Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Belensate

A top choice among picky Venezuelans and an institution in Mérida, Mediterranean-style Belensate is close enough to downtown Mérida that you can get there in just a few minutes, but far enough away that you can soak up the quiet and peace of the surrounding mountains. Rooms, many of which have two floors, are scattered in various buildings across the hotel's sprawling grounds. The open-air dining takes place in well-tended gardens and next to a gorgeous swimming pool. Quite child- and family-friendly, the hotel also caters to couples willing to share the pool with youngsters. La Era, the restaurant right off the lobby, is a great place to have a cold beer and an antipasti plate. They also serve simple risottos, seafood, salads, and meat dishes.