Located on the historic Calle San Fernando in the heart of Seville, iconic Hotel Alfonso XIII, one of the grandest hotels in Europe, originally designed by Sevillian architect José Espiau y Muñoz and eventually named after King Alfonso XIII, has been reopened following an extensive $25 million restoration.
The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts’ reopening of Hotel Alfonso XIII marks the first of four Luxury Collection hotels that will undergo a multi-million dollar restoration and will re-open within the next 12 months, including Maria Cristina, a Luxury Collection hotel, San Sebastian scheduled to debut in July 2012; Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection hotel, Paris and The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection hotel, Venice; both scheduled to open in early 2013.
The extensive 10 month restoration project was led by Demopolis, a renowned local Sevillian architect, and features Arabic-inspired arches, soaring towers and renaissance-style windows. Designed by HBA Design, the interiors fuse history and opulence with original hand-painted Triana and Mensaque ceramic tiles, authentic wood carved furnishings and marble floors. The hotel will also introduce the brand’s signature Luxury Collection Concierge service to all guests.
Starwood currently operates 17 hotels and resorts throughout Spain under seven of its nine distinct and iconic brands. In addition to Hotel Alfonso XIII, these hotels include the ground-breaking W Barcelona, the venerable Westin Palace in Madrid, the luxurious St. Regis Mardavall Resort in Majorca, the world-famous Marqués de Riscal, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Elciego, Le Méridien Ra Beach Hotel & Spa and the impressive Sheraton Golf Resorts in the Canaries and Majorca.
“Hotel Alfonso XIII has been a landmark in Seville since 1928, and we are delighted to reintroduce global explorers and the local community to the beauty of this spectacular destination with the exceptional service and style they have come to expect from The Luxury Collection,” said Paul James, Global Brand Leader, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts.
The Hotel Alfonso XIII features 151guest rooms and suites including three individually-designed signature suites. All guest rooms feature one of three design concepts – Moorish, Castillian or Andalusian – offering a distinctive color palette, custom-designed furniture and lavish interiors to create a sophisticated sense of relaxed opulence.
The hotel’s three signature hotel suites, the Reales Alcázares Suite, the Torreón Suite and the Royal Suite are inspired by Seville’s rich history. The Reales Alcázares Suite features warm, dark interiors and offers spectacular views over the Real Alcázar’s picturesque gardens and fountains. The sprawling Torreón Suite features a private terrace which extends out into the corner tower of the hotel offering one of the most magnificent views of Seville. Finally, the lavish 200 square-metre Royal Suite is exquisitely decorated with hand-selected antique pieces including the spectacular ‘Bargueño’, a Spanish Renaissance cabinet inlayed with mother-of-pearl which was gifted to the hotel by The Aga Khan.
