Balcón Giralda Center & Sweet

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about Balcón Giralda Center & Sweet? The location is honestly ridiculous – and I mean that in the best way possible. You’re literally on Calle Mateos Gago, which is this narrow cobblestone street that feels like you’ve stepped into a postcard, except it’s real life and there are actual tapas bars every few meters. I mean, you can practically roll out of bed and into some of the best food in Seville’s old quarter.

The hotel itself sits in what’s clearly a renovated historic building – you can tell from the thick walls and the way sound just disappears once you’re inside, which is honestly a blessing because Mateos Gago can get pretty lively, especially on weekends when the locals are bar-hopping. The rooms have this sweet balance between old Andalusian charm and actually functional modern stuff. I loved that they didn’t go overboard trying to make everything look ancient – the AC works properly (crucial in Seville summers, trust me), and the WiFi doesn’t cut out every five minutes like some places in the old town. The “Sweet” part of the name actually makes sense when you see the rooms – there’s this attention to small details, like really good linens and these little touches that feel thoughtful rather than fancy for the sake of it.

What really gets me about this place is how it sits right in the thick of everything without feeling touristy. Walk two minutes in any direction and you’ll hit Plaza Santa Cruz, or duck down one of those impossibly narrow alleys toward the Cathedral – you can actually see the Giralda tower from some of the rooms, which is where the name comes from, obviously. The staff seem to get that most people staying here want to experience actual Seville, not some sanitized version of it. They’ll point you toward the tapas place around the corner where locals actually eat (not just the Instagram-famous spots), and they know which flamenco venues are worth your time versus which ones are tourist traps. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward – no weird upselling or overly complicated key card situations. Honestly, after staying in a few places around Andalusia, I appreciated that they just let you get settled without the whole production. The only thing worth noting is that parking is basically impossible right there – but honestly, if you’re staying in this part of Seville, you don’t want to be driving anyway. Everything worth seeing is either walkable or a quick taxi ride, and half the charm is getting lost in those winding streets where cars can’t even fit.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $127. Apartment with Balcony with 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 2

Reviews

• Chéri from South Africa – 9 June 2025 (9/10)

  VERY GOOD LOCATION. Close to Cathedral. You hear the bells. 5 minutes to Real Alkazar, or several Flamenco shows. Fantastic street view and lots of street action. Comfortable and clean too. Very comfortable for a couple can be a bit noisy at times… rubbish collection but with double glazing it's perfect to cut off the noise from bars downstairs. Well appointed. Washing machine capsules.
  
  What could be improved: Only 1 mirror and that in bathroom with very noisy extractor fan. Also shower sometimes smells. Could not find drying rack. Air con in bedroom does nor work but louge aircon was sufficient even in heatwave…. but the slept with bedroom door open which may be issue if sharing. No coffee Mocka pot or filter and no pods for coffee maker

• Maureen from Australia – 3 June 2025 (9/10)

  The property was so close to everything but nice and quiet when you closed the shutters.
  
  What could be improved: The stairs are hard work with heavy luggage for older people.

• Bruno from Chile – 2 June 2025 (9/10)

  The location, the space of apartment and facilities.
  
  What could be improved: The communication with staff.

• Monica from United States – 13 April 2025 (8/10)

  Perfect location!

• Annie from Belgium – 1 April 2025 (8/10)

  Fab location, lovely clean apartment, very well appointed.
  
  What could be improved: Box for key storage was too high for me !!

• Zeming from United States – 21 March 2025 (9/10)

  The location is great. The apartment is fully equipped with kitchen and washing machine. The check in/out is straight forward.
  
  What could be improved: Getting a taxi/uber to the location can be a challenge, since the street is not open to vehicles most of the time.
  While the bedroom is quiet with the door closed, the living room (sofa bed is placed) can be noisy at night.

• Lee from Australia – 7 March 2025 (9/10)

  The apartment is clean and spacious, situated in the old town on a vibrant street just metres from Sevilla cathedral. The noise from the restaurants below could not be heard in the bedroom at the rear of the apartment. Lots of bars and restaurants nearby. The stunning Alcázar was only 3 minute walk away. Great communication from the property manager Lorenzo.
  
  What could be improved: Only minor negatives: the water pressure in the shower was quite low but it was adequate. The only light in the bedroom was exceptionally bright, it would have been nice to have a smaller bedside lamp or a dimmer switch.

• Sandra from United Kingdom – 25 January 2025 (9/10)

  Perfect location.
  
  Host responded well to an issue we had.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing to complain about

• Aksoy from Bulgaria – 24 November 2024 (8/10)

  Perfect location, comfortable apartment and good atmosphere. Recommended to experience the Seville

• Alexandre from France – 8 November 2024 (9/10)

  Very close to all the places to visit, spacious
  
  What could be improved: A lot of noise at night but that’s fair to be close to the tourist places.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities