Hotel Review: The Diplomatic Suite at the Hyatt Regency Merida, Mexico (2025)

Hyatt Regency Merida is located in Merida, Mexico, the capital of the state Yucatan. It is a few hours from places such as Cancun and Tulum, and now even closer because of the completion of the Mayan Train.

Merida is steeped in history and it is a charming place to visit. We visited Merida last year and also stayed at the Hyatt Regency then (see, Hotel Review, 2024). We liked it so much that we decided to return again this year for one week. The hotel is not far from the historic part of town, and it is right next to the Paseo Montejo, a pretty, upscale, tree-lined avenue often compared to the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. Paseo Montejo is filled with old mansions and restaurants – it is always a nice place to walk.

Paseo Montejo, Merida

Yerba Santa is an upscale restaurant located in a former mansion on Paseo Montejo.

The Hyatt Regency is a category one hotel, so it is basically a steal if you are looking to get out of the United States for a vacation, but not spend a fortune. Plus, there is plenty to see and do in the area and the local food is delicious, too. This is what I call affordable luxury.

I know you’re wondering if we were bored being here for a week, but we were never bored. Last year, we visited Mayan ruins and cenotes. This year, we relaxed plenty, but also explored other regions, including Merida Norte, a developing area with modern shopping centers and new developments, including new homes where many ex pats are settling. There’s also a new Hyatt Place being built there.

We also went to a beach town, Progreso, for one day. We didn’t rent a car. Ubers are very reasonably priced in Merida.

At the hotel, I used a suite upgrade certificate. We were upgraded to a Premium Suite, the Diplomatic Suite, on the 18th floor of the hotel. It is over 900 square feet and it includes a jetted bathtub with a nice view of the city. The suite was pretty perfect and we enjoyed calling it home for a week.

Here is a video I made of the Diplomatic Suite:

Below are some photos of the suite, including the gracious welcome note and amenity we received from the hotel.

The living room:

The view:

The bedroom:

The bathroom:

There is also a second, smaller bathroom near the entrance to the suite.

The Regency Club is located on the 17th floor. During the day, there were limited pastries and snacks as well as coffee and soft beverages available in the Regency Club – as breakfast was served in the hotel restaurant Peregrina Bistro.

The Regency Club had food and drinks each evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

In the evening, there was always a table with assorted salads, and three hot items – a meat dish, a pasta dish and a vegetable dish. There was also a menu of drinks. Rafael and Carlos were superb hosts, making sure everyone was served, and that everyone’s drinks, or wine glasses were replenished. Although the food was plentiful, we often found it to be mediocre. This worked out to be a benefit – as we’d often have some appetizers and drinks in the lounge and then go out to dinner. The restaurants in Merida are really good!

Breakfast was served at Peregrina Bistro. The buffet is huge and includes both hot and cold food, offering both local and traditional items, as well as an omelet bar. Plus, breakfast was served until noon, so if you are the type who prefers eating breakfast late, this was an added plus.

The hotel pool is located on the third floor. Last year we didn’t have the opportunity to use it very much because it somehow rained every time we were ready to use it. This year, the weather was nice (and very hot) and we did enjoy using the pool. There are chairs and lounges under a covered area, protected from the sun. There’s also a pool bar and food service.

The hotel gym is adequate, but I didn’t love it. The equipment is older, and the room just isn’t set up well. One day, I was in there and the music was absolutely blaring, with no way to turn it down. Another day, there was no music at all.

I was excited to see that the hotel had a Peloton bike, as there had been a recent announcement by Hyatt that the hotels in Latin America, including Mexico, now had Peloton bikes (see, Peloton and Hyatt Broaden Collaboration to Include Latin American and Carribean Hotels!). The Peloton bike is in good condition, and I was able to successfully log on with my Peloton membership. However, the sound did not work and only a limited number of classes, about 20, were offered. I thought that this feature was peculiar to only this Peloton bike in Merida, but I found this to be the same at the two Hyatt hotels I visited in Mexico City the following week as well. Why would only a limited number of Peloton classes be offered, even on my full Peloton membership? And how does this positively highlight the collaboration between the hotel and Peloton?

Finally, there is some sort of outdoor area adjacent to the gym, but it is not open nor in use. I’m not sure what the story is with it.

I have a passion for Mexico and always want to keep exploring new places. I love Mexico City and can envision myself living there. There are many areas that I haven’t visited yet, such as Guadalajara and Oaxaca, to name a few.

The Hyatt Regency Merida is perfect for an affordable luxury getaway and one that we will continue to return to. The hotel is very nice, especially for a category one Hyatt hotel, and the staff is incredibly warm and helpful. It is relatively easy to get to Mexico from the United States, the area is safe, has good food, and there is always more to explore. And, I’m studying Spanish too, so it’s a win win!