photograph courtesy of Elizabeth Gorman

We’re experts when it comes to hotel shampoo quality, mattress firmness, and room temperature. And while we’re cheap, we enjoy a nice touch or two. So when we checked into a three-star hotel outside Seville’s Jewish quarters, we hoped for a bit of luxe.

Unfortunately, our room was “interior.” In Sevilla, this means no outdoor windows. The hotel was a renovated Old Sevillana palace. Like many of its ilk, it was appealing and exotically filled with flowers, though it suffered from a definite lack of ventilation.

We never complain, though. Instead we move. We decamped to a one-star pension called Pension Alcazar. We unearthed it just a few kilometers away from the Alcazar and La Catedral. Occupying a corner house and owned by a Romanian family, it sits on a quiet, hidden plaza without any terrazas or tourist restaurants. It’s most popular with female Asian tourists in Seville to learn Flamenco.

The best room is at the very top of three windy, narrow staircases. Two doors lead to separate terraces, both with stunning views of the Cathedral’s Gothic spindling tower. With a bathroom, a refrigerator, and a small kitchenette—sadly sin stove—we’ve been able to make ourselves at home eating jelly sandwiches while seriously contemplating an extra night in Seville.

The total cost? €25 per person.

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