We made a reservation for this hotel over the internet and payed 10 USD advance. one of my friends arrived to Merida before us (and luckily stayed at another hotel) and went himself to Montejo Palace to check if everything was okay and if they expected us. They told him everything was fine and they confirmed our reservation. We arrived to Merida past midnight due to terrible domestic flights in Mexico. When we got to Montejo Palace, we could not believe our ears as the receptionist said everything was full and they didn't have a room for us. We thought there was a mistake and they would find a room for us but they didn't. They all said they knew we were coming but apparently a large group arrived that same day before us and they gave them our room as well! They didin't even bother to try to find us a room in another hotel since it was 1 a.m. and our first night in Mexico. Unfortunately we were too jet-lagged to argue with them and just went away, extremely disappointed and angry. This was undoubtely the worst experience with hotels in Mexico. Shame on them!

I stayed here with friends this past weekend, and we had a great time.

Pros:

The location couldn't be better: right in the heart of Merida's Paseo Montejo! Everything was close-by. On Sunday morning, our side of the street was closed off for Family Day, and we went for a morning walk along with families of bikers, dog walkers, skaters, etc., followed by breakfast at a nearby market. Great morning!

The service was very attentive. We never had to ask for help with our bags. One day I called and asked for toothpaste, which they didn't have. However, they offered various times to run out and buy some for me! I asked for an iron and it was at my door in 5 minutes.

We stayed on the sixth floor, and the views from both rooms were gorgeous thanks to big windows and a small balcony. (see pics)

The room was one of the cleanest I've seen. First time in Mexico that I could walk around barefoot and got no dust on my feet!

The garden and pool area is gorgeous! I wish we'd had more time to hang out there.

Big closets

Cable tv! With channels in English!



Cons:

We never got hot water. Since I live in Mexico, I'm used to it and it wasn't a big deal. We never brought it up with the front desk, so I'm not sure what the problem may have been.

We got a double room, which has a separate living room. The problem was that the tv was in the living room, not the bedroom, which was a bit inconvenient for us.

The hotel definitely needs a bit of work, mainly in its hallways, curtains and elevator. Its age definitely shows, even though the rooms, gardens and lobby are nicely kept-up.

Half of the outlets in the bedroom didn't work. It took me awhile to figure out that my phone wasn't charging.


To sum up, it was the perfect hotel for us. We only paid $420 pesos per room for the night, and we felt it was well worth it! There were a few minor inconveniences, but we're not picky and overall the great views and perfect location made up for any negatives there may have been.

I hope this hotel invests some money in modernizing a bit. With a bit of a facelift, it would quickly become the best hotel on Paseo Montejo.

I am surprised at the negative ratings listed here and their vehemence. We stayed one night at Montejo Palace on April 7, 2009, because we had to turn in a rental car nearby and catch a plane early on April 8. I made my reservation by telephone with Rosa Maria Suarez, who was polite, cheerful and efficient. I don't recall the rate, but I was pleasantly surprised upon arrival to receive a rate lower than Srta. Maria had quoted. Desk staff was very friendly and efficient, and the bellman was extremely helpful. Yes, the hotel was old, but our room was clean, comfortable and acceptably quiet. My wife is a clean freak and not only did she not complain, but I asked her again just now and she verified my opinion that it was a pretty decent place to stay. The staff did particularly well considering they had a load of high school kids the same night, which might have explained some chaos had there been any. There was not.

Desk staff awakened us in plenty of time the following morning. The bellman got us a cab and was right on time to cheerfully take our voluminous luggage down. After 3 months in Mexico, we had a load.

The only thing that was slightly disappointing was the restaurant, but it was okay & I usually don't expect 5 star food at a reasonably priced hotel restaurant.

I certainly would stay here again, & in fact intend to on January 31. The staff was what made it so good.

Good price, but noisy, unable to sleep. Cancelled my stay after 1 night. I don't usually care about cockroaches in the bathroom, but when they are on the bed, it is time to change hotels.