Hotel Alfonso XIII is a relic of a bygone age — built in 1928 to anticipate the Ibero-American Expo the following year, the hotel was named for the then-current king, and constructed in a an opulent blend of Baroque and Moorish styles that looks centuries older. Of course in the Thirties, everything changed—just ask Hemingway, WH Auden, or George Orwell—but at the Alfonso, it will always be 1929.
Intricate tilework, antique furniture, and what must be tons of marble and mahogany set the tone for one of the grandest old hotels still in existence. This is as far from a lean and minimal boutique as you can get — and if that’s what you’re after, then in Sevilla you are out of luck. So why not go with the flow and learn to love the old-world splendor that seeps from every corner of this place?
The San Fernando restaurant is delightfully old-fashioned and traditional, and even the Japanese restaurant feels like a blast from the past. If there is any modern edge to this hotel, it’s likely down to the new owners. Perhaps you’ve heard of them — a little company called Starwood. But don’t worry about Alfonso XIII going bland now that it’s part of a chain; though it may be to some extent running on past glory, there is enough history here to last another 70 years.
author Daily Tablet Hotel, source www.tablethotels.com