El Pueblo Merida
Jeremy is a Californian but spent most of his childhood in Utah and in St. Croix. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, and went on to study at Harvard and in Moscow for his master’s degree in theatre. As an adult, he lived in New York City for about 15 years.
Cecil was born in South Africa and came to the U.S. to complete a master’s degree in mathematics at New York University. From there, he became an actuary and went on to the world of business before retiring in 2024.
Cecil & Jeremy met in New York City in 2008 and married in 2013. They came to Mérida on vacation for Thanksgiving week in 2011, having done no homework at all on Mérida or Yucatán — and ended up buying a house that same week. That house would ultimately become the present Casa Sur and expand to El Pueblo in its present form as three other adjacent lots were added to the original house, and upper floors were added to the existing single-story structures.
We strive to make El Pueblo a destination in its own right. To that end, there are as many spacious, well-appointed common areas as there are suites: (insert photos for each of the following)– The main dining hall & living room (la Cocina Norte) — the social hub of El Pueblo, and the site for scheduled events such as regional cooking classes- The Cocina Sur — a smaller venue than the Cocina Norte, ideal for shared refreshments, light meals, cards, and board games- The Atrium — the site for weekly film screenings and trivia nights- The Porch– a screened-in (read: mosquito-free!) quiet area at the elevator landing, for reading and meditation- The Library– a place to listen to music, converse, and take Spanish lessons The Lounge — an outdoor seating area perfect leisurely get togethers and sunset cocktails- The Patio — outdoor seating around a large table, suitable for al fresco dining and events such as game nights or presentations that require more space than the Cocina Sur can accommodate- The Roof — a breezy, shaded spot for evenings, appointed with a gas grill for those interested in a bit of barbecue
– The Pool & Deck — our most distinctive feature. The pool is 25 meters long and 3.5 meters wide (enough to accommodate two swimmers in separate lanes), with a shallow wading area, seating, and a bathroom & outdoor shower at the west end. The pool is not chlorinated. Rather, water drawn from a deep well circulates through a system of biological & mechanical filters and ultraviolet sterilization. The water in the swimming area courses from the pool beneath the deck to connect to the 50-meter-long pond, populated with aquatic plants and endemic fish, then through a pump to circulate the water back to the swimming pool. While some visitors may balk at sharing the pool with the occasional fish or dragonfly nymph, the more likely result is that the experience of swimming in freshwater will make it difficult to return to a traditional chlorinated pool.