The Adults-Only Boutique Hotel, Cigno, Is A Mexican Getaway Steeped in Tradition

Thanks to its rich Mayan history, beautiful colonial architecture, access to the natural wonders of the Yucatan Peninsula, and thriving gastronomy and art scenes, Mérida, the Yucatan region’s capital city, is quickly rising up the list for many travellers and digital nomads. One new accommodation riding Mérida’s recent climb in popularity is Cigno, a 10-key adults-only boutique hotel in the historic La Ermita district, just a few minutes’ walk from the Ermita de Santa Isabel church.

Taking up residence with a 1930s colonial mansion, Cigno was renovated under the direction of architect Roger González, who maintained the neoclassical façade, handcrafted mosaic floors, and high ceilings. To blend the contemporary and historic, González drew on the ancient Mayan technique chukum, a Mayan stucco using tree leaves that has recently undergone a revival, to adorn the walls and maintain the cultural context of the hotel.

Each of the 10 rooms and suites is spacious, with high ceilings, blue-tiled floors, white walls, natural materials, and wood accents. Many of the furnishings were sourced from local cabinetmakers and artisans. At 323 square feet, classic king rooms are the smallest and open onto the hotel’s terrace, with direct access to the pool and Jacuzzi. Some rooms have balconies with hammocks, tubs beside large windows, and canopied beds.

The largest and most luxurious of Cigno’s accommodations, the 775-square-foot premium rooftop suite, enjoys its own private outdoor pool with views of San Sebastian Parish. Beneath the shade of a pergola, the suite’s rooftop terrace is the place to soak in the sunshine and views of the city, with a deep couch, a breakfast table, and sun beds.

Keeping in line with the hotel’s relaxed but thoughtful take on Mexican culture, Cigno’s restaurant, Cocina Vidente, relies on home-cooked flavours and fresh, seasonal ingredients with local dishes as well as select international favourites. The gastronomy team is headed by chef Ángel Peláez, who learned to cook from his grandmother and mother in Puebla before honing his craft at hotels and restaurants in his hometown as well as Cabo San Lucas and Mérida. Freshly baked bread from Panadería Vidente is a mouthwatering pillar of the restaurant.

For breakfast, included with a stay, offerings span from chilaquiles with Peruvian beans and chile morita salsa to croque madame and French toast. On the nighttime menu, a particular favourite is the catch of the day, served with green mole, sautéed corn grains, watercress, green vegetables, and Cambray onion.

The drinks menu is taken seriously, with cocktails inspired by the region, a line of in-house Vidente beers, a large wine cellar featuring many local bottles, and no shortage of mezcal and tequilas to sample.

Beyond the restaurant, catch up on emails at the co-working library space or bask in the adults-only policy at one of the two pools—a verdant garden pool on a lower level and or the sunny pool on the hotel’s rooftop.

 A multitude of activities are designed to entertain guests with a wide variety of interests. A trip to the cenotes, the region’s underground pools, is completed with an underwater photo session with a team of divers. Learn about Yucatecan dishes at a cooking class in a Mayan village or connect the mind to the heart during a meditative cocoa ceremony. To see more of Merida, guests can cycle through downtown Mérida, past major sites like the Cathedral of San Ildefonso, the Canton Palace, Cámara Houses, and Monument to the Homeland.

With so much to do at the hotel and beyond, a stay at Cigno promises to be as memorable as it is relaxing.

Photographs courtesy of Hotel Cigno.

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