08 March, 2019
Squirrelled away in a labyrinth of stone-slabbed streets you'll stumble across Corral del Rey. Plotted in Andalucia's most romantic city (we've been wooed), the original 17th-century casa palacio has been lovingly restored and converted into a small luxury boutique hotel. Occupying properties on both sides of the street, interiors are kitted out with Roman-style marble columns, restored-wooden doors and Tarifa stone floors - it's charmed to say the least.
Decorated by Kuky Mora-Figueroa, rooms are an eclectic mix of ancient and modern. Natural linens and hand weaves are offset with artwork by Enrique Vara and Nick Devereux. Superior-double and deluxe-double rooms are similar in style and all come with exceedingly comfortable beds, hand-dyed muslin curtains and an air of restful, understated sophistication.
In the main building's modest breakfast room your morning meal is served until 12pm. All guests receive a complimentary breakfast with their booking, consisting of fruit, granola with natural yoghurt, fresh-baked breads and pastries, a selection of homemade conserves, a jug of orange juice and tea or coffee. If you would like to up the ante, add acorn-fed Iberian ham with avocado and poached eggs to the mix.
There's no formal dining room, but the café, bar and lounge on the ground floor serves food until 11.45pm. Choose from a tapas menu of croquettes, padron peppers and tortilla de patata. Alternatively, opt for afternoon tea and cake to tide you over until supper. Spot-hitting and just €6.
In addition to a relaxed rooftop mirador (a great place to enjoy a premium sherry) there's also an honesty bar in the central lobby, offering a small selection of spirits and wines. If you drink, it's important to ink (basically, write it down so the hotel can charge you accordingly).
A large, colour-injected lounge area is a nice spot for an hour-long retreat at the hotel. The rooftop terrace with plunge pool makes a great warm weather hangout.
Soundproofing is non-existent. Charming when it's the click clack of horse hooves in the morning hours, less so when it's your vocal neighbour after 11pm.
Access to both buildings is via door code. There's no security at the hotel after 12pm, so unless you want to wake up a nearby staff member, write those digits down and commit them to memory ASAP.
Located in the centre of Seville in the old quarter of Barrio Alfalfa, a five-minute walk will bring you to the cathedral. In the other direction, you'll reach El Rincocello, Seville's oldest drinking den in around the same time.