Spain
This is a new five-star hotel just in front of the cathedral and the Giralda. It's super-modern and it has some great stuff inside it, such as a Japanese restaurant, Spanish modern food, a cocktail bar, rooftop terrace with insane views, spa massage facilities, and great service.
If you are visiting Seville I would strongly recommend the Murillo Hotel situated in the winding back streets of the Santa Cruz quarter. This hotel is a two-star that deserves to be upgraded, has friendly helpful staff, is clean and is five minutes away from Seville's main attractions. To top it off it has an amazing roof terrace with stunning views of the Cathedral and beyond. Opposite there is a traditional friendly tapas bar that serves reasonably priced food.
These are lovely holiday apartments in the Barrio Santa Cruz, which is in the centre of Seville. A very comfortable option to hotels, especially if you are staying for more than a couple of days.
www.homefromhomeconcept.com/principal.php?pagina=apartamentos
Hacienda Los Gorriones are two 'cortijos' (typical Andalusian cottages) tucked away in olive-dotted mountains in the Sierra Norte (about 1.5 hours north from either Sevilla or Cordoba).
The cottages are located in an area of dramatic landscapes, and within an area renowned throughout Spain for its Iberian cured and fresh meats. The owners of the cottages also run a ham drying facility, and for a very reasonable price you can enjoy excellent Iberian fare in the barbecue.
The cottages make an excellent detour for people visiting Sevilla and Cordoba, and are ideal for people wanting to go walking in the hills. There are very few tourists, but the cottages are often booked by locals for the weekend.
They are both family and pet friendly.
A quiet and friendly hotel despite its central location (it literally is about 50m from the cathedral and main street). There are only 12 rooms in this old building, which have been renovated in a modern style with dark wood and white furnishing, and very sleek bathrooms. If you get a superior room you may be lucky to get one of the two rooms on the top floor, which have outdoor patios giving stunning views of the cathedral. The staff here are genuinely friendly and helpful, and it's a great place to stay.
Hotel Alminar
www.hotelalminar.com
Ãlvarez Quintero, 52
T 954 293 913
reservas@hotelalminar.com
I recently stayed at the Oasis Hostel in Seville.
While I was there, my boyfriend was woken up at 3am by someone who said the bed he was in (and paid for) was hers. Obviously, there had been a double booking (in fact there were double bookings every night we were
there). However, during this mix up, the manager had gone into his 'safe' (which is allocated to the bed) and taken out a number of his personal items (which we did not notice until the following day). My boyfriend went to ask for them back and the manager said he had
lost them - but hoped they would turn up. Unfortunately, they did not and to be honest the staff did not really take the matter very seriously; they did not seem to understand why we might be offended that the manager had gone into our ‘safe’. Also, instead of replacing or refunding the cost of his UK electric shaver for example, they suggested they buy him a significantly cheaper Spanish (i.e. incompatible) version. Finally, the manager said he
would return the cost of the items once we could
'prove' how much they cost - after we had left to go home, which left me slightly nervous. This happened over a month ago, and we have just received payment for the items ‘lost’. Not entirely satisfactory to be honest. Thought it was worth sharing…
This hotel is a converted bogeda, with a beautifully lit courtyard/atrium. It does bed and breakfast, but has no restaurant or bar. They will do room service to the courtyard, where we supped several glasses of wine and took afternoon coffee. The breakfasts were typically continental offering a huge choice from a buffet ranging from cold meats and cheese to cereals and fruit. Also the reception desk was wonderful, helpful and friendly with good english.
www.intergrouphoteles.com
Calle Alvarez Quintero 9-13, near the Cathedral
Simple, clean and perfectly placed in the Santa Cruz district near the cathedral. More importantly, it has air con and is cheap (from €55 for a double). I've stayed here over the past 10 years, and have never felt the urge to put up anywhere fancier.
C/Mateos Gago
Tel: 00 34 954 211 170
www.hostalgoyasevilla.com
A truly lovely small hotel in the Santa Cruz district of Seville (formerly an 18th century tenement), it's just 10 minutes walk from the cathedral but offers an oasis of calm. It has a small rooftop pool and sun terrace; the rooms are tranquil and well equipped; the breakfasts are wonderful (cava! tortilla!) and the staff are unendingly helpful. Great for a romantic weekend and the perfect base for exploring.
Jesús de la Redención 2 (15 mins walk from the central railway station in Seville and about 25 mins in a taxi from the airport);
tel: 954 561 441; 954 561 496; 902 388 310
This is a hidden gem situated in the heart of the city and lies just behind the Cathedral on a quiet pedestrian street. The twelve rooms are a decent size and beautifully furnished with large bathrooms. You can help yourself to hot and cold drinks at any time. Meals are not provided but there are loads of great restaurants nearby. The staff are extremely helpful and friendly.
Alvarez Quintero, 52;
tel: 954 293 913
Sexy, moorish-style boutique hotel with beautiful décor, air con (thank god!) and flat-screen TV. Friendly, helpful staff. Great internet offers - as little as 80 Euro per night inc breakfast.
C/ Becquer 9
41002 Sevilla
www.alcobadelrey.com/
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