The boho-chic hotel with pool and stylish cafe that’s perfect for city break – and located in Spanish hot spot for food
FANCY cool pool vibes in a Spanish hot spot for food and culture?
Sí, says senior writer Donna Smiley.
THE LOWDOWN
In a prime spot opposite Santa Justa train station and a mere 15-minute drive from the airport, the Mediterranean-meets-Arabic interiors of this new hotel are gorgeous.
An in-house florist adds to the chic boho vibe, plus you’re just a 20-minute stroll from Seville’s historic centre and seconds from rustic neighbourhood bars, cafes and restaurants.
WHAT WE LOVED
The powerful shower with luxe Codage toiletries, the huge French windows drenching the bedrooms in sunlight and the Picasso-inspired decor all impress.
There are animal-print dressing gowns, hair straighteners and Nespresso coffee machines, too.
A top-notch breakfast buffet, £22 per person, includes cooked-to-perfection eggs benedict and a barista bar whipping up specialist coffees.
The pool is also a win, surrounded by tropical palms and crochet umbrellas, and where a glass of white wine will only set you back £3.50.
We’re also fans of the stylish cafe – cappuccinos are served in cute china cups and the massive, to-die-for almond and apple cake, £3, is made by award-winning bakery Manu Jara.
WHAT WE DIDN’T LOVE
The outdoor swimming pool is pretty tiny for a 209-room hotel, so space for soaking up rays is limited.
OUT AND ABOUT
Get up early to join the Alone In The Alcázar: Exclusive Early Access Tour at the Royal Alcázar.
You’ll wander around the stunning palace and gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Game Of Thrones was filmed, before the crowds arrive.
Tours cost from £70 per person (takewalks.com/seville-tours/seville-alcazar-tour).
Meanwhile, the perfect place to watch the Seville sunset is Plaza de España – and the reflection from the canal makes for some fabulous Insta shots.
Want a real taste of Seville? Be sure to book a four-hour food tour with a local guide to sample some of the best of the city’s 3,000 tapas bars, including Maestro Marcelino, part shop/part bar, for traditional cured meats paired with sweet Spanish vermouth.
You’ll stroll the maze of cobblestone streets in Santa Cruz and soak up a brilliant hour-long flamenco show at 15th-century palace La Casa del Flamenco, too.
Finish at Vineria San Telmo with mouth-watering treats such as squid ink spaghetti and Iberian pork on pumpkin with fried rocket. Tapas and flamenco tours cost from £87 per person (devourtours.com/tours/seville-tapas-flamenco-tour).
On another day, cross the river to the lively Triana neighbourhood to visit the fish market, where fresh catches are cooked to order, then watch the world go by at Coffee Up (Coffeeup.es) and tuck into a cheese and ham tostada, £1.30, at local hangout Antigua Casa Diego.
Oh, and be sure to hunt out ice-cream shop Loco Polo for a boozy mojito popsicle, £3.50 (Thelocopolo.com).
THE DAMAGE
Double rooms cost from £169 a night (https://www.onlyyouhotels.com/en/hotels/only-you-hotel-sevilla).