Hotel Fernando III is one of the few hotels in the Barrio de Santa Cruz with a swimming pool, and that alone makes it a useful base in a city that bakes in summer. It stands at Calle San José 21, in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, where a short walk takes you to the Real Alcázar in about five minutes and to the Cathedral and Giralda in about six. The hotel is a four-star property of 154 rooms, in a main building of four floors dating from 1969 with an annex about 130 metres away, so you should check which building your room is in when you book. Amenities include a seasonal outdoor pool, open from noon to nine in the evening, a rooftop terrace, a restaurant, Restaurante Fernando III, and a bar, La Cancela. The rooms have air conditioning and free wifi, a buffet breakfast is available for a fee, and the hotel offers self and valet parking for a daily charge, which is a real help if you are driving. Pets and smoking are not allowed, and the hotel takes credit cards rather than cash. The architecture is more functional than historic, so this is not the place for the romance of a palace, but it delivers a comfortable, convenient base with facilities that smaller boutique hotels cannot match.
Who it suits
Families and groups who want a pool and some space, travellers arriving by car, and visitors who value comfort and convenience over character. It is also a good choice in summer, when an afternoon by the pool is a relief after a morning of sightseeing. It is less suited to anyone seeking an intimate boutique feel or a historic building.
Living in it
Check whether you are in the main building or the annex, ask for a room away from the street if you like quiet, and use the pool in the afternoon heat. The rooftop terrace is the place for an evening drink. Breakfast is served in the morning, with slightly later hours at weekends. The surrounding lanes of Santa Cruz are within a few minutes on foot, with tapas bars and shops, and the Alcázar is close enough to be first in the queue in the morning.
Value
Rates are moderate for the central position, and the pool and parking make it one of the better-value options in the barrio, though prices rise in Holy Week, the April Fair and the summer weekends. Breakfast and parking add to the cost, so work out the total if you are comparing it with an all-in rate elsewhere. Free cancellation is available on some rates.
Why stay here
- ✓Seasonal outdoor pool
- ✓Rooftop terrace
- ✓Restaurante Fernando III
- ✓Bar La Cancela
- ✓Air conditioning and free wifi
- ✓Buffet breakfast available
- ✓Self and valet parking
- ✓Alcazar five minutes on foot
Good questions
Does Hotel Fernando III have a swimming pool?+
Yes, a seasonal outdoor pool that is open from noon to nine in the evening. Check the dates for your stay when you book.
How far is it from the Alcázar and the Cathedral?+
The Alcázar is about a five-minute walk and the Cathedral and Giralda about six minutes on foot.
Can I park at the hotel?+
Yes, self and valet parking are offered for a daily charge, which is useful in a part of the city where parking is scarce. Check the height limits and the cost when you book.
