Hacienda Benazuza elBullihotel, Seville, Spain

The Hacienda Benazuza is in a class of its own. Nowhere else in Andalucia can boast so much history, such colourful and evocative patios, rooms and gardens, and internationally renowned food.

More than 1000 years old, the building dates back to the Saracens and has since been occupied by Kings, noblemen and some of Spain’s finest bull breeders. Benazuza’s latest incarnation as a luxury hotel is just over a decade old. There are echoes of the past everywhere – from the huge olive press stones in the reception area to the antiques which fill the public areas. An elegant yet cosy bar smells richly of the horse saddles and other riding paraphernalia hung on the walls, whilst the more rustic tapas bar is an informal option for a light lunch. These public rooms all lead off the numerous leafy tiled patios, which glow in deep red, ochre, orange and yellow. There are a number of small public rooms which can be used for meetings and a couple of much larger barn-like buildings perfect for wedding receptions and parties. The romantic, gourmet restaurant is the first sibling of the famed El Bulli restaurant near Barcelona, and there are plans for others around the Mediterranean (land is already being developed for a hotel/restaurant in Mallorca).

The hallways leading to the guestrooms are wide, piled with rich rugs, and antiques are everywhere. Bedrooms are very traditional in style, with floral or striped fabrics and colourful rugs or reed matting covering tile floors. Some have lofty wooden ceilings, including the Suite Real which adjoins the Hacienda’s chapel – perfect for wedding nights. Another room has a cherubic painted dome of a ceiling, whilst suites on the ground floor boast outdoor jacuzzis or private gardens. Small marble bathrooms hold Bulgari products and views out over the extensive gardens.

The landscaped gardens are the highlight of the Hacienda – from the formal French garden through to the orange grove via fountains and pools, lush vegetation and hidden little corners for romantic whisperings. The pool glows blue, next to an airy Moroccan tented bar/restaurant for waterside lunches and candlelit dinners amongst the rich Moorish carpets, cushions and lanterns. There are a few inviting canopied ‘daybeds’ on the grass alongside the pool, which must encourage much competitive early morning towel-laying in the heat of summer. The friendly, knowledgeable staff provide the crowning glory to this exotic, elegant hideaway just 19km outside Seville.