Seville has endless options for food and drink on nearly every narrow street corner. From beer and wine to sherry, gin and tonics and refreshing tinto de veranos, you can easily have your fill.

However, if you find yourself craving a strong, cold martini, you can upgrade to a little more luxurious formality at the beautiful Hotel Alfonso XIII.

The Venue

The grand building was constructed mostly during the 1920s in preparation for the Ibero-American exposition of 1929. King Alfonso himself was said to be directly involved in some of the plans and direction of the construction. The late King was an early promoter of Spanish tourism.

The building is very Andalusian in style, which of course brings a wealth of Moorish influence and Arabesque design.

Now approaching its centenary, the building has hosted numerous high profile guests, and has been used as a filming location for both Netflix series The Crown and historical epic Lawrence of Arabia.

Today the building is actually owned by the city council, but run via arrangement by the Marriott Hotel group.

The bar itself has been designed in Art Deco style, a cool, dark siding to the sumptuous Moorish interior and courtyard of the hotel ground floor. It is reassuringly martini-esque in look and feel.

The staff are well dressed and attentive. On arrival we were served water and a bowl of crisps (potato chips) and offered a menu with an extensive list of drinks and cocktails.

The Vibe

The darkness of the bar is refreshing and soothing after a long sunny Spanish day. The wooden furnishings and soft chairs are sumptuous and comfortable yet elegant.

The clientele were either formally dressed Spaniards with dresses and suits, or more casually attired tourists, all enjoying the violet hour. Dress for the martini you want to enjoy.

Overall it was upmarket but relaxed. The music was mostly jazz.

Indeed they often hold live jazz and piano evenings so check ahead if that’s your thing.

The Martini

Classic martinis are not on the menu but they are certainly able to mix them up for you at the bar.

However, what they do have on the menu is a Vesper Martini (gin, vodka and lillet blanc) or the citrus Gimlet Martini which will likely appeal to many. I ordered the Vesper.

The glass was definitely larger than many martini bars I’ve frequented but I’m not complaining. Just bear in mind that you really, really need to observe the ‘two martini rule‘ in this venue. It was about 200ml / 6-7 US Oz which is double my usual serving measure.

It was shaken well with ice which meant it was refreshingly cold. The aeration also gave the drink a cloudy yellow appearance for the first few minutes. This faded, but the temperature held for much longer.

We ordered olives on the side and were not charged for them which was a nice touch. They were good and local.

The drink was slightly sweeter than I normally like martinis but the Vesper has a fairly specific recipe, as defined by Sir Ian Fleming and recounted by his immortal character James Bond. I tend to find them slightly sweeter than a dry martini in most venues where they are served. It was very tasty either way but if you prefer your martinis dry I recommend you request this specifically when ordering.

All in all, this is a delightful martini in a beautiful venue in a wonderful city. You can enjoy a banquet of food and drinks around Seville but if you find yourself craving the hallowed Elixir of Quietude, make your way to the Hotel Alfonso.