Discover charm, culture and possibly the most romantic hotel in the world in Merida, Mexico says ELLA BUCHAN

Cancun is the place for spring break madness, but for a classier getaway, head to Mexico’s Yucatan province.

A hotbed of natural beauty (lush forests, powdery beaches and abundant wildlife), awe-inspiring monuments (the Mayan ruins of Tulum and Chichen Itza, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World) and sunny people.

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The capital, Merida, is the perfect base for a holiday that has culture, sunshine and lots of fun.

WHERE TO STAY
A massage followed by a bath scattered with rose petals, a shared bottle of Prosecco and a faultless meal on a moonlit terrace.
It’s all part of the service at Rosas & Xocolate hotel in Merida, the biggest city in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.
The name tells you this hotel was made for romance, but not in a cheesy, giant teddy way.
It’s a four-hour drive along the quiet toll road from Cancun airport to Merida.
On Avenue Paseo Montejo in Merida, the grand pink exterior of Rosas & Xocolate stands out like a thudding heart.
At the turn of the 20th century the street was one of the world’s richest, lined with grand houses built by owners of haciendas – where henequen or ‘green gold’ was used to make rope for the shipping industry.
Carol Kolozs bought the first house – more than 100 years old – to live in, then bought the place next door to create a boutique hotel.
Two years and a £3million later, it’s a beautifully designed haven oozing charm and character.
We were in room 15 (there are 17, including three spacious suites).
A cast iron, four-poster bed stands against smooth oatmeal walls (from a Mayan tree resin called chukum), while pink and grey tiles add subtle colour.
You can hibernate or throw open the wooden shutters for views of the inner courtyard, complete with pool.
The warm scent of cocoa wafts from the bathroom, thanks to the chocolate soap. It’s made especially for the hotel, like everything else from the wardrobes to the jam.

CHILL TIME
Each room has an al fresco tub big enough for two, surrounded by high walls for privacy.
The spa lives up to the hotel’s bespoke service, with exclusive chocolate-based products and a terrace with hot tub and cerise hammocks.
I tried the relaxing massage, with therapist Veronica.
It was like having reams of silk unfurled onto my skin. The pressure was so perfect and Veronica’s touch so smooth, it was hard to believe only one pair of hands was at work.
By the time I had slipped back into my robe, spa manager Carmelina had drawn a bath on our terrace – a trifle of rose and mint oils, thick foam and a sprinkling of burgundy petals.
Your spa bath can be followed by dinner in your room.
We decided to leave our cocoon for dinner on the moonlit terrace.
The food is as classy as the rooms. Calamari with garlic, lime and chilli was followed by oregano-crusted beef fillet with oregano crust, mash and perfect tiny vegetables.
Wine is pricey in Mexico, so stick to domestic varieties like the cabernet sauvignon we tried, from Baja California.
Up a swirl of a staircase is another terrace, with a bar overlooking the avenue.
Breakfast is just as good as dinner. Coffee, juice and a platter of tropical fruit sliced into neat rectangles is accompanied by homemade pastries and followed by eggs any style and tiny slices of toast. They even bake the miniature loaves onsite.

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CULTURE FIX
The centre is about 15 minutes from the hotel and the whole city is a sprawling, open-air art gallery.
The tree-lined boulevard of Paseo De Montejo is dotted with modern sculptures by Mexican and international artists. Allow extra time for photo opportunities, such as posing next to an antelope-like creature wearing a dress.
Further towards town, Parque Santa Ana is worth a stop. In front of the sun-bleached yellow church, a man fashioned fruit into flowers while a ballerina posed at a payphone for a photo shoot.
Then there are the museums and galleries – Rosas & Xocolate has modern pieces on its walls, all for sale.
If you’re unsure of what to see and do, or need directions, just take a seat in the leafy main square, Plaza Grande.
People will soon offer advice, keen to boast about their beautiful city, practise English and direct you to their uncle’s shop.

SHOP AND DROP
We browsed the shops and markets without feeling obliged to buy.
Munto Maya, which sells panama hats and hammocks, has an upstairs gallery with replicas of Mayan icons, jewellery and figurines.
It’s free to look around.
You can also save money by going for a beer.
At traditional cantinas like Bar Latino your drinks come with four or five tapas dishes.
Six beers and a mountain of local food came to under a tenner.
Street food, from tacos to tamales, is also delicious. Head to Plaza Grande or Santa Ana Square.
Panuchos are a specialty – small fried corn tortillas garnished with black beans and topped with chicken or turkey, lettuce, avocado and pickled onion.
A more modern tradition seems to be drinking yards of booze and belting out Mexican karaoke classics, as at Canta Mexico.
For £5 you get entry, all the beer and tequila you can drink and huge platters of food.
Back at the hotel, a few doors away, we headed to the terrace to watch the sunset with a Dos Equios beer.
Rosas & Xocolate is so unique, even Carol can’t quite pin it down.
“There has to be one word to describe its style…” he said.
I have one – fabulous.

GET THERE

British Airways (0844 493 0787; ba.com/cancun) flies to Cancun from London Gatwick from £746.60 per person.
Affordable Car Hire (0845 9000 420; affordablecarhire.com) offers fully inclusive car rental in Mexico from £11 per day, including insurance, airport fees and taxes plus unlimited mileage.
We stayed at Rosas & Xocolate in Merida, Yucatan – a member of Design Hotels (designhotels.com/rosas_and_xocolate; 00 8003 746 8357). A double room costs from £ 255.85 per night, including tax, excluding breakfast.
Start your holiday before you get on the plane, with a stay at Hilton Gatwick (hilton.co.uk/gatwick; 01293 518 080). It’s linked to the south terminal by a covered walkway, and with the bright, airy rooms, you’ll forget you’re in an airport. Treat yourself to an executive room and you get access to the lounge, with free drinks and canapés in the evening.