Once again I bow to National Geo Traveler, a great hotel I stayed at in Merida Mexico had a picture in the new issue though not much info. I much prefer the smaller colonial cities in Mexico such as Merida to Cancun. I stayed in the Hacienda in Merida years ago and stayed with my sister-in-law while she went house shopping for a week. It had just opened up again and perfectly done. The rooms filled with antiques yet modern touches. The two courtyards having wonderful fountains. It was a short walk to the center of town yet you could tell that when originally built in 1840 it was in the country. Dinners and lunches served poolside a delight, great memories even now some 5 years later.
Merida itself dates around 1542 with touches of colonial found everywhere. It has plazas and covered walks throughout. One can believe that a celebration occurs daily and the zocolo perfect for sitting around all times of the day or night. Merida is actually the capital of the Yucatan though touristy Cancun is thought to be by many tourists. Nearby working haciendas can be found in nearby Campeche as well as Chichen Itza, as perfect as it gets.
http://www.hotelhaciendamerida.com/index_eng.html