CoolRooms Palacio Villapanés

Hospitality is a tough game, but when you start with a building as stunning as this one, it’s a bit like being born on second base. The hoteliers managed to acquire an 18th-century mansion in Seville’s Santa Cruz district, and with a few bold design strokes they’ve turned it into the Palacio de Villapanés, one of the city’s most fashionable boutique hotels.

It’s not simply a case of style over substance — this is, after all, a palace — but the style is what’s probably most immediately arresting. The building is a classic exemplar of the Mudéjar style, a Moorish interpretation of the influences of the day. And wherever possible, the building has been left intact — some chic modern furnishings and the occasional splash of pure color go a long way.

Historical authenticity meets contemporary style, not just in the fifty guest rooms but in the restaurant as well, where local ingredients and traditional Andalusian specialties are crafted into suitably inventive modern dishes. You’re in the center of contemporary Seville, and on the fringes of the old town, which means it’s a fair compromise on convenience for just about any purpose.