Hotel Julamis

Our stay at the Julamis Hotel was delightful and so were our hosts. They were extremely welcoming, caring and went out of their way to make our stay memorable. My wife lost an earring in our room and they went out of their way to find it and send it back to us. Our breakfasts were delicious and our host gave us many travel tips. We look forward to staying there again.

We needed a place to stay near Parque Santa Lucia for our first 2 nights in Merida. Hotel Julamis appealed to us and was located just a couple of blocks from the park. Alex greeted us when we arrived in the afternoon and showed us our room – Ixil. It was spacious, with the original pasta tile floor and the wall behind the beds hand painted with tropical plants. After a restful night in comfortable beds, we woke up to the smell of coffee and French music coming from the kitchen.||Chef Alex’s gourmet breakfast was a real treat. You can have huevos motulenos and chilaquiles anywhere in Merida, but you would have to go to Paris to find a crispy buttery croissant like the ones Alex bakes. The perfectly spiced omelette with sauteed vegetables that we were served was wonderful. No need for lunch that day!||Alex had some great suggestions on places to visit, but this was not our first trip to Merida and we had already explored some of the destinations. Our conversation turned to food and restaurants. Alex recommended La Pigua, on Cupules, a couple of blocks from Paseo Montejo.||La Pigua turned out to be the BEST seafood restaurant we have experienced in Mexico. We ate there 3 days in a row and would have returned again and again, if we didn’t have to fly back to Toronto. As much as we love Yucatecan food, La Pigua was a very special.||Hotel Julamis was our kind of retreat. The boxes are checked for character, charm, peace and quiet, and it’s great to lie on the rooftop “camastros” and gaze at the stars.||Thank you, Alex.

We have just finished our stay (5 nights) at Hotel Julamis….What a disappointment!!!|We have been in Mexico many times and this year we were interested in exploring the new train Maya and visiting the colonial cities/town in Yucatán. We reserved the hotel following the reviews in trip advisor and other travel books (Lonely Planet, Moon, etc) that give it a star and describe it as: “oozing colonial jewel”. They do not accept credit cards so I called them from the States to make the reservation.|To summarize I will describe the Pros and Cons of the hotel:|Pros:|• The location, it is located in the historical center and walking distance to Plaza Sta Lucia, Calle 60, markets and beautiful galleries and boutiques.|• Alex is very friendly and accommodating (we needed to stay an hour later than the check out time)|• MOST IMPORTANT: the air conditioning in our room was working very well and the beds were comfortable and clean!!!|• The rooms are spacious and the ceilings are high so they feel airy and open.||Cons:|• THE PRICE, we were charged $85 every night ($420 x 5 nights cash) and the hotels we saw downtown: Hotel Mérida ($43, 4 stars) and Casa de Balam ($46, 5 stars ), both of them much nicer (with swimming pool, nice shady courtyards and lovely installations). To start with, we felt ripped off!!! We visited Merida in May, the low season. |• The hotel is in need of serious update, the bathroom shower was completely covered with tartar, and my friend has to open the holes with a needle, otherwise there was hardly any water coming out. |• The lobby is full of dust, there are some art displays but as they are covered with dust, and it gives you a bad impression. |• The hotel does not have a sign outside and it was difficult for us to identify it when we first arrived in the evening.

The breakfasts were out of this world. Alex, the chef and owner, is also the go-to person for referrals. We stayed four days and would have liked four more so returning is a must. Merida is a fascinating city and Hotel Julamis is walking distance to amazing restaurants, parks and shops If you’re there on a Tuesday, the whole city dances to live music in a nearby park from tiny tots to seniors.

This was not our first time at Julamis. There are many reasons we return, but the two main ones are location and the host. It is within easy walking distance from most of the major sites, an easy walk to the Calle 47 and its many restaurants ( Michaela mar y lena one of our favorites in Merida!) and La Plancha a new very walkable park. But the biggest reason is the host, Alex and his wife Mary. As is constantly referenced the breakfasts are great. But the information and help he provides on what to see and do is equally important. From restaurant suggestions to day trips to the beach and everything in between he can provide information. Regardless of what you may need, Alex certainly knows somebody locally who can help. It’s not a surprise there are so many return guests!

The glowing reviews and photos of Hotel Julamis were a large part of why we booked here for six nights. However, our experience was not the same as those satisfied guests and we left after two nights.||Pros - the host, Alex - was welcoming and offered suggestions for things to see and do, favourite restaurants, etc. The two breakfasts that we had were tasty and interesting.||Cons - the state of the hotel is not good. The building is very rundown, very dirty and in need of major upgrades and renovations. There is no signage that we could see to announce that this was a hotel. Our Cab driver was reluctant to leave us when we arrived! The "decor" in the lobby was covered in dust - not a good first impression. Our room "Villa Jumanis" was not at all as the photos portrayed it on the website - several of them must be of another unit, because they are absolutely not correct. |The kitchen was under-equipped (no cutlery, no dish rag or towel, etc.) and simply not workable. There were someone else's dishes in the dish tray when we arrived. We generally like to shop at local markets and cook some of our own meals, but the kitchen was so uninviting that we knew that was not going to happen. |The whole unit was extremely dark and most of the shutters and doors did not open to provide any natural light. As evidenced by our socks and bare feet, the floors must not have been properly washed in some time. The bathroom was also dirty and very unappealing to use. There was almost no water pressure in the shower and the showerhead did not function properly. Apart from taking away a bottle or two for recycling there was no evidence of housekeeping. The doors to the unit had no lock. The patio area was similarly dirty and uninviting. Like the sidewalks adjacent to the building it looked like no care was being taken to sweep up dust and debris. |The location is quite a few blocks away from the "centro" - which would not have been a huge issue if it had been an inviting place to return to each day. Sadly it was not.|Obviously this is an older building that has it's quirks - which we would have happily accepted if it were clean and as presented on the website. However, after two nights at Hotel Julamis we found alternate accommodation in a location nearer to Parque San Lucia in a building that, while much older, was being spotlessly maintained.|My email to the owner explaining that we had changed places (he was not onsite when we checked out) went unanswered.

Alex is the most gracious host ever and he also makes the best breakfasts! His advice on restaurants and things to do around town made for delightful discoveries in Merida. He also made arrangements for a 5:30 am taxi to get us back to the airport. Our suite was spacious, clean and loaded with old world charm. We highly recommend Hotel Julamis in Merida, Mexico.

This was my fifth stay at Hotel Julamis, and it never disappoints. This beautiful 200-year-old hotel provides an ambiance that perfectly matches the historic charm of Mérida. Chef Alex’s breakfasts are always the highlight of my trip (and there’s some great dining to be had in Mérida). Progreso is about an hour out of town if you want to escape to the beach, and Sisal is a much quieter (and even closer) beach option if you prize peace and quiet. Within the city, the hotel is conveniently located within walking distance of the Centro Histórico and Paseo de Montejo. If you’re visiting from the States, I recommend taking advantage of the affordable services (haircuts, massages, mani/pedicures, etc.) available here – great quality for a fraction of the price. Chef Alex and his wife, Mary, are fantastic sources for literally anything you need.