The stylish Ocean Drive Seville hotel – the latest addition to the Ocean Drive (OD) family – opened its doors at the end of May next to the city’s modern landmark, Las Setas – a mushrooming, wooden canopy that doubles as a viewpoint of the city. It joins OD properties in Madrid, Barcelona and Ibiza.
Seville hit the headlines this year after mayor José Luis Sanz proposed introducing an entry fee to the historic Plaza de España, one of the most-visited attractions in Spain.
The plaza, in the scenic Parque de María Luisa, blends Renaissance and traditional Islamic architectural styles and features tiles galore, ornate bridges, and some of the prettiest alcoves in Spain. It has featured in films including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars. It is currently free to enter, but the constant stream of visitors is now being blamed for overcrowding, vandalism and the ongoing need for expensive repairs.
While Luis Sanz has suggested charging tourists for entry, it would remain free to local residents. However, no official decision has yet been made and no timescale has been set – so if you go now, you can still wander around this captivating landmark free of charge.
A recent survey by frequent flyer site Flight Hacks ranked Seville among the best value holiday destinations in Europe – awarding it third place behind Bucharest, Romania and Krakow, Poland. According to Flight Hacks, dining out in Seville costs an average of just £37.68 for a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant.
Location
The 49-bedroom hotel is located in the historic centre of Seville, in the Encarnación neighbourhood, overlooking Las Setas de Sevilla (the ‘mushrooms of Seville’) – the breath-taking wooden structure designed by the Berlin architect Jürgen Mayer and completed in 2011 after six years of construction.
Las Setas houses a market with restaurants and bars on the ground floor, a performance square and archaeological museum, plus a rooftop viewing platform (entry €15) offering a panoramic view of Seville’s historic centre.
It’s just a 10-minute walk to the cathedral and 12 minutes to the Royal Alcázar. You can also walk to the Plaza de España is around half an hour and the airport is a 20-minute drive.
The rooms
The superior, deluxe rooms and suites are decorated in a light, neutral style with top-of-the-range tech (Bose speakers, Nespresso coffee machines) and modern furnishings.
Unusually for such a central location, all rooms have a balcony or terrace from which you can admire the mushrooms. It is arguably one of the best (and unique) views in the city. Depending which way you look, different buildings are framed by the mushrooms’ humps and dips while at night, the structure is illuminated with different colours.
While superior rooms are compact, they have been designed to accommodate a work/desk area, storage and dressing area, plus a coffee machine, mini bar, safe, and en-suite. However, the shower is located within the main room – no doors/curtain/privacy – so if you’re sharing with anyone other than a partner, you might want to upgrade.
There is one accessible deluxe room with terrace. Cots are available on request.
The atmosphere
The hotel has been designed in the Mudejar-meets-Mediterranean style that Seville is known for. ‘Spanish chic’ probably sums it up best.
The entrance is through the art-adorned bar (a welcome cocktail at reception was a nice touch) and a spiral staircase leads up to a library area. The bar is cool and quiet – perfect for a coffee or cocktail catch-up before you head out to explore.
There’s a real mix of guests, from international tourists to Spanish business travellers, and we found the atmosphere to be relaxed and welcoming.
Adding to this, staff are all well acquainted with the city so they can tell you exactly where to find top tapas in the lesser-known side streets.
Food and drink
Breakfast should not be missed. There’s a continental buffet alongside an a la carte menu, both included in the price. The buffet features the usual suspects alongside more intriguing options such as a Seville orange custard topped with brownie. Spanish additions to the menu include eggs with Iberico ham on Andalusian bread.
One of the most appealing things about Seville is that you can still find incredible places to eat serving dishes that cost just a few euros. Popular tapas dishes such as tortilla, croquetas or sliced jamon start from around €3.50 and if you pick the right bar, the local speciality of vermut (vermouth) can be as little as €1.50 while a small beer or house wine might just break the €2 barrier.
A personal highlight was fried artichoke and jamon in Bar Zurbarán, an unassuming tapas bar tucked away behind Las Setas with high ceilings inside and a huge terrace outside. Arrive early as it’s popular with locals and as it gets busy, names are added to the blackboard waiting list.
Summer is snail season in Seville and many tapas bars serve them – look for a chalked-on picture of a snail added to the menu if they have them in stock.
A great destination for tapas is the Triana district, which has a more laidback feel than central Seville. There is also an incredible food market in Triana that’s worth visiting – even if you’re not hungry – just to ogle the giant hams and brightly coloured fresh fruits. You’ll need to cross the Puente de Isabel II to reach it, but it’s all doable on foot.
Churros are a welcome addition to many menus as is tarta de queso (baked cheesecake). In the central shopping area, Bar El Comercio is a must-stop location. Famed for its churros with chocolate, it even has a hatch from which to order if you don’t want to dine in – although if you do, there are some competitively priced tapas and drinks on offer (house wine at €1.90? Yes please!). The churros are hot, huge and made to order and the chocolate, while thick and creamy, is not too sweet.
What to do
You could spend days just wandering around the city admiring the architecture while stopping here and there for tapas and a drink.
Many of the main attractions can be accessed, at least in part, free of charge. Las Setas (other than the rooftop walkway) is free to explore and parts of the cathedral do not require a ticket either.
The Plaza de España (a genuine must-see) and Parque de María Luisa are (for now at least) free to enter too. Entry to the Real Alcázar de Sevilla – a compound of royal palaces and gardens – starts from €13.50 and is worth every cent.
Devour Tours runs expert-led food and drinks tours that will help you to see a side of the city that you might otherwise overlook (from £70). We joined the Triana Neighbourhood Tapas Tour (€79) during which we were lead around the neighbourhood, stopping off at three tapas bars, an exquisite church and a freiduría – a Spanish take on a fish and chip shop.
During the tour we were introduced to local delicacies such as 100 per cent pork loin, seasonal snails, fried adobo (fish), sherry and the favourite drink of Sevillians, Tinto de Verano (red wine mixed with a sweet soda called Casera).
It’s worth signing up for a tour at the start of a trip since the knowledgeable guides offer great tips on how and when to order tapas, the best dishes to look out for and some great recommendations on where (and what) to eat and drink. It will instil you with confidence for the rest of your holiday and help you make some great dining choices.
You’ll love…
The view of Setas de Sevilla from Ocean Drive Seville is beyond comparison – you can’t not see it. And each time you look, it’s slightly different, depending on how and where the sun hits the structure or what’s visible between the shifting clouds.
Constructed from 3,500 cubic meters of micro-laminated Finnish pine, it is believed to be the world’s largest wooden structure. At night, the colour-changing light show is simply spellbinding.
To book
Double rooms at Ocean Drive Seville start at €150, room only, od-hotels.com/hotel-ocean-drive-sevilla