MORE THAN A TEAM | pt. 7

These interviews offer a more personal insight into the lives, perspectives and experiences of our team members, all the while they also unveil new hidden gems waiting to be discovered in Seville. 

Plácido y Grata is a modern and elegant hotel. What impact is it having locally?
The hotel surprises many neighbours who knew the building before, and people in general. Its modern design is not commonly seen in Seville. It doesn’t leave anyone indifferent. People stop and ask us if they can come in and see it.

How would you describe the ‘Museum area’ where the hotel is? What can we find in this neighbourhood?
It is a quiet and ideally located area in the centre of Seville. The Museum square is an oasis with its century-old trees. Every Sunday, there is an art market where you can buy beautiful paintings or prints.

What is your favourite thing about your job at Plácido y Grata?
For me, the best part of my job is welcoming people from all over the world and advising them about Seville.

What do the guests think of the hotel? What is their impression?
Customers who stay at Plácido y Grata usually leave the hotel very happy. Most of them tell us they felt at home. They also often say that the team always has a smile on, and that we seem happy working.

A unique place in Seville.
The river, the Triana bridge, and the colourful houses on Betis Street at sunset. I never get tired of watching the sunset from one of the bridges that cross the Guadalquivir.

Any cultural spaces in the city that you would recommend?
The Three Cultures Foundation in the beautiful Moroccan pavilion. They offer a very diverse cultural program with movies, concerts, exhibitions, etc.

What is the best way to discover Seville?
The best way to discover Seville is to let yourself go walking through the centre. Stroll and observe all the details the city offers: the architecture and colours of its buildings, the tiles, the grilles, the balconies and their plants. To discover Seville, you also have to go into its bars and try its gastronomy.

Can you tell us about any secret places you will never find in travel guides?
The corralones and courtyards of neighbours. There are fewer and fewer of them, but occasionally, one opens for a market, a concert, or another cultural event. They are places with a lot of history, emblematic of the city.

What is your favourite time of the year in Seville? What is so inspiring about it?
Although the heat is sometimes unbearable, I enjoy the summer in Seville. When everyone goes on vacation to the beach, Seville becomes a village; the streets are empty, and the atmosphere becomes very relaxed. I love that tranquillity.

​​Does Seville change much from day to night?
I think Seville is always alive, both day and night, with bars and streets bustling, except during siesta time, obviously…

Plácido y Grata is a modern and elegant hotel. What impact is it having locally?
It is sparking a lot of interest among both those who already heard about it and the occasional passer-bys. But word has spread, and many times you hear people passing by saying, “look, this is the hotel they told me about the other day”.

How would you describe the ‘Museum area’ where the hotel is? What can we find in this neighbourhood?
It’s a very diverse neighbourhood, anyone would say so! Many realities coexist in it. However, I think I would highlight the old buildings, the ones you notice when you lift your gaze, and the art market that takes place every Sunday in the Museum square.

What is your favourite thing about your job at Plácido y Grata?
We often have very grateful guests, and sometimes, we connect with some to the point that they seek us out to say goodbye. For me, this is the most rewarding aspect of my job.

What do the guests think of the hotel? What is their impression?
I believe the goal of Plácido y Grata has been achieved: guests and clients feel comfortable, describing the place as an oasis of peace and tranquillity. The design conveys serenity, and many take pleasure in looking up at the high ceilings or following the branches of the creeper in the courtyard.

A unique place in Seville.
For me, it is the green lung of María Luisa Park.

Any cultural spaces in the city that you would recommend?
The Fair of Nations at Prado de San Sebastián, held in the fall. There, besides meeting people, you can try the cuisine from different parts of the globe.

What is the best way to discover Seville?
Walking a lot, alone or with friends. Breathing and letting yourself be carried away by everything it has to offer. There is always something to do, and there are plans for all tastes and types of people.

Can you tell us about any secret places you will never find in travel guides?
The best sunsets happen on the river, at the height of La Cartuja.

What is your favourite time of the year in Seville? What is so inspiring about it?
That brief period we call spring here, which lasts only a month or a month and a half. The colour palette of Seville intensifies, and so do we. Life fills every corner, and there is a contagious joy.

​​Does Seville change much from day to night?
The movement is constant; there are always people. Many, in fact. But while the daytime atmosphere is overwhelming and almost stressful, the nighttime seems to be the escape many need. I wouldn’t speak of calm, but rather a release of tension.