"La Casa del Maestro" is a lovely little hotel located in the northern part of the historic old quarter of the city in front of the Santa Catalina Church. From here it's a ten to fifteen minute stroll to the Cathedral.
A traditional Sevilliana house (painted, of course, with a combination of the golden yellow of bullring sand and earthy red, so typical in the city), its three floors are built around a 19th century internal patio. It is the former home of one of Spain's great masters of flamenco guitar, Manuel Serrapí Sánchez (1904 - 1974), known as "Niño Ricardo". Many consider him the greatest of them all, the one who paved the way for the current generation of maestros such as Paco de Lucía, Manolo Sanlúcar and Serranito.
His grandchildren have carefully and stylishly restored the house and converted it into an elegant, charming hotel which remains faithful to the original spirit and character of the flamenco guitarists home. There are just eleven rooms, each of them individually and classically decorated, each with its own personality and named after one of Niño Ricardo's music compositions - Sierra Nevada, Tierra Minera, Recuerdo a Sevilla, etc.
All the rooms are en-suite and equipped with telephone, satellite TV, air conditioning, good quality latex mattresses and quality linen. Tradition and elegance are perfectly combined with functionality. Some of the rooms are small, others more spacious, and this is reflected in their prices (below).
All of the rooms face out to the central patio, the focal point of the house, illuminated by the wonderful sunshine of Sevilla which floods in through the glass skylight above. Here you can take your breakfast, plan your day, relax with a book and an aperitif … all the while, of course, listening to the guitar of Niño Ricardo.
Lovely touches include bullfighters attire donated to the family by famous Spanish bullfighters (including a costume of El Cordobés), a fountain, original wooden beams and ironwork, wooden doors and windows, stucco walls and a spectacular mosaic floor. Photographs of Niño Ricardo dot the walls; balconies are covered with geraniums and plants and flowers fill the entrance hall.
Common areas also include a living room and a spacious roof terrace which offers excellent views across the city and its most famous monuments. With the Giralda keeping watch, escorted by El Salvador and San Ildefonso, the panorama is superb.
There is no restaurant but excellent breakfasts are served in your room at a time of your choosing, or, if you prefer, in the patio or on the roof terrace, where you can enjoy the gorgeous morning sunshine too. Snacks and aperitifs are available in the afternoons.
Friendly, professional service is always on hand in this family-run hotel and the helpfulness of the staff is always much appreciated by guests, all adding to an ambience which is designed to make you feel very much at home. The attention to detail is first class: each evening your bed will be turned down, chocolates and a pitcher of iced water left in your room. you will be provided with a gown and slippers, toiletries are of excellent quality and you will find fresh flowers in your bathroom.
Located in a little passageway in the historic old quarter of the city, parking is available just a couple of minutes walk away. There's no traffic but the church bell does ring on the hour throughout the night, something which some clients have mentioned. But almost all of them feel that the charm, character and comfort of the hotel and its friendly, ever helpful staff are more than compensation for this unavoidable inconvenience.
