Barrio de Santa Cruz

Hotel Amadeus Sevilla

★★★★★

Hotel Amadeus is one of the most distinctive small hotels in Seville, and one of the best-value addresses in Santa Cruz. Its theme is classical music, and the whole hotel has been conceived around it: the name nods to Mozart, rooms and public spaces are decorated around musical motifs, and the atmosphere is that of a cultured family home where music is always present. The hotel combines several buildings in the historic centre, some dating from the eighteenth century, which keep their original architecture — patios, staircases, wooden beams and tiles — while using modern technology and comforts, and the decoration is notable for its attention to detail. It sits in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood, close to the Real Alcázar, the Cathedral and the Giralda, so the main sights are a short walk away through the lanes. The rooftop is the place to be at the end of the day: a terrace with views of the Giralda, where the bar serves drinks and coffee and stays open late all year, and a jacuzzi with the tower in view, a rare luxury at this price level. Breakfast is continental, with hot drinks, orange juice, bread, croissants, yogurt, fruit and Spanish omelette. Rooms vary in size and layout, as is usual in converted historic houses, from compact doubles to junior suites and a penthouse, and they are comfortable and individually decorated. Service is friendly and personal, and staff are generous with tips on concerts, flamenco and tapas.

Who it suits: music lovers, couples and independent travellers who want character and a central Santa Cruz location at a more accessible price than the city's luxury hotels. It also suits solo travellers who appreciate a sociable rooftop and helpful staff. It is less suited to families who need large rooms or to travellers who want extensive facilities such as a gym or full-size pool.

Living in it: ask for a room with more light or a view if you are staying several nights, as rooms in historic houses differ a good deal. Make the rooftop your evening ritual — a drink by the Giralda before dinner, or a soak in the jacuzzi after a long day. The lanes of Santa Cruz are pedestrianised, so taxis drop off nearby; the hotel recommends a car park about three hundred metres away for drivers, and suggests booking directions ahead. Breakfast is simple, so you may prefer to try a local café for tostada con tomate and coffee some mornings.

Value: rates are mid-range for Seville and good for the location, rising during Holy Week and the April Fair, when the whole old town books up early. There is no tourist tax in Seville at present. The value case is charm, location and a Giralda-view rooftop with a jacuzzi, for considerably less than the five-star hotels around the Cathedral. For travellers who would rather spend their budget on flamenco, tapas and day trips than on a palace hotel, it is one of the most rewarding addresses in the old town.