Hospedería Palacio de los Guzmanes

The Hospedería Palacio de los Guzmanes is nine rooms inside the palace of the Dukes of Medina Sidonia, on Plaza Conde de Niebla, in Sanlúcar's Barrio Alto, next to the main church of Nuestra Señora de la O. It is run by the Fundación Casa de Medina Sidonia, which maintains the palace, its archive and its gardens. Sleeping here is sleeping inside a monument: the building began to take shape in 1424, when Enrique de Guzmán, 2nd Count of Niebla, bought some houses at the old Postigo de la Mar.

Nine rooms named after lordships

Each room is named after a title or lordship that ended up in the House of Medina Sidonia: Medina Sidonia, Villafranca, Vélez, Montalto, Bivona, Sclafana, Colisano, Calatanixeta, Caltavuturu. On each page the foundation tells the story of that lineage. There are doubles, a junior suite and suites. The Vélez double, for example, starts from €110 a night including VAT and breakfast; the suites cost more. They have air conditioning, and parking is free, something unusual in the Barrio Alto.

Breakfast is included and is served in the dining room or, if you ask, in the room at no extra cost. One extra bed per room can be added, at €50 a day. Check-out is before 12:00. Bookings are made by telephone, on 956 360 161, by email at [email protected] or with the form on its website; the foundation replies with availability.

The palace, the gardens and the café

Guests get into the guided visit to the Palace of the Dukes of Medina Sidonia free, which is given by foundation volunteers and takes in rooms with the house's artistic heritage and furniture. The palace gardens can be seen from the terraces; to walk round them you need to arrange an appointment. Inside the palace is the Guzmán el Bueno café. In the same building is the foundation's General Archive, with more than 6,300 bundles from the houses that governed these lordships.

The Barrio Alto on foot

From the door you can walk to Santiago Castle, the Barbadillo cellars and El Espejo, on Calle Caballeros. For a prawn dinner, Bajo de Guía is down towards the river.

With a dog, check first: the foundation does not publish its pet policy.