We arrived at the Hotel Alfonso at about 3pm in the afternoon. As soon as we pulled up to the hotel through the gates, we knew it would be an absolute treat staying at this hotel.
Introduction: Spring break in Spain
British Airways Club World DFW-LHR
British Airways T5 Galleries South Lounge @ Heathrow
The Westin Palace Madrid
Renfe Preferred Class Madrid-Seville
Renfe Preferred Class Lounge – Seville St. Justa
Hotel Alfonso XII Seville
Strolling in Seville
Sights and Sounds of Majestic Madrid
Iberia Business Class Lounge Madrid Barajas
Iberia Business Class Madrid-Barcelona
The W Barcelona
Exploring Gaudi’s Barcelona
The Hilton London Heathrow Airport T5
American Airlines New Business Class LHR-DFW
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Hotel Alfonso XIII
Calle San Fernando, 2,
41004 Sevilla, Spain
Points Required for Free Night: 20,0000
SPG Category: 6
The Moorish front facade of the Hotel Alfonso is what I would call absolutely gorgeous with its horseshoe arches and arabesque tiling.
As soon as our car pulled up, the bell men (yes, there were like three of them) immediately opened the doors for us and got all our baggage out.
Checking In:
We were ushered into a lobby area, which was from another time. The lobby consisted of grand archways adorned with hanging lanterns and window sills with fresh flowers. Simply put, it was a hallway fit for a king or queen.
The agent helping us at the front desk immediately got our paperwork together and thanked us for our loyalty as Platinum members. Platinum benefits for the stay included: free breakfast and the full 500 points. We had requested a suite upgrade for our short overnight stay at the hotel, however due to ongoing renovations in those rooms these were not available during this stay. To apologize for the inconvenience we were offered grand deluxe rooms with wrap around balconies and views of the Plaza de Espana and the Cathedral. We were definitely not going to complain about that!
After completing the check in formalities, the manager of the hotel himself escorted us to our rooms and gave us a tour of the hotel along the way. As you can see for yourself, there is nothing in this hotel that doesn’t deserve a jaw drop. The grandiose archways dominating the entryways into each area are just absolutely spectacular.
On our way to the room, the manager showed us the hotel’s private balcony for special events. It probably has one of the best views of the old town outside Giraldi tower.
It just so happened that the sun down was happening while we were on the balcony and I was able to get a quick shot of the Plaza de Espana:
The Deluxe Corner Room with Balcony
We then proceeded to our rooms, which were located along opposite ends of an astonishingly symmetrical hallway. Everything from the lamps to the benches to the doors were aligned with perfect separation. The floors were of course made of white Italian marble which was extremely popular in the day.
The room was extremely spacious and featured a small lcd tv, a desk, a large king bed, and large doors leading to the balcony.
The bathroom was to the right of the entry door and featured Elemis toiletries and a double vanity.
The bathroom had a rather glitzy wallpaper with stripes, which was rather gaudy and unique. There was also a tub and shower combo, which had good water pressure and temperature.
I absolutely love Elemis toiletries, which ended up making their way into my luggage to my mom’s annoyance. 🙂
Anyway the highlight of the hotel room was of course the balcony I talked about earlier. It featured jaw dropping views of Giraldi Tower, the Alcazar, and the Plaza de Espana.
There were two lounge chairs on the wrap around balcony. It was absolutely perfect for lounging and enjoying a drink after a long day walking through Seville.
I spent almost the entirety of the morning taking pictures of Seville. Needless to say my sister was absolutely annoyed with my waking up at 5 am to capture the sunrise.
The view itself made this room one of the finest I’ve ever stayed in. The rest of it was incidentally great, but that picture above defines why you stay at this hotel and why I remain loyal to SPG.
The Standard Deluxe Room
My parents had the standard deluxe room (I called dibs on the balcony room for my photography 🙂 ), which was extremely spacious and elegant.
The bathroom also featured the same glitzy walls and double vanity as the other room, but had a different arrangement.
Overall, an extremely well designed and spacious room. Pretty much what you would expect at a prestigious five star hotel in Europe.
Breakfast @ Restaurante San Fernando
Breakfast the following morning was served at the Restaurant San Fernando, in the atrium surrounding the central courtyard. The restaurant is set for royalty, but serves loyalty 🙂 The entire buffet, including drinks, was part of the Platinum Breakfast benefit at this hotel. Keep reading because dining here was an absolute treat.
It was a bit chilly early in the morning so all the guests were inside, but the seating outside looks fantastic for summer mornings.
The indoor seating featured museum style exhibitions of art and statues. This particular one behind our table was a statue of King Alfonso XIII himself (the hotel’s namesake).
The restaurant had plenty of seating early on and stayed that way throughout our time.
As I mentioned the Platinum breakfast included the extremely extensive breakfast buffet with local dishes, pastries, cereals, yogurt, and more.
There were all kinds of fruit and nuts to mix and match and top off that yogurt or oatmeal.
There were 4 different kinds of breads and many more artisan breads to choose from at the bread station.
The buffet also featured some local wine and champagne dipped in an ice bucket. The wine was labelled “anna de codorniu,” and the champagne was some brew by Moet and Chandon.
There were various cereals on offer and some steel cut oatmeal.
There was a vast variety of ham in the breakfast spread. Ham seems to be very popular in Spain and according to Rick Steves, a major edible item you must try while in Spain. I of course don’t eat meat, so you guys will have to tell me more about it.
There were also made to order omelettes and also a vast station featuring a bunch of gluten free products.
The pastry station featured one of my favorites: Tortas de Acite, and all the usual European breakfast items, which included croissants, cakes, and muffins.
Interestingly enough, the buffet also had glazed and chocolate donuts, which always appeared to be in high demand.
And of course there were some hot breakfast items such as breakfast potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, and even churros.
There was also a large variety of sauteed vegetables and a beans soup or broth of some kind.
And then there was a salad station with fresh vegetables and dressings.
And then finally there was the fruit and yogurt station which was extensive and really fresh. 
I tried the carrot cake, and banana crepe along with a piece of Tortas de Acite. Needless to say they were high quality and extremely tasty.
Service throughout breakfast was outstanding despite most of the items being self serve. Our glasses were unfortunately kept full with freshly squeezed orange juice, and they kept coming around to make sure that we didn’t change our minds about the tea or coffee. In the end we were never given a bill for the breakfast and it was never on the final folio either so wonderful job there as well.
Bottom Line:
The Hotel Alfonso XIII is perhaps the best hotel in Seville in terms of views, quality of accommodations, service, and architecture. Platinum recognition is outstanding and the hotel offers good value for the number of starpoints paid. If you are lucky enough to get a corner room with a balcony you are set for some breathtaking views especially at golden hour. Seville is one of my favorite destinations in Europe, and locality, just a block from the Alcazar, and a short walk from the Plaza de Espana, is just unbeatable. This hotel has swiftly become my go to hotel if for nothing else but its location. The rest is just icing on the cake.
More on my time in Seville coming up…….
Have you stayed at the Hotel Alfonso? What was your experience like?
Thanks also for this and the train review. Looking forward to staying here as Platinum having booked and cancelled it in 2020 and 2021. Hope 3 times is the charm.
I hope you make it there this year too before Marriott destroys Bonvoy. Absolutely love Seville and the Hotel Alfonso. Yet to visit Cordoba and other areas close by so I plan on returning.