Los Seises Sevilla Review
Seville doesn't offer many points options for hotels. With no Hyatt or Hilton properties anywhere near the center of the city, Marriott offers the most options. The newest Marriott option is Los Seises Sevilla, a part of Marriott's Tribute Portfolio Hotel brand, which just joined Marriott and reopened at the end of 2022. Previously, Los Seises was part of a small collection of boutique hotels.
This restored 16th century building was formerly the Archbishop's palace and also has some archeological remains dating back to the third century. Overall, this boutique hotel has a nice atmosphere, a great breakfast, and an excellent location. Just don't expect much from the rooms, which were rather plain and unremarkable, but nonetheless clean and serviceable. In this Los Seises Sevilla Review, we share why this hotel should be on your radar when visiting this beautiful city in southern Spain.
Location
Los Seises' location in the neighborhood of Santa Cruz is very convenient, just steps away from Seville's Cathedral and a short 5-minute walk to main gate of the Royal Alcazar. Despite being so close to the action, the hotel entrance itself is quite secluded in a quiet side street and we did not hear any noise during our stay. The two streets leading from the hotel to the Cathedral are dotted with cute bars, restaurants, and cafes. From Los Seises, you can also wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets away from the main square and find other gems off the beaten path.
Taxis have no problem reaching the hotel despite the neighborhood's narrow streets. A ride from the train station was less than 20 euro.
A note about accessibility: the hotel's main entrance is down a steep flight of stairs of six steps or so. I did not see any elevators near the main entrance. However, I did notice a side entrance from the street into the hotel's courtyard, which leads to the lobby. Travelers with mobility issues ought to give the hotel a call.
Los Seises Sevilla Review: Booking Cost
Ever since Marriott switched to dynamic pricing for award stays, there is no rhyme or reason for how much any award night can cost. When we made our booking, Marriott was charging around 200,000 Bonvoy points for a 3-night stay. Instead, we chose to pay cash, which came to $684 euro. This rate included the 7% discount offered through the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card.
Had we redeemed the 200,000 or so Bonvoy points for our stay, we would have only gotten about 0.34 cents per point. This is a bad value even for Bonvoy points.
In addition, we opted to book a “suite” (more on the quotation marks later). A standard room was even cheaper, at around $570 euro for three nights. My wife and I were traveling with our kid, and we didn't want to rely on a Marriott property's lack of generosity to end up in a suite, despite us having Platinum Elite and Titanium Elite status.
Check-In
We arrived at Los Seises around 3:30 pm. Two staff members were at the front desk, which is adjacent to the lobby bar. Check-in was smooth and uneventful. The staff member who helped us asked whether we would like to receive 1,000 Bonvoy points or complimentary breakfast as our welcome amenity. We opted for the breakfast.
Complimentary breakfast is nearly always the better option as 1,000 Bonvoy points are hardly worth anything. As a Tribute Portfolio property, complimentary breakfast is an option for the welcome amenity. (Marriott's rules for complimentary breakfast for elites are as complicated as the rules for being eligible for their credit cards.)
The staff member walked us through breakfast hours and showed us a map of the city, highlighting a few attractions. He also recommended that we check out the hotel's rooftop bar with views of the Cathedral. After this brief and pleasant interaction, we were off to our room.
A brief note about the front desk staff: they were all very helpful throughout our stay. We requested laundry service one day, which they have to outsource. The staff made sure our clothes were returned in less than 24 hours even though it was the day before a major holiday. The laundry price list didn't include prices for kids clothes, so I asked what they charged. The staff said they weren't sure what the laundry service charged for kids clothes, and when we got our clothes back, they didn't charge us for our toddler's clothes.
Los Seises Sevilla: La Cartuja Suite
We booked ourselves directly into La Cartuja Suite, which was the only remaining suite available for our dates. Labeling this room as a suite is completely misleading. After looking around the room, I went back to the front desk to ask if they had anything resembling a proper suite. The staff member said they do not have enclosed suites. He added that this was their largest room and they have two on each of their three floors.
The room was indeed pretty large, but it was completely open, with no sort of divider–let alone a door–between the the bedroom area and the living space.
The front door opened to a large living space with a sofa bed on one side and a writing desk on the other. The sofa seemed pretty worn down despite the hotel being brand new. Spacious closets were on both sides of the front door.
On the other end of the living space was the king-sized bed. Behind the bed was the bathroom, accessible from both sides of the bed. Neither section of the room was very bright, despite some overhead lighting.
Overall, the room was quite austere and it did not feel very welcoming. There was not much decoration, and what little decorating was attempted appeared thrown together haphazardly and incoherent. For example, the shower and sink fixtures had a beautiful tilework imitating the intricate Andalusian tilework seen throughout the city. But the bathroom also featured a non-descript modernist drawing of an airplane.
The room also felt damp and not very well insulated. The “suite” was certainly the low point of the stay.
Travelers looking for something closer to an actual suite should consider one of the rooms with a terrace, especially if traveling with little ones. The private terraces essentially function as a separate living space.
Los Seises Sevilla Review: Food & Beverage
The hotel offered a few different options for dining. Breakfast was served at El Invernadero (meaning the greenhouse) and it was one of the highlights of the stay. For starters, the restaurant sits on top of an archeological site.
Breakfast began with a spread of sliced bread, warm croissants, Iberian ham and other cured meats, seasonal fruit, and preserves. The silverware, drinkware and plates were very traditional, and were a nice juxtaposition to the hotel's otherwise modern feel. Besides, these were downright pretty and made breakfast even nicer.
Breakfast also included a buffet, consisting of breakfast paella, Spanish omelet, various breads, cheeses, cured meats, and fruits. The food was solid but not mind-blowing. The restaurant also served fresh-squeezed orange juice, which was the best orange juice I've ever had. This shouldn't come as a surprise given that Seville has countless orange trees throughout its streets and parks. The coffee was also delicious.
Los Seises also has two bars: the Sherry Bar, located in the lobby, and its rooftop bar, Pura Vida. Both offer local fare and rich cocktail menus. However, the Sherry Bar appeared to be closed during our stay. I worked for a couple of hours each evening at the Sherry Bar and did not see a single staff member or patron. Nonetheless, it's a pretty cool space. One night I was working late on my laptop at the Sherry Bar and when the manager noticed me, he brought me a bottle of water with a glass, completely unprompted. This was such a nice gesture and very much appreciated.
The Pura Vida rooftop bar is next to the hotel's pool and offers magnificent views of the Cathedral. The bar was consistently full and at times access is limited to hotel guests. The bar's atmosphere is very laid back and relaxed, making it a great place to enjoy a drink after a day exploring the town or before dinner.
Los Seises also has an outdoor restaurant in its courtyard, Patio del Pali. This restaurant was not yet open when we stayed, but the outdoor space looks lovely.
Los Seises Sevilla Review: ToP Thoughts
Overall, we enjoyed our stay at Los Seises and would have no problem staying there again. We just wouldn't bother booking the suite. The hotel's location, breakfast, and helpful service more than make up for the spartan rooms. Seville is such a fantastic city that we really only went back to the hotel to sleep.
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