Hotel Alfonso XIII

The establishment is on the corner of San Fernando street and Roma avenue, just before Puerta de Jerez Fountain, close to Alcazar's cathedral and a short walk from San Telmo's bridge (over the Guadalquivir), San Telmo's Palace and the Gold Tower. The closest metro station is Puerta Jerez (line 1), and the MetroCentro tramway passes close to the Plaza Nueva square, where the town hall is located. Don Pablo's international airport is some 9 and a half miles away, so you should expect a twenty minute drive into town.

The Alfonso XIII regularly hosts events here, such as fashion shows or art exhibitions. For the moment there is no spa, but a 6,500 sq ft fitness centre should be opening in 2010. There are three adjoining lounges that can seat up to 700 guests, including during mealtimes. Ladies will particularly enjoy being pampered in the hair and beauty salon, and sports enthusiasts can stay in shape in the modern gym, which is open around the clock and offers top of the range facilities. Accommodation tip:

The third-floor rooms offer the nicest views.

A member of the prestigious Luxury Collection label of the Starwood hotel group, the Alfonso XIII is a Néo-Mudejar-style palace, as impressive from the outside as it is on the inside. Built out of wood, plaster and bricks, the building displays friezes and ceramic tiling. The tone of the place is set from the moment you enter the lobby: marble floor, sparkling ceiling lights, majestic Triana ceramic-tiled staircase, chandelier, stucco ceiling, pillars, antique furniture...welcome to a world of elegance and sophistication. The hotel occupies what has been classified as a historic building, a magnificent white three floor edifice that was inaugurated by the King of Spain Alfonso XIII, on the occasion of the Iberian-American exhibition of 1928. A chic and elegant lift with a chandelier and tapestry leads up to the 147 bedrooms, 19 of which are suites. When the weather is nice, which is often the case in Seville, you should go out onto the charming flower-filled patio, and relax to the gentle sound of the water running from the fountain. In the garden, you will see a large rectangular 6-ft deep swimming-pool surrounded by a solarium terrace with showers, parasols and wooden deckchairs. It is open from 11:00am to 7:00pm and you can either enjoy a drink at the swimming-pool bar or on the patio with its gorgeous arches. In the summer, a white canvas cover keeps the patio nice and cool.

The rooms of the Alfonso XIII are magnificent, spacious (312 sq ft) and beautifully furnished, with a crystal chandelier, marble floors, tapestry, two framed mirrors, gorgeous wall-paper and elegant wooden furniture. The sophisticated interior even extends to the patterned detail of the bed's headboard. The rooms are the height of comfort and naturally provide all the necessary facilities: two armchairs, a sofa, a desk, individual and quiet air-conditioning, a telephone, wireless Internet access (for a fee), a keyboard, a minibar with tea and coffee-making facilities, and a free and spacious electronic safe, big enough to fit a laptop. There is also a high definition plasma-screen television with numerous cable channels. You are sure to sleep like a log in the cosy beds, and given the quality of the mattresses and the softness of the sheets, you won't ever want to get up! None of the rooms have balconies though, but some of them have windows that overlook San Telmo Palace. The rooms that overlook the street are decorated in the Castilian style and those that give onto the patio are decorated in the Mudejar style. As for the marble bathrooms, with their typical Seville ceramic tiling, they are spacious, sparkling clean and decorated with star-patterned details. They all have a bathtub with a handle and a flexible showerhead, as well as a magnifying mirror, tissues, a normal hair-dryer, a double-sink, dressing-gowns, hospitality products from the Luxury Collection, a telephone, a toilet and a bidet.
The establishment includes 19 beautiful suites with a butler service. The royal suite is 3340 sq ft and some of the most prestigious guests have stayed here (Madonna, Brad Pitt, Lady Di, Gorbatchev, the Prince of Monaco and even Fidel Castro).

Take a seat on the wonderful, flower-filled patio, adorned with magnificent archways and enjoy a delicious meal while relaxing to the gentle sound of the fountain. The Andalousian gourmet restaurant, the San Fernando (named after the street on which the hotel stands) offers innovative cuisine prepared by French chef André Sabouret, in an elegant and typically Andalousian setting. Lunch is served between 1:00pm and 4:00pm, dinner between 8:30pm and 11:30pm, and once a month, the sweet sound of opera singers accompanies your meal! As for breakfast, it is served from 7:00am till 11:00am and is simply delicious, with succulent homemade pastries, thick homemade hot chocolate, fresh fruit, juicy kiwis (pre-peeled for you), freshly-pressed orange juice, Serrano ham; in short everything for a good start to the day. It is also good to know that from April till October, Sunday brunch is served by the pool from 1:00pm till 4:00pm. There is also the' Alfonso Bar', a Moorish-style establishment with a fire-place. It used to be King Alphonso XIII's private meeting chambers and it is now decorated in a style typical of Seville in the early 1920's. The perfect place to sip cocktails and indulge in tapas, it is open from 1:00pm to 2:00am. Otherwise, you can, of course, choose the Italian 'Bella Vita' atmosphere of the sixties at the Piazza Martini, where you can enjoy relaxing music and a selection of cocktails, champagnes and upmarket alcohol served with a variety of culinary delicacies such as caviar and oysters.