Villas don't, by definition, have to sit on a remote tropical beach. As The Villa at Mérida proves, they're equally capable of thriving in an urban setting.
As it turns out, all you really need are walled gardens and stunning water features. The Villa at Mérida has both: towering palms and cheerful indigenous foliage provide a lush backdrop for the tranquil lily ponds and 19th-century fountains. The Mexican locale, originally home to Yucatan nobility, is imbued throughout with a kind of bygone urbanity. Still, every one of its seven spacious rooms have been updated to include the latest amenities - high-speed internet among them - and feature new handcrafted furniture.
There's no need for fancy restaurants or stadium-sized spas here - the city outside provides more culinary and cultural options than an entire tropical island. Instead, The Villa at Mérida has a cozy hotel bar, located between the courtyard and gardens.