The London Foodie Goes to Mexico - Campeche

A walled and fortified colonial city, Campeche was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999 and this where we stopped for a couple of nights from Merida (see post here).

The houses inside the walled city have been renovated extensively, and painted in a variety of pastel colours. Taken together with its cobblestoned streets and cathedral square, a walk through the town has something of a fairytale quality.

Outside the walls, there is a modern city, and an attractive waterfront boulevard (malecon), ideal for a stroll or cycle along the edge of the Gulf of Mexico.

Where to Stay

Casa Don Gustavo

Casa Don Gustavo is an attractive boutique hotel, renovated and opened in 2010 from a large 18th century colonial house on the coastal side of the walled city. It has 10 suites decorated in period style with many antique artworks, ceramics, glassware items and chandeliers, and one bedroom boasts an original 4 poster bed slept in by Queen Carlotta of Spain.

The 1st floor bedrooms in particular are very attractive, and I think it is worth requesting one of those if booking. These were the original living quarters of the owners of the building, while the ground floor bedrooms have been converted from the warehouse that used to occupy this floor.

There is a rooftop swimming pool, and an open-air jacuzzi as well as a small garden. All the rooms open onto a central courtyard where the hotel's restaurant tables are, and where breakfast is served.

Our ground floor bedroom was small but perfectly formed, simply furnished but including air conditioning, flat screen TV and an en-suite bathroom. It was elegantly decorated with walls painted in yellow, contrasting with dark wooden furniture, and colourful original floor tiles.

We had a lovely breakfast at Casa Don Gustavo with good, strong coffee, freshly cut fruit and various Mexican cooked options. Breakfast is taken in the hotel's beautiful courtyard.

In addition to the fine architecture of Casa Don Gustavo, the breakfast and the helpful staff, it is the central location in Campeche that makes it a good place to stay. The hotel is situated on Calle 59, which is the main and most beautiful pedestrianised road of the city, only metres from the main square and the seafront.

Where to Eat 

Marganzo

Several people recommended La Pigua as the best restaurant in town, but sadly during our stay the road in front of the restaurant was being resurfaced so the place was closed. So instead, we went to Marganzo, just round the corner from our hotel and also recommended as one of the best dining options in town.

We started with Panuchos campechanos (£3), these were tortillas stuffed with shark meat and black beans, and were crisp and the perfect accompaniments to the very chilled beers we both had. I could have eaten this all evening, and in retrospect, maybe I should have done.

For main course, Dr G and I both had fish - I had mine simply grilled with a mole made from pumpkin flower and shrimps (£9) while Dr G had his stuffed with shrimps and bacon (£8). The fish were good despite the presentation but not outstanding.

Marganzo felt very much aimed at tourists, and if I were ever to return to Campeche, La Pigua would probably be my first port of call.

What to Do

Main Square and Mansion at No.6

Campeche is a compact city, and it is possible to walk or cycle through all the streets of the walled part in a day. The Plaza Principal merits a few hours, including the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Purisima Concepcion.

The mansion at Number 6 in the square is now a cultural centre (renovated by the same architect who restored Casa Don Gustavo), and is furnished with authentic period furniture to give a sense of life as a wealthy Campechano.

Beyond the square, it is good just to wander through the streets and enjoy the beautiful architecture.  However, unlike other cities we visited in Mexico, we noted very few bars and cafes in the centre which meant it has limited appeal to visitors once they have walked through the streets in the walled town.

Cycling

Cycling in the city can be slightly hair-raising, but the Malecon is ideal, having a cycle track along this pedestrianised seaside boulevard. We hired a couple of bikes for the day from a bicycle hire shop right opposite Casa Don Gustavo on Calle 59, for £8 each, and cycled 4km east to sample some seafood at the Parador Gastronomico de Cocteleros. The cycle along the beach front was a great joy but alas the seafood we had at the Cocteleros (a tacky tourist trap) was diabolical, so avoid it at all costs.

Archeological Museum of Campeche

On returning to the centre, we cycled a further 3.5 km west to visit the Archeological Museum of Campeche based inside the impressive 17th  century fort of San Miguel (admission £1.50). The fort has a dry moat and working drawbridge, and there are great views from the top. The museum contains vases, jewellery and statues from several Mayan sites in the state of Campeche.

Edzna and Calakmul

We did not have time to visit any Mayan sites, but there are impressive ruins at Edzna, 64km from Campeche which was built and occupied by people known as Itzaes, between 600BC and the arrival of the Spanish.  We would love to have visited the UNESCO World Heritage site of Calakmul, a massive 72km2 city mostly still encased in thick tropical jungle, but the 4.5 hour 307km journey each way did not fit with our tight schedule. More detail on the site can be seen here. 

Travel Essentials

Hotel Casa Don Gustavo
Calle 59, Number 4, Centro Historico 24000
Campeche, Mexico
http://www.casadongustavo.com

Rooms rates vary according to season and availability but start around £150 per night

Marganzo
Calle 8, No 267
Campeche, Mexico
http://www.marganzo.com

La Pigua
Av. Miguel Aleman no. 179A
Campeche, Mexico

Visits to Edzna or 2 day trips to Calakmul can be arranged with Xtampak Tours
Calle 57, No 14, Campeche
http://toursencampeche.com

We took an ADO bus from Merida to Campeche, which took 2.5 hours, and cost £6 each. It is also possible to fly to Campeche airport from Mexico City with Aeromexico

The London Foodie Goes to Mexico - Merida, Uxmal and Kabah

The capital city of Merida is a great place to soak up the Yucatan state's colonial and Mayan cultures, whiling away the hours in one of the city's beautiful squares, with live music being played in almost every bar and restaurant in the old town and a seriously chilled beer (see earlier review here).

Colonial architecture

It is also the most convenient spot from which to reach some of the state's most impressive archaeological Mayan sites at Uxmal and Kabah, and the fine coastal towns and nature reserves of the Mayan Riviera.

Uxmal

The city also boasts some of the best Yucatecan restaurants in the region, and this is where I had one of my best meals in Mexico (see 'Where to Eat' below). 

Where to Stay

Hotel Hacienda Merida

Hacienda Merida was by far the most elegant hotel we stayed at during our trip in Mexico. A small boutique hotel, it was recently named one of Condé Nast's best new hotels in the world under US$200.

The hotel is owned by French ex-corporate executive Alex Degoute, who travelled the world on business in his former life, but decided to settle in Merida when the opportunity to purchase a couple of derelict colonial houses arose, which now make up Hotel Hacienda Merida.

The hotel is on Calle 62, just a stone's throw from the main square, and has a very unassuming appearance from the street which adds to its charm, as few would anticipate such grandeur on walking through its doors.

The hotel is divided into two - the original building with 8 rooms having a reception area and small bar open to the public, and a second 'VIP' building with 6 larger rooms with no reception or direct access to the general public. It is quieter and more private, and it was in this latter section that we stayed.

It was a long, painstakingly hard process taking Alex's total devotion to bring the houses to their current state, but it has definitely paid off. Dotted with beautiful French antique furniture and paintings, the hotel has discreet indirect lighting, white drapes between the Romanesque columns, polished ochre floors, and crystal-clear, well-sized swimming pools with loungers.

Our room faced one of the swimming pools, and included a private veranda, a large separate closet and luggage storage room, and a very spacious bathroom. The room was huge, with high ceilings and was very elegantly furnished. I have stayed in a few 5-star luxury resorts that didn't have half the sense of style that the Hotel Hacienda Merida has but charge twice as much.

Breakfast is taken in the courtyard by the swimming pool, and includes individual cafetieres of good strong coffee, a generous platter of freshly cut fruit, pastries and a cooked breakfast of bacon, eggs and fried potatoes. It was wholesome and generous, and started us off on a good footing for both our days there.

A gourmand at heart, Alex was very friendly and generous with his time giving us excellent advice on things to do and eat in Merida. Hotel Hacienda Merida was one of the highlights of our trip to Mexico, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Merida.

Where to Eat

Merida was also where I had the best meal of my trip in Mexico. La Chaya Maya, opened only a year ago, and is now considered one of the best restaurants in the region. There are two branches in the city, and I was so impressed on my first visit that I decided to visit the second branch during our four-day stay in Merida.

Both restaurants are in the historical centre of town, close to the main square, and are within easy walking distance of each other.  They have the same menu, but are very different in style. The original restaurant is smaller, modern in style, occupies a corner on Calle 62 and is busy and lively.  The newer version, occupying a large colonial home, is more elegant with an open courtyard and several different dining-rooms including al fresco and indoor dining options. 
   
La Chaya Maya - newer, larger and more elegant branch

I was surprised to see turkey being featured in many of the dishes on the menu but was later told that it is the poultry of choice for that part of the country. I am not a great fan of turkey but the "Sopa de Lima" (£2) a  soup made of shredded turkey, turkey stock flavoured with lime and topped with crisp tortilla sticks was delicious and an excellent start to our meal.

Our second choice of starters were "Panuchos" (£3). These were handmade crisp corn tortillas which had been split and filled with black bean purée and then topped with shredded turkey, lettuce, cucumber and tomato, pickled red onion and slices of avocado. I really enjoyed this, they had a fresh and well balanced combination of flavours and great texture - crunchy, creamy and meaty.

The best dish of the evening however was the "Tikim Xic" at £5.50. This was a generous portion of fish fillet marinated with achiote (the seeds from the Annatto flower), cooked in banana leaves and stuffed with shrimps, squid and clams. The achiote gave a nice, reddish colour to the dish but also imparted earthy, peppery and smokey notes to the fish and seafood. In retrospect, this was the best dish I had in my entire trip in Mexico, and a good break from the more stodgy and meat laden local Yucatecan dishes.

For dessert, Dr G and I shared a "Dulce de Papaya" (£2). This was a portion of pumpkin in chunks cooked in a sugar syrup flavoured with spices including cloves and cinnamon and topped with grated cheese. This is a similar dessert I grew up eating in Brazil which brought back many happy childhood memories.

La Chaya Maya - original and smaller venue

Of our four days in Merida, we decided to return to La Chaya Maya for our last meal in the city. This is the original La Chaya Maya, a smaller but equally busy venue. Given that this restaurant is relatively pricier than most restaurants in town, I initially thought it catered primarily for visitors, but it was nice to see many Mexican families also eating there.

For this meal, Dr G and I decided to go for "Los Cuatro Yucas" which is a set of four traditional Yucatecan dishes for 2 people (£9.50). This offers a good opportunity to taste four dishes at once (each individual dish is priced at £5). I enjoyed all dishes, they were well seasoned and delicious although I was craving for some vegetables or greens of any kind as an accompaniment rather than the ubiquitous tortillas which was served with every dish.

Cochinita Pibil - pork marinated with achiote, sour orange juice, spices, sweet chilli, tomato and onion, then cooked in banana leaves and served with black bean purée.

Pavo en Relleno Negro - turkey and minced pork cooked in a spicy sauce made from different varieties of black beans, chillies and spices.

Pavo en Sac col Indio- thick slice of baked turkey served in sac col, a rich turkey gravy seasoned with dried herbs and Mayan spices, garnished with olives.

Pavo en Pipian - turkey simmered in a deliciously rich pumpkin seed mole.

What to Do

There is a lot to occupy a few days in Merida (see earlier review here), but here I focus more on the places of interest outside of the city. However, a couple of things I enjoyed doing while staying at the Hotel Hacienda Merida were relaxing by the hotel's pool, and strolling around Parque Hidalgo.

Relaxing and people watching at Parque Hidalgo

The Hotel Hacienda Merida has a beautiful pool, good for relaxing in the hot afternoons, as well as spa with affordable rates for massages, at around £25 for one hour. Parque Hidalgo on the intersection of Calles 59 and 60, about 50 metres north of the Main square is a pretty spot surrounded by hotels and restaurants, and is a good place to retreat and relax with a drink, being calmer than the main square and surrounding streets with their continuous music and wandering street vendors.

Beyond the confines of the city, It would be a shame not to visit one of the Mayan ruins in the vicinity, of which Uxmal is probably the best and largest example. We took a whole day excursion, being picked up from our hotel at 09.00, and returned at 17.30, with Turitransamerica.

Carlos, the larger than life guide, drove us around and gave a very detailed explanation of all the sites. Although it was entirely in Spanish, he was so expressive that it was not difficult to follow what he said for anyone with a smattering of the language. There was certainly much more detail on the buildings in his tour than we had in our guide book.

The ruins at Uxmal are in many ways more impressive than those at Chichen Itza, but far less visited, and are within an hour's drive from Merida. Thanks to its good state of preservation, it is one of the few Maya cities where visitors can get a good idea of how the entire ceremonial centre, pyramids and buildings looked in ancient times.

After a few hours at Uxmal, we had a good lunch included in the tour price (£25 per person), and then visited the smaller but equally impressive ruins at nearby Kabah before returning to our hotel.

Another option for a day trip from Merida, which unfortunately I did not have time to visit is the coastal town of Celestun ( 2 hours each way by bus), for a swim in the Gulf of Mexico, and a visit to the wildlife reserve to see great flocks of flamingos and other waterfowl. This is also provided as a day trip by Turitransmerida, including a fish lunch on the beach. 

Travel Essentials

Hotel Hacienda Merida
Calle 62, 439 x 51 y 53
Centro Historico, Merida
http://www.hotelhaciendamerida.com

Trip to Uxmal and Kabah was arranged with Turitransmerida, at a cost of £25pp including a pick up from the hotel and transport to and from all sites, lunch and a guide
Calle 55, 504 x 60 y 62 
Centro Historico, Merida 
http://www.turitransmerida.com.mx

La Chaya Maya (New Branch - more elegant)
Calle 62 481, Centro
97000 Mérida, Mexico
+52 999 928 4780

La Chaya Maya (Original Restaurant)
Calle 57 x 62 (corner), Centro
97000 Mérida, Mexico