Casa Limonero — This classic Mérida home is now a modernized short-term rental in Santiago
For the past five years, Trevor has traveled all over Latin America. After a year of touring around Mexico, he visited in the Yucatán Peninsula and decided to make a stop in Mérida, a city widely recommended to him by friends and family.
His interest in Mexican culture and his love for colonial architecture came to a real estate venture in the Centro.
“Once we planned our itinerary for Yucatán we rented a house via PM23,” remembers Trevor. “I fell in love with the style of the homes and the slow-living feel. And with the safety of Mérida, and the market just getting started, I just couldn’t pass up that opportunity.”
Trevor worked with Carlos Betancourt from PM23 and toured the downtown area looking for a possible investment property. On his second visit to Mérida, he visited Casa Limonero in the heart of Santiago.
“The home just had such an authentic Mérida feeling,” says Trevor. “It’s modern enough to feel new and welcoming, but colonial enough to make you feel like you’re in Yucatán.”
Trevor notes that the tranquility of the area, as well as the safety of the city, were great incentives to stay.
“The architects who remodeled the home actually live close by, and it felt like another good sign. As if they’d done such a good job with the neighborhood that they chose to live here as well.”
Today, Casa Limonero is now part of Trevor’s short rental offerings. He rents his properties in Mérida and Santa Barbara, California, through his Instagram profile — @casasthorpe.
The renovation of this single-family house was made by Taller Estilo, a local architectural firm known for their revitalizing effect on Centro homes.
Limonero is divided into two clear sections. The first area, where the main access from the street is located, maintains most of the pre-existing construction. Both the entrance and the living room still look like a classic colonial home, with double-height ceilings and wooden beams in the roof.
Past the entrance, we enter a modern kitchen and dining area, which opens to a pool and a terrace. The finishings of the patio are mostly made out of chukum, except for the masonry of the wall next to the pool.
Next to the pool, a pastel green staircase leads to the master bedroom. The color goes down to the sides of the stairs, and it reflects on the beige surface of the pool.
The staircase serves a triple function: in addition to being the access to the upper floor, it is a service area and a sort of division between the old building and the new construction.
Past the water, we enter the second area of the house, where the bedrooms are located.
The rooms are spacious and clean, with the same natural finishings on the walls. Colorful accents come in the form of pillows and plants. Large windows that overlook the terrace and in-door gardens help the spaces feel open and ventilated — important factors for any visitor.
When walking out of the bedrooms and into the main living spaces, Trevor looks up to the lime tree that shades the terrace.
“I’m still confused about the difference between a lemon and a lime,” he says. “But I know that that tree gives us limes and the name of this house.”