Rooms with Views: Hotel Alfonso XIII

Andalusian style and luxury in the heart of Seville

Perfectly located and within walking distance of many of the important sights of Seville makes the Alfonso XIII very appealing in its ease for enjoying the historic city as well as being a fashionable place to stay. From the minute you walk in there is this sense of grandeur with its classic Andalusian architecture of archways, open garden and painted tiles. This is Spain as one imagines from the brochures and the hotel delivers the ultimate visual experience. The hotel is at once expansive yet intimate at the same time, much like the city of Seville itself. It would be easy to be overwhelmed with the hotel’s majestic public spaces but the charm of sitting in the garden courtyard with the fountain and the overall comfort make it a place hard to leave to explore the city. Yet if you stayed in the hotel most of the day you’d be very satisfied with having experiences a bit of Sevilla.

Having been excited by the public spaces I was expecting a lot from the rooms, which were pleasant, comfortable and in a slightly contemporary take on the Andalusian theme and decor. Quiet spacious, especially for a European hotel, but quite dark with only one small window for the entire room, and we were staying in one of the more expensive rooms. We had a bit of a view but for the price I would have expected large windows, a balcony even to admire it. Bathrooms were quite fashionable in black and white striping but I do not understand luxury hotels having these generic small bathtubs/showers. You go through all the trouble to bring in details but then don’t apply it everywhere in the room. On a more positive note the beds were quite comfortable and there was great wardrobe space.

The service was friendly and attentive while not overbearing. Starting with the concierge desk which was very knowledgeable regarding local attractions and events and quick and happy to book anything you may want to do. We got great recommendations on where to see impressive Flamenco dancing and the restaurant recommendations were well chosen and not run of the mill tourist spots. Service throughout was excellent, the rooms always made up quickly.

The breakfast buffet was a treat! Serving classic brunch favourites along with local dishes. There was also two restaurants in the hotel, a more formal restaurant, and Ena by Carles Abellán which served contemporary Spanish cuisine. But really the best place to hang out was the elegant American bar with its dark blue and brass art decor styling and more importantly its outstanding cocktails! Definitely take the time to browse their drinks menu, many of their scrumptious cocktails are Spanish themed and include local flavours. One even has jamon Iberico as a garnish.

Warmer months the pool and back garden are open. In the middle of the city this is a real treat and after a day in the hot sun a welcomed option. Even if just sitting in the shade of the garden sipping a bit of sangria.

And the location… You can’t beat it. Very close to many places from the Giralda to the picturesque Santa Cruz district and The Alcazar and Cathedral are within sight of the hotel.

Overall I quite enjoyed my stay at the Alfonso XIII, the only let down were the dark rooms which I expect better from a luxury establishment. Other than that, was quite satisfied and had an easy, relaxed stay. The Hotel Alfonso XIII allows you to experience a lot or the historic charms of Seville within the residence itself and gives you a stay with very Andalusian flavour. You know from the minute you walk in that you are truly in Spain and it makes it all the harder to leave.

Pros: Gorgeous surroundings and fabulous location. It doesn’t get much better for a city stay in terms of how close you are to places. The classic Spanish tiles in all the public areas of the hotel make it a truly lovely and uniquely Spanish.

Cons: Room was dark and with all the beauty of the hotel you would want to be able to experience that in your room as well.

Service: No complaints here, very good, professional and on top of everything. Concierge desk knew the inside track of the best places to go and were happy to discuss and set up everything.

Rooms: Were comfortable and stylish but as discussed in the cons, very dark and because of that a bit depressing, especially in such a sunny city. And the small bathtub doesn’t cut it for this type of hotel.

Extras: The building itself. Just a treat.

Hotel Alfonso XIII San Fernando 2, Sevilla, 41004, España

Please note, I paid for my own stay and my review is based on my personal experiences while staying at the Hotel Alfonso XIII