Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Alfonso XIII

Inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII in 1929 when he visited the World's Fair, this grand hotel next to the university is a splendid, historic, Mudejar-style palace, built around a central patio and surrounded by ornate brick arches. Classic meets modern throughout the hotel, which has been graciously restored over the years. Public rooms have marble floors, wood-panel ceilings, heavy Moorish lamps, stained glass, and ceramic tiles in typical Seville colors. The hotel has three restaurants and the elegant Bar Alfonso. If you can't afford a room in Seville's most emblematic hotel, you can still enjoy the sumptuous surroundings while sipping an ice-cold fino from the bar that overlooks the fabulous Moorish-style courtyard.