Corral del Rey

Rooms

Rooms and suites are spread across two buildings, the main hotel and a newer wing across the way. Décor is always stylish, joining modern and classic Moorish design. Stone pillars sit comfortably alongside Nicole Fabre fabrics and Lutron lighting systems. Bespoke cabinets house mod cons, oak-limed floors blend harmoniously into the pale umber walls, and there are soft white pillows amid the sumptuous bed linen.

Though some of the Superior and Deluxe Doubles are quite narrow (as so often with riad-style buildings), they retain a sense of charm. Junior Suites are larger, with bathtubs and kingsize beds, but the rain showers in the smaller rooms are great, and the queensize beds are perfectly comfy.

For something really special opt for a Pool Terrace Suite or Penthouse Suite on the top floor. Their huge bedrooms lead out to private terraces complete with plunge pools and, if you choose the Penthouse, you’ll also get a kitchenette and a stunning freestanding egg-shaped bathtub in the ensuite.

We found our suite extremely comfortable and loved playing with the state-of-the-art audio-visual system, lying in the huge marble bathtub and lounging on the massive bed. Despite the heavy shutters, noise did occasionally interrupt our sleep, but inoffensively.

Features include:

• Fan
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

An excellent breakfast is served daily: warm pastries, freshly squeezed orange juice and a pot of coffee. Or you can opt for a Mediterranean breakfast - a platter of manchego, Greek yoghurt with honey, that sort of thing - along with some superb fruit and veg juices (the kiwi, apple and mint is particularly refreshing). Whilst sitting on the roof terrace later on, we were brought lemonade and salted nuts - a nice touch. There is also an all-day snack menu serving various tapas in the stylish bar area.

Guests staying in the Penthouse Suite can make use of their kitchenette for light snacks - ideal if you're having a lazy day beside your private plunge pool.

For other meals, there are fantastic eateries in the vicinity. Seville is tapas Mecca: follow your nose or spot the bars with the locals in. The Sevillians like to go on a tapas crawl in the evenings, having a couple of platas in each bar. The cod in tomato and spinach with chickpeas at Rinconcillo was great, and delicious jamon iberico hangs in most eateries. For a haute cuisine experience head to San Fernando 27 for a white truffle risotto or filet mignon, preceded by an amuse bouche of local sausage with a foam of clam. Outstanding.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Wander through the quaint cobbled streets, stopping for a glass of Spanish wine or bite of tapas. The streets are filled with orange trees, which add a glorious splash of colour and a citrus smell to the air in spring
  
  
• Head into the Giralda district and see the third largest cathedral in the world. The Gothic architecture is mind-blowing, and inside are works by Murillo, Goya, Pedro de Campaña and Luis de Vargas. Be sure to look up at the flying buttresses from the gates of the Alcazar gardens
  
  
• Spend a morning at the royal Alcazar Palace and gardens to absorb the opulence of 17th-century Mudejar architecture. Some of the carving and tile work beggars belief, as does the gilt domes of the courtyard rooms. There's also a great maze to explore
  
  
• Take a boat trip along the Guadalquivir River then wander through the beautiful Plaza de Espana
  
  
• Have a steam and soak at the Moorish baths, 2 streets away from the hotel
  
  
• The hotel can arrange various tailor-made tours of Seville and the surrounding towns; please enquire when booking
  
  
• Head up to the roof terrace to admire the views and soak in the plunge pool, or arrange an in-room massage
  
  
• Visit the family owned bodega (wine cellar) and taste the home-grown sherries

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Shopping / markets

Kids

Children are welcome but there are no specific facilities for them.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Deluxe Doubles and Junior Suites can be connected to host families of 5. All rooms bar the Penthouse Suite can fit a baby cot.

Cots Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Corral del Rey is in the old historic quarter of the Barrio Alfalfa of Seville, bordering the Santa Cruz district. It's a 5-minute walk from the Cathedral and a 30-minute drive from the airport.

By Air
Fly into Seville Airport (15km), also known as San Pablo Airport. Click on the links below for a list of airlines.

From the Airport
It's a 30-minute drive from the airport. The hotel can arrange a transfer or you could take a taxi, which is cheaper, although drivers are reluctant to navigate the cobbled streets so you might end up walking the last bit of your journey. (Transfers are also from their sister property Hacienda San Rafael.)

By Train from the UK
If you'd prefer to travel overland from the UK, consider going by Eurostar from London Waterloo to Paris, then changing twice. It's a bit of a journey, but if you're not pushed for time it's a great way to see Spain. See Seat 61 for more details. The hotel offers a transfer from the train station.

By Car
We wouldn't recommend driving - Seville is easily explored on foot or by tram, and driving can be a pain due to numerous one-way systems and little in the way of public parking. Having said that, if you do hire a car the hotel can provide parking in the underground car park nearby - for an additional cost.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Andalucia and getting around.