for a family with kids who were less worried about privacy, but not really ideal for 3 couples, for example. Having lived in a colonial house in Merida myself, I'm sure the reasoning for this is to get air flow in the house. I almost hate to knock down the star just because of the bathrooms, but it did make the stay awkward. If those issues were fixed, this would be a 5 star house. It really is a beautiful one, and the owners seem to take great care of the place. Andreas Property management is excellent as well.

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, families with young children, romantic getaway.

  Owner response: Thank you Aoife for your comments. We are glad you enjoyed your stay and many thanks for your very positive comments. We understand your concern about the openings high on some of the walls. As you said, these are intended to provide air flow in a very warm climate. Our home has a beautiful, open, interior courtyard with extensive screened areas. This allows the usual Merida breezes to flow throughout the house, keeping it cool even when it is hot outside. Even though we have both fans and air conditioning, we like the natural air flow. We have used the house with family and friends many times and never had any serious concerns about this. But we have been steadily renovating the house over the past year, and we have some great ideas planned to address your concern and improve the layout to provide more privacy and comfort for our guests.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Gorgeous Restored Colonial; Great Location

  Gorgeous Restored Colonial; Great Location

  • Guest Crystal F.
  • Date of stay 01/02/13
  • Review Submitted 01/06/13
  We stayed here for 3 nights – it was exactly as advertised and pictured. Gorgeous and a great location for us. Loved the pool for a quick dip to cool off after a day of sightseeing. Kitchen was outfitted really well although we did not cook anything – I would like to stay longer next time and take advantage of the Mercado and cooking. The screened veranda was lovely and the inner courtyard – partially roofed over – brought outdoors inside. Pasta tile floors, tall ceilings and huge doors were evocative of an earlier age. Don’t be put off by the street view/entrance – it is a typical setup. We had no problem parking right in front, did not move the car for 3 days and it was perfectly safe. Other gems in neighborhood – Café Crème (Eric does a great job - French bakery) La Trattoria Pasta – my husband had the same dish (meat ravioli) 2 nights we ate there; Soho Gallery (Adele has some funky artwork-we loaded a piece up and brought home), Hennessy’s Irish Pub (Shaun brought a little corner of Ireland to Paseo Montejo) and Alex was always smiling when he served our morning coffee at La Boheme on Montejo. Casa Noel is fantastic – thanks for sharing your home!

  Owner response: Thank you so much. We are happy you enjoyed our home.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

Additional information about rental rates

Holidays - Easter, Christmas, New Years and Carnival - $175/night, $1050/week

Monthly rates are available. Please ask.

Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

50% deposit at time of reservation. Balance due 30 days prior to check in.

Additional Fees and Taxes:

Rates do not include electricity, meter will be read at time of check in and check out.

$300 security deposit required.