This boutique hotel in Seville is an unmissable cabinet of curiosities

Housed in a 15th-century noble palace in Seville’s old town, Hotel Casa del Limonero invites guests into the rich history of Al-Andalus, with grand Mudejar columns in the central courtyard and splendid ceramic tiles hand-painted with various floral, vegetal and geometric patterns. Now a stylish new boutique hotel, it throws the rich opulence of this Andalusian heritage into sharp relief with an array of modern and contemporary art and design.

Wallpaper* checks in at Hotel Casa del Limonero

What’s on your doorstep?

Located in the Judería (Jewish quarter), Casa del Limonero is hidden among the narrow, winding cobbled streets of Seville’s historic centre. Major sites like the cathedral and Real Alcázar palace lie a five-minute walk away – but for a more tucked-away attraction, pop into the enchanting Casa de Salinas, where visitors relive Renaissance-era Seville. Historic masterpieces are found at Casa Fabiola and the Santa Isabel de Hungria academy, while contemporary art galleries like Haurie, Zunino and Rafael Ortiz are also nearby. There are traditional tapas at casual bars like La Bartola, Casa Morales and La Fresquita – or, for a sophisticated experience in innovative contemporary Andalusian fine dining, walk 10 minutes over to Sr Cangrejo.

Who is behind the design?

The French art collector who owns Casa del Limonero (and prefers to remain anonymous) has filled the spaces with her glittering collection of paintings, photography, sculpture and furniture. She also worked with Seville-based interior designer Ernesto de Ceano, who has sculpted a new beige stucco fireplace, whose swirling, conic form is inspired by the shape of an elongated tower shell. Carmen Riego, a local expert in heritage restoration, was enlisted for her specialism in the delicate ceramic murals widespread in Andalusia, while Luis Balmaseda – a cabinetmaker from Écija – restored the original woodwork.

The standout design elements

Seating pieces around the property range from 16th-century wooden Savonarola chairs from Florence to India-inspired modernist cane armchairs by Pierre Jeannette and 1960s ‘Mies’ loungers by Archizoom Associati. Antiques like an ebony and bone bureau from Renaissance Italy and a Baroque church altarpiece from Mexico contrast with an art deco rosewood table by Jacques Adnet and a contemporary, multicoloured glass and aluminium cabinet by Doshi Levien.

It’s a feast for visual art lovers too: the dining room houses an abstract oil-on-canvas by Spanish painter Manolo Valdés, a wall hanging by Malian textile artist Abdoulaye Konate and a crochet-covered bull’s head by Joana Vasconcelos; a series of black-framed pieces by Mat Collishaw hangs in the stairway alongside a linen and plaster installation by Colombian artist Olga de Amaral. The corridors display around 20 works by Malian photographer Malick Sidibé, while photos by Moroccan artist Hassan Hajjaj and South Korean photographer Bae Joon Sung are also nearby.

The rooms to book

Each of the 14 rooms and suites offers a different design concept. The ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ room has a retro look, with vivid green walls and red backlit cabinets displaying decorative objects from the owner’s travels around the world. In the ‘Italiana’ junior suite, a 19th-century fluted wooden bed and a steel navy safe transformed into a minibar are set against two mid-century leather seats by Arne Jacobsen and a lacquered brass wardrobe by Roland Mellan, inspired by the Japanese tsugaru nuri technique. But for a room with a view, opt for ‘Mirador', whose comparatively understated decor is balanced by a more extravagant vista of the Giralda belltower from the private terrace.

Where to switch off

The alluring pool and hammam area feature aquamarine-coloured Italian and Moroccan tiles, complete with a treatment room for relaxing massages. The garden filled with orange and lemon trees is ideal for an early evening aperitif, as is the rooftop with a panoramic view. There’s also a cosy library overlooking the gardens – and don’t miss the fireplace lounge upstairs, complete with a pastel-coloured modernist sculpture by Ettore Sottsass, a Pop Art piece by Daniel Cherbuin and midcentury sofas by Gio Ponti and Federico Munari.

The verdict

Casa del Limonero is steeped in the building’s history: the hotel’s deer logo is inspired by hand-painted motifs found in the original 15th-century flooring discovered during the renovation, now displayed in the reception. These restored architecture elements provide a quintessentially sevillano backdrop to the otherwise strikingly eclectic and diverse decor, creating a visual experience that cuts across regions and eras while still in the heart of Andalusia.

Hotel Casa del Limonero is located at C. Guzmán el Bueno, 4, Casco Antiguo, 41004 Sevilla, Spain.