La Gitanilla Alojamiento & Encanto Jerez — Hotel in Jerez

Situated in a quiet street and set back a little from the more commercialised old town centre. It only takes a few pleasant minutes to get into the action and along the way, you get to explore some well presented and quiet thoroughfares with loads of photo opportunities. ||La Gitanilla is also very close to the Cathedral and Alcazar, which both merit a visit. ||Virginia and her excellent team, made us very welcome indeed, took care of the bags and introduced us to the ‘honesty bar’ which, though we only used it for water/milk, has all the stuff you need if you’re short of wine, snacks etc. what a good way of doing things.||There are no ‘house rules’ as such, but they do ask that you keep the noise down between 11pm and 8am, which suited us just fine. You’d never know there were other people staying here unless you bump into them at breakfast, which is served on the rooftop terrace. It’s continental, but more than enough choice to set you up for the day.||The desk is not staffed 24 hours, but there are people about for all the main times of the day. There is key access to the foyer, so guests can come and go as they please.||The hotel itself is wonderfully furnished and decorated in the public area and in the rooms. Lots of variety and plenty of attractive/quirky touches. A little boho, but in a great way. ||Our previous stop in Seville was in a privately managed apartment in Seville, which cost twice as much as La Gitanilla and had a fraction of the atmosphere, no views and nowhere to sit and enjoy the sun. It also employed staff who had zero charisma and no idea of what decent customer service looks like. Virginia’s view of the world is supremely different - you can’t help but appreciate her warm and engaging manner and this has visibly influenced the rest of the team.||You could say that we stumbled upon this place but if so, what a happy accident it was and yes, we have every intention...

This property is exactly the boutique hotel I hoped to stay at in Jerez. The location in the historic old town is perfect walking distance from the Cathedral, Hamam, several bodegas, and Plaza Plateros, which is where I spent the majority of my time lounging and people-watching at the cafes, tobancos, and fine restaurants in the area. Virginia's recommendations for food, wine, and sightseeing in the old town and greater region were all spectacular, and those locations are all places I would recommend to others.

Her hospitality, and that of everyone at the property, was perfect for what I wanted: a week to unplug, disconnect, and explore all the old town had to offer. The honesty bar was refreshing and convenient, and the vibe was quiet and communal. The no-TV approach is something I can get behind; more properties should do this, and the Wi-Fi was strong enough for a 30-minute Zoom meeting on the rooftop terrace with a view of the cathedral.

Parking is available at an underground around the corner, but it's a tight squeeze for an SUV, so if you like to roll with big wheels, keep that in mind; this is an old historic zone, not Orlando. I was lucky enough to experience Carnival here, which is unique and very different from what I saw in Cadiz, which has its charm.

The municipality is still mostly comprised of Spaniards, which made the experience so much more fun, and the vibe almost always feels hyper-local and authentic in a way you cannot capture in most urban areas of Spain anymore, which is understandable. Most of Spain is fantastic.

I initially thought a week in Jerez may be too long, but it's possible it wasn't long enough. I recommend this property, and I...

We were only in Jerez for one night, and it was incredible. From the beginning, Virginia was responsive and helpful, answering my pre-arrival inquiries promptly. She greeted us personally upon our arrival and knowing we only had one evening, made reservations for a private sherry tour and a tapas dinner with a Flamenco show. Both were within walking distance to La Gitanilla allowing us the opportunity to see more of Jerez. Our room was impeccable and well appointed. We reserved the superior double and loved the size of the room, the décor and the original exterior balconies overlooking the cobblestone street. The photos on the website do not lie, the rooms are around an impeccable central open space and the roof top deck has incredible views of the cathedral. This is where breakfast is served, a calm oasis before beginning your day. The continental breakfast choices were endless. Virginia is the perfect hostess. She is thoughtful ( she surprised us with a mini split of cava to celebrate our wedding anniversary), friendly, cares deeply for her guests’ comfort and is passionate about her La Gitanilla. We immediately felt at home. Upon check out, Virginia allowed us to keep the parking spot a few hours longer so we could explore more of Jerez before leaving. Jerez and Virginia enchanted us and we will be back to soak in more of Virginia’s hospitality and Jerez’s charm. This was the highlight of our 7 days in Spain! Virginia, thank you...