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The sleepy town of Carmona lies deep
in the heart of Spain’s romantic Andalucía, a fascinating region whose intrigues
and heritage stretch back some 5,000 years. It is an hallowed landscape of pastoral
countruside and ancient sites, whose cultural vestiges stem from the Roman, Arabic,
and Christian empires. Perched high above the regions’s fertile plain, just twenty-nine
east of Seville, Carmona is possibly the oldest sttlement in Europe. Its rich stores
of Moorish, Ghotic, Renaissance, and Baroque artifacts, monuments, and ruins are
testimony to its antiquity and survival throughout the ages. Many of the city’s walls
date to Roman times, the classic Gate Of Cordoba still guarding its venerable entrance
at une end and the Gate of Sevilla - the most treasured example of an intact Roman gate
in all of Spain - at the other. In fact, the most important necropolis outside Rome
lies on Carmona’ outskirts.
Once inside the buge wooden doors, one realizes this casa is something
quite special, with an essence shaped by time and mood infused
by the setting.
It was from Carmona that Queen Isabella
launched her second conquest of Granada in 1492, and King Felipe IV gave it the title of
city. Protected over the centuries as a "crown city", Carmona escaped the
tyrannies of feudal lords, allowing it to develop a goodly number of churches and
convents, as well as its share of fine homes and places. That it has been largely
overlooked by tourists has anabled it to retain a somnambulant and serene elegance.
Such is the story of the Casa Palacio, Casa de Carmona. Although a considerable part
of the buiding date to the sixteenth century, construction actually began a hundred
years earlier, and for more than half a millemiun, the splendid palace was home to the
aristocratic Lasso de la Vega dynasty. As with many such families, their fortunes
waned, and eventually the once grand edifice was left to crumble.
Houses, how ever, have an amazing way
of surviving history’s inequities, and, some fifteen years ago, a member of another
prominent Andalucian family came to rescue this damsel in distress. Doña Marta
Medina had a vision of how the palace could de restored to its former grandeur by
transformig the structure into a small luxury hotel. Overseeing every aspect of the
five-year-long restoration, and unwilling to sacrifice comfort for style, the
aristocratic owner ensured that modern conveniences would be subtly incorporated,
while preserving original details dating to the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenht
centuries. This entailed, for example, the concealment of air conditioners behind
mouldings and trellis work, and the use of antique closets to discreetly hide safes
and minibars in guest rooms.
But the establishment’s pleasures go
beyond its architecture and antiquity. Upon arrival, visitors may be surprised by the
Casa’s unimpressive exterior, the lack of heraldic sings to announce its presence
in the Plaza de Lasso. It is only when inside the huge studded wooden doors with
brass medallions that one realizes this is something quite special, something quite
romantic. It begins with an essence shaped by time, a mood infused by the setting. The
sunwarmed tones of terracotta cast their rosy glow everywhere, from the herringbone
brick patio, to the barrel-vaulted ceiling created by the colonnaded Moorish arches
of the courtyard, to the fuente (fountain) in the niche of a stuccoed wall, to
the host of clay pots sprouting miniature bushes. An abundance of wicker studs the
cloistered space, an invitation to laze in shaded confort over a drink. Classic statuary
at the end of garden walks beg investigation; tall windows protected by wrought iron
hint of rendezvous. And in the stillness of the afternoon, the only sound heard is water
burbling from a tiny fountain in the midst of a cluster of orange trees that scent the
air. Other delights are the diminutive Arabic garden off the Loggia, a lofty space
simply furnished with cane chairs and metal tables; glass doors open onto stepts leading
to a narrow swimmming pool with water cascading from five fountains at its curved head.
The entire scene is pure bliss, desire fulfilled.
In addition to beging the catalyst for all
this glory, Doña Medina is an inveterate and well-traveled collector. Her impeccable
eye is responsible for the decor of the public areas as well the thirty-two guest rooms,
tastefully appointed with the fine trappings she either has inherited or acquired from
antiques shops in Madrid, London and Paris.
In the Chess Room, Aubusson and Oriental rugs
overlay the floors, and rich tapestries and damasks drape windows and cover cushy settees.
Delicately scrolled chairs are arranged in intimate groupings, and a scattering of accasional
tables display an eclectic clutter of bibelots. Books, small pictures, table lamps, a bowl of
flowers, a decorative pair of columns flanking a Rococo gilt mirror - all these lend the
common room an ambience that speaks of a gentle privileged world, as does the Library, whose
rich red-toned walls are covered with fine prints from floor to ceiling.
Wrought iron balconies that form a second tier
above the coutyard lead to guest room equally endwed with an inviting, lived-in look. In
Spain, twin-bedded rooms are commond, so it necessary to request a "matromonial".
There are thrirty double rooms in all, eighteen of which are deluxe, and the Gran Suite.
They are equipped with minibars,satellite television, and all the amenities. Those seeking
the apex of luxury will enjoy the Grand Suite - two bedrooms with a central living room which
displays ancestral portraits, as well as those of Doña Mata Medina’s children. The mix
is deliberate - the idea is to retain the family atmosphre usually absent in hotels.
One would expect the Casa de Carmona to boast
an excellent restaurant, and it does not disappoint. Arches and columns extend through the
center of the dinning room, frescoes of white horses adorn the walls, and elegant furnishings
and place settings create an unusual yet comfortable environment. The menu, which changes four
times a year, may consist of such starters as white cream of almonds with balls of mango and
apple or marrow-and-prawn pie, perhaps followed by a mouthwatering selection of fish or meat.
The chef will prepare a dish upon request, providing that the necessary ingredients are at hand.
Meals here are reasonably priced, but as Old-World discretion is the order of the day, unless
otherwise advised, ladies at the table will be given menus with the prices omitted.
Service and courtesy are what make the hotel
truly memorable. Life is made easy from the moment of arrival, when one is relieved of
both car and luggage. A concierge accompanies guests to their rooms and advises them on the
workings of the lights, television, and telephone. Chambermaids unpack suitcases, if desired,
and attend to laundry. Shoes left outside the door are returned polished the following
morning.
The Casa de Carmona is ideally located only
minutes from Seville’s international airport and high-speed train to Madrid, while the
beaches of Doñana National Park are an hour’s drive away. It is an ideal base from
which to discover the quiet charms of Carmona, the sights of bustling Seville, and the
numerous nearby cities, towns, and enchanting attractions of historic Andalucía.
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