We spent a month in Clara and Manolo’s flat while on academic sabbatical. We were looking for a place that had character and was in Seville’s historical downtown, and this apartment fit the criteria. Please note: as we got this flat at a deeply discounted rate (March 2022, post-pandemic), our review is much less critical than if we had paid the regular listed rate.
The good: the location. The flat is located a minute from the famous Alfalfa square and has numerous good tapas bars, a great bakery, and a small supermarket in the area. It is also very close to Seville’s main attractions: the Cathedral, Archivo de Indias, Barrio de Santa Cruz, Plaza de España, and is an easy15-minute walk to Triana, the Alameda de Hércules, San Julián and San Lorenzo areas. Santa Justa train station is also only a 15-minute walk from the apartment. If location and a historic property from the 19th Century is your top priority, you should like this place. Furthermore, the apartment was very clean when we received it, it has central heating and air conditioning, and the host is a very likeable person – he is very pleasant to interact with and responds to messages quickly.
The not so good: the noise. As noted in many other reviews, this place is very noisy, including through the night. The area has very narrow streets where the sound bounces around. Combined with a boisterous nightlife scene, scooters, supply trucks and street-cleaning vehicles, you get lots of noise. The flat has large windows facing the street and they’re old single-pane, so the noise easily penetrates. Also, the main bedroom has large windows into a central light shaft – and so does the adjacent apartment. When your neighbours come home from the clubs at 5am and enthusiastically discuss their night out, you will hear it clearly. You will definitely need earplugs. In addition, a drawback to this apartment is the quality of some of its furnishings and equipment. Anything that isn’t antique is a the least expensive Ikea offering: inexpensive towels and bed linens, mismatched cutlery, a hodgepodge of glasses and plates, dull knives, and a flimsy corkscrew and can opener. The host brought over new frying pans and wine glasses in the first few days we were there, but it would be good if other items were updated/replaced to make this a more user-friendly kitchen, especially for long term stays. The bed in the master bedroom has a foam mattress that was very uncomfortable for us (a channel would form in the middle and it was hard to get out of it). Finally, we recommend not to leave anything on the bathroom floor while showering – the water doesn’t stay in the shower stall. We reported this in the first days of our stay and the host came over to attempt a repair, but it didn’t fix the problem. We reported that the problem persisted, but no further attempt was made to fix the problem. Hopefully it will be resolved before future guests arrive.
Overall, the apartment is fine if you are planning to stay for a few nights and intend to eat out often. It is very central to Seville’s main attractions and the host responds quickly to messages. If you are looking for a quiet place or planning a longer-term stay in Seville, this location might not be the best choice.