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Seville's EME Hotel Gives You A History Lesson With Your Stay

Where: Alemanes 27, Seville, Spain, 41004

Don’t ya just love learning something new every day? Especially when it takes zero effort? The EME Hotel in Seville hears you. And to save you precious holiday time swotting up in an encyclopedia, it’s selecting random facts for you.

In just one visit the week before last, we came away with the following facts: the date of the philosopher Hegel’s death, the scoop on a Formula 1 rivalry, something Robert Pattinsony (which we forgot, what with gawping at the picture used to illustrate it), and the date the Whigs and Tories split in England in 1680. Not bad, huh?

The fount of all our knowledge? The elevator, which flashed various factoids at us as we cruised to the Santo Terraza bar on the fourth floor. We couldn’t take our eyes off it, and are much the wiser for that.

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Hotel Pool Scenes / Hotel Pools / Boutique Hotels / Seville Hotels / Hotel Bars / → All Tags

The Best Rooftop Bar in Seville Is At The EME Hotel

Where: Alemanes 27, Seville, Spain, 41004

As we said yesterday, rooftop pools and bars are all the rage in Seville at the moment.

But nice as the others can be, there’s one place that stands head and shoulders (or maybe that should be a couple of floors) above the others – the Santo Terraza Bar at the EME Hotel on Calle Alemanes.

For a start, the position is unbeatable – it’s in the cathedral square, facing the Giralda and the north side of the cathedral, with all its balustrades and flying buttresses and other architectural delights.

And they’ve really made the most of it, singling the hotel out from the touristy bars and shops dotted around it, by laying out a red carpet to its entrance.

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Which Rooftop Pool Should You Go For in Seville?

The pool at the Hotel Doña Maria

As we told you yesterday, we noticed last weekend that the hotel pool scene is really taking off in Seville.

The poor old Alfonso XIII may not have a particularly sexy offering, but some of the rooftop ones are good enough for you to book a room on the basis of the pool.

Perhaps the best known is the pool at the Hotel Doña Maria, just off the cathedral square, which makes for stonking views of the Giralda. The terrace is split into two levels, with the bar and some tables down below, and the pool and a few more tables up some stairs.

Obviously, the views are pretty gorge. But the place seemed a bit tired. The chairs were tatty plastic faux-rattan affairs, the tables were a bit smeary, and the pool, with its lion-head fountain, was a bit too 80s. The staff were nice, though. Rooms start at €83 - the corridors looked dowdy to us, and the lobby was a bit overspun, but a friend has stayed here and says her room was whitewashed and nice.

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The Hotel Pool Scene in Seville is Taking Off

Where: San Fernando 2, Seville, Spain, 41004

Yesterday we lamented about the lack of decent WiFi at the Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville. Today we’re going to tell you about its pool. Why? Because we noticed this weekend that the pool scene in Seville is really taking off. But as with most hotel trends, the newer and hipper places do it best.

When the Alfonso XIII was built, back in the 19th century, they preferred to stick turrets and stuff on hotel roofs, rather than pools so because of the gorgeous façade of the place, there’s not exactly room to stick a tub up there.

Thus the pool is in the traditional, round-the-back-of-the-hotel position. It's a nice size with a bar nearby and lots of birdies tweeting among the orange groves that surround it. (Tweeting as in the sounds that birds make, not people on Twitter.) As far as a city pool goes, it's a relaxing little haven.

But let’s be honest, pool scenes aren’t about swimming. They’re about swanning around, looking good, and drinking more. And it always looks better on the roof.

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The Alfonso XIII May Be Seville’s Grandest Hotel, But Its Wifi is Less Than Grand

Where: San Fernando 2, Seville, Spain, 41004

Relaxing weekends never pan out the way you planned them do they? And our trip to Seville this weekend was no exception. Leaving aside the whiplash from the crashy landing on Sunday night (thanks Ryanair) and the fact that we didn’t partake in enough cerveza sessions, we spent much of the two days seething about the dire internet situation at the Hotel Alfonso XII, where we were shacked up.

Switching on the laptop as is our wont on arrival at a hotel, we were sad to see no WiFi networks showing. Yes there was an ethernet cable, but our 'pooter lacks the requisite hole.

We called reception, who told us not to worry, that there was a computer downstairs for us to check our email. So we worried. Is there no wireless, we asked. The answer came back: "Yes, but it’s better to use our computer. " Ugh, we worried even more.

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Seville's New and Old Fused Together by The EME Fusion Hotel

Where: C/ Alemanes 27, Seville, Spain, 41004

Seville is known for Old World charm—narrow, cobblestone streets, Moorish architecture and tapas bars older than America but apparently, that’s about to change.

As Christopher Columbus’ final resting place, it’s clear Seville has some history. Not far from that resting place is the new EME Fusion. The New York Times checked into the hotel this past weekend and dubbed it “the center of the Sevillian scene at the moment.”

That’s thanks to the rooftop pool and terrace, chic design, four restaurants, tranquil spa and “drop-dead” views of La Giralda, the cathedral that is Seville’s main attraction. The way the Times tells it, it sounds like EME Fusion brings together the new and the old in its 70 modernly luxurious rooms built from the bones of fourteen 18th- and 19th-centry houses.

Frankly, we were surprised to find that the Times is so in love with a place that has the potential to muck up such sacred, historical space, and we’ve got to say, we’re intrigued. The place sounds classy and chic, and ready to create a host of new reasons for visiting Seville. (Perhaps there something more here to the name Fusion?)

Been there? You know you want to tell us about it, so comment away.

[Photo: NY Times]

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Seville Has Happening Rooftop Hotel Bars Too

Where: Jesús del Gran Poder 28, Seville, Spain, 41002

In Seville, just about every building has a patio-perfect rooftop, so it's a wonder why more hotels don't capitalize on this prime space with rooftop bars. We had to ask a local if any existed and he pointed us in the direction of Hotel Azahar.

The place may not be the best hotel in Seville (past guests complain of small rooms, some with no windows--claims we sadly did not get the chance to vet), but its rooftop bar, Etnia Terrace, is certainly worth a trip. Anyone can hang out here and take advantage of the breezy vista, which looks down on Jesús del Gran Poder, a prime location to watch the religious processions go by during April's Semana Santa.

Get there early (that's midnight by Spanish standards) to commandeer one of the two small, elevated patios or to take a dip in the Jacuzzi (above) in privacy, as the place doesn't get going until at least 1 a.m. and the sound of techno music takes over.

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The Best Hotel to Book for Seville's Feria

Where: Calle Reyes Católicos 5, Seville, Spain, 41001

On April 12, Seville gets ready for yet another round of week-long fiestas, this time with Feria, a 150-year-old tradition steeped in flamenco and bullfights. Where Semana Santa, Seville's Holy Week, took over the entire city, Feria celebrations are quarantined to land off the Guadalquivir River--so if you want to be within stumbling distance of your hotel, we suggest you check into Confortel Puerta de Triana.

Located on Calle Reyes Católicos, the 68-room hotel is perfectly situated between the La Maestranza bullfighting ring and the Guadalquivir, and also is within walking distance of the Cathedral. Rooms modern in a minimalist way and come equipped with air conditioning, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi and mini bars. Room rates start at $120 and you can add on daily breakfast in the buffet restaurant by coughing up a little more dough.

Photo: [Postalweb]

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A Lucky Find at Casa No. 7 in Seville

Where: C/ Virgenes, 7, Seville, Spain, 41004

As one of Seville's most sought-after properties, it's surprising that Casa No. 7, a boutique property in the upscale Santa Cruz district, doesn't charge more exorbitant room rates.

Of course, price is relative when examining luxury hotels. But given Casa No. 7's cachet--a restored 19th-century mansion laced with balconies, filled with antiques and an honesty bar in the lobby--it's one of Seville's best high-end deals. (Don't worry, we didn't know what an honesty bar was at first either. According to Wikipedia, it's an unattended beverage bar where payment is left to the patron's discretion.)

Current prices are 275 Euros (roughly $425) per night and that includes VAT and breakfast. Compare that to a similar offer at the Hotel Alfonso XIII, which includes a deluxe room and breakfast--but no VAT--and expect to pay $625 per night. (Plus, no honor bar!) All-inclusive, off-season rates are even more of a steal at about $273.

Of course, there's always a catch. This one happens to be that the hotel, which prides itself on being more like a stay in a private residence, only has six rooms, so reserving well in advance is strongly recommended.

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Barceló Renaciminto Tells Us Things We Wish We Could Believe

Where: Isla De La Cartuja S N, Seville, Spain, 41092

Seville's Barceló Renacimiento bills itself as a hotel that's avant-garde and modern. (Can anything actually be those two things at once?) Pictures, however, tell a different story.

Room décor, with its cherry wood furnishings and striped wallpaper, is more traditional (read: boring) than modern. It appears the only thing one could possibly say is avant-garde about the property is its 25-room convention center. Barceló Renacimiento beats every other hotel here, given the small size and row house-like set ups of most Sevillian properties.

Another piece of misinformation is that the hotel is located on the Island of La Cartuja, a tidbit that initially drew us to check out the hotel. We had no idea Seville had an island, and as it turns out, it doesn't. (Although there must be some truth to it, given the address, but we're telling you--this hotel is not on an island.) Instead, Barceló Renacimiento is located off the Guadalquivir River, near the Great Adventure-like attraction of Isla Magica, about the only attraction in Seville this hotel is near to.

Now that's not to say Barceló Renacimiento isn't a nice hotel, and with room rates starting at about $150, it's reasonably priced. Even so, what the eff, Barceló Renacimiento? Didn't anyone ever tell you a half-truth is a whole lie?

[Photo: Jose Luiz Antunez]

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Testing Out the Irish Pub at Hotel Inglaterra in Seville

Where: Plaza Nueva 7, Seville, Spain, 41001

There is nothing kitschier than a product based on cultural clichés. Bad examples that come to mind are Olive Garden, with its proliferation of brick and Mediterranean pottery; or the façade of any Taco Bell, with its phony Mexican architecture.

Luckily, Seville's Hotel Inglaterra--which means England in Spanish--doesn't fall into this category. Sure there are lots of mahogany and flower prints to be found throughout this 151-year-old, 86-room hotel, but it also manages an air of authenticity, mostly thanks to the adjoining Trinity Pub, where we recently stopped in for a drink one afternoon.

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Finding Hotels in the Seville Haystack

Hotel Alminar

Part of what we love about Seville is its tiny cobblestone streets, the boisterous tapas bars at every turn and its consistently Moorish architecture, despite the occasional Starbucks-ian eyesore.

But all of this also makes Seville's hotels incredibly hard to spot. Without large, luminous logos to signal here is the Occidental, here is the Best Western, the hotels, on the outside, almost fade into the background.

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