When planning my trip to Sevilla, I was overwhelmed with the amount of hotels in the area. When you're actually in a city, it's so much easier to be like "oh I wish I stayed at this hotel or in this area", but I haven't been to Sevilla before this trip.
I was really looking at prices and pictures of rooms to help me decide where to stay between 1/20 - 1/22. Hotel Fernando's prices, pictures and rooftop really appealed to me. Compared to the other hotels, I decided this would be the best for me and my family.
A few weeks after booking, my friend gave me a few restaurants and sights to see, so I wanted to check how far our hotel was and if we'd have to take a cab. I was SHOCKED to see that this hotel was in the heart of Sevilla.
This massive hotel in the middle of all these tiny roads and alleys, 6-8 minute walk from Barrio Santa Cruz, Real Alcazar, Calle Sierpes (best spot to shop), Metropol Parasol/ Las Setas, Giralda, Plaza España and the Cathedral.
The location is unbeatable, and if you want to get a gist of the vibe in Sevilla, and stay in the cutest and cultured area and not compromise on privacy and space- this is the perfect hotel for you. We didn't even need cabs to get us places (other than the airport) - and I'm not a walker so this should say a lot.
When we entered the hotel, we were kindly greeted and were checked in within minutes. The lobby is massive, with a bar and restaurant on one side and then a lot of comfortable seating on the other. There's about ~50 rooms on each floor, which was surprising because the location of the hotel is so small and cramped but they really do give you your space.
Elevators are a bit tight but they're quick, and since there are only 7 floors, everything is effective and efficient. The rooms are massive (at least compared to BCN) and they give you free water bottles, amazing coffee + tea, and a shower kit which has shampoo, body gel, shower caps and like Q-tips/cotton pads for make up needs. I was impressed that they gave us that to be honest!
Originally, we were in 2 rooms (244 and 245)- it had big windows but the rooms were VERY warm. It's great weather in Sevilla in January but my parents and my sister need cold rooms. We need air conditioning (we use it all year round in NY) and our room wasn't cooling down at all - even when we put the temp down to 5 degrees!
We told the front desk that our rooms were warm - someone went up and checked and agreed! It was way too warm, humid and muggy. There's not a lot of ventilation and when you shower, the steam does take over the room for a while. They switched us to the other side with a veranda and mine and my parents room connected with a door! If you get a room with a veranda, it has a key in one of the draws to open the black metal door.
The new room was great, but then it was two twin beds instead of a queen, and then if you move a lot while you sleep, you could fall through the crack if the bed shifts enough. The AC still didn't work in our room, but we slept with the door to the veranda open which helped us keep the room cooler. We were thanking god that we didn't have to deal with Sevilla heat in the summer with the whole AC situation.
Another nuisance was the morning construction. For me, it was nice being awake at 10am, but for my sister and parents, they were angry. They don't like being woken up with hearing a hammer constantly hitting something 4 doors down from them.
Other than that, the location, hotel, decor and space was great. We'd stop at the bar downstairs for some shots of Grey Goose before dinner, and those shots would be 4euros so definitely do that there too. The bartenders are nice, and they'll enjoy speaking with you.
Across the street is Hotel Rey Alfonso, which is owned by the same company IMG. Their roof top was open and we went to have a drink there. It was a pretty basic rooftop and we were there at night, so it was a decent pass time but not my favorite. They didn't have cool drinks, and there wasn't anyone else sitting there so just be weary if you're going during off peak season that hotel fernando's rooftop isn't open.
The staff was also great, and offered to help bring down our luggage and call us cabs. They were always available to help us, so thank you for that! read more