The empty expanse of land left opposite the town hall after the demolition of the Casa Grande de San Francisco convent was used to build a luxury hotel, the Fonda Inglaterra. At the time, according to the hotel website, the local press reported its delight that Seville should finally be home to a hotel that reflected the city's status as the kingdom's third capital. The current building, which dates back to 1968, was most recently renovated in two stages: the lounges were refurbished in 2001, and all the guest rooms in 2007. The white façade does not give the most charming first impression. Once you have passed the antique car at the front, which serves as the hotel's emblem, you enter the lobby and find yourself at the reception counter. The space is adorned with a statue and a poster advertising upcoming bullfights. At the far end of the room is a stained glass window displaying the hotel's original logo of two lions. There is also a clock, a table displaying tourist information, and a computer with Internet access in this part of the hotel. Gilded lifts evoke the hotel's historical past. If you take the corridor, you will walk past a display cabinet exhibiting a number of interesting items: a cocktail guide, ties bearing the hotel logo, a photo of the Prince of Wales in 1927, antique keys, several cups won by the Inglaterra (including an award for 'touristic merit' it received in recognition of its 150th birthday), etc.
In front of the pub, there is another little lounge furnished with comfortable armchairs. Everything on display in this typical setting comes from Ireland, including the wood. It opened in 1995 and offers daily set menus including a starter, main course, dessert, and coffee for about £10. However, the real speciality of the place is its cocktail menu. The Trinity 2002, one of the house specials, is a concoction of Bacardi Reserva, Pisang Ambón (a kind of banana liqueur), and a mixture of coconut, pineapple, and kiwi juice. The Manilva is a mix of whisky, Martini, and orange and lime liqueur, and is so good it won the Spanish Cocktail Championship for the hotel!
Amy Adejokun
Section editor
