Plaza de España / Parque de María Luisa

Melia Sevilla

★★★★★

The Meliá Sevilla is the practical choice for families and for travellers arriving by car, and its location is better than it first looks. The hotel stands on the Calle Doctor Pedro de Castro, directly facing the Plaza de España and bordering the Parque de María Luisa, so the city's most photogenic square, its rowing boats and the park's shady avenues, ponds and playgrounds are on the doorstep, and the old town is a pleasant walk away. It is a large, modern tower hotel rather than a historic house, and that brings real advantages: rooms are consistent and well equipped, the lifts and corridors are easy with a pushchair, and the facilities are extensive. The highlight is the outdoor pool, more than 130 square metres with a sundeck and views of the Plaza de España, which the hotel keeps open all year round, though private events can occasionally close it. There are four restaurants and bars, including Mosaico and Quimera and a pool bar, a 24-hour fitness room and a large outsourced car park with nearly two hundred spaces. Families can choose a Family Room, with a lounge with a sofa bed, or connecting rooms that give parents and children their own space, and for a more exclusive stay The Level offers premium rooms and suites, some with terraces, with their own services. The hotel is popular with families, groups and business travellers alike, and its staff are used to all three. The María Luisa park, the Plaza de América and the Seville Aquarium are all within a short walk, which makes it an excellent base for a family trip.

Who it suits: families, travellers with a car, and those who prefer modern comforts, a proper pool and space to a historic building. It is less suited to travellers who want to step out into the lanes of Santa Cruz at night, which are fifteen to twenty minutes away on foot, or who want the character of a casa palacio.

Living in it: request a room on a high floor facing the Plaza de España or the park for the views. Plan your days around the pool: sightseeing in the morning, a long swim and lunch by the water in the heat of the day, then out again in the evening. Walk to the Plaza de España early, before the crowds, and hire one of the rowing boats on its canal with the children. Check the current Wi-Fi terms when booking, as the hotel's own information has noted that free Wi-Fi is not offered in all cases.

Value: rates are mid-range for Seville, with good family and connecting options, and rise during Holy Week and the April Fair. Seville does not currently charge a tourist tax. The value case is facilities and space: a year-round pool facing the Plaza de España, family rooms and parking, at a price below the old-town boutique hotels.