Safety / Propriety of Airbnb in Spain w kids

I never stay in hotels, always renting accommodation (through Booking.com, VRBO and Trip Advisor, not Airbnb) and I have never felt the need for a doorman. Very few places are going to have this facility.

Seville and Granada are generally safe, although like anywhere, avoid dark alleys etc at night.

We’ve stayed in many Airbnb’s but never seen one with a doorman. Occasionally the owners live in the same building (in the apartment upstairs, for example) which may be something you want to help you feel more secure. But in all honesty, you are probably safer in either of those cities than in your hometown.

I most often stay in Airbnb's because we are a family of 5 and it is usually more cost effective. I have never investigated location of the Airbnb I choose within a city for safety but instead for what's in that neighborhood. I imagine you could identify the less safe neighborhoods in any city and not stay in those, but I wouldn't ever say any city as a whole is "unsafe". Just take the normal precautions you would anywhere. Plus Spain is such a late-night culture, lots of people will be out and about

You also have to consider the "safety" of a perhaps, unauthorized Airbnb. I don't mean that the owner is a serial killer. I just mean that if Airbnb is restricted (as it is in my NJ suburb ... and lots of others) because of the damage it causes to the local housing market, your planned vacation residence might evaporate just before your trip. Then you'll be paying last-minute pricing for, perhaps, inferior housing.

From my reading at TripAdvisor NYC, this happens in Manhattan every day of the year! I don't know if you care to consider the moral dimensions of using Airbnb:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/why-do-you-like-air-bnb-so-much

The dinner hours in Spain (starting after 9 PM, if not 10 PM, for the locals) mean there are many people out quite late at night. Still, there may be a neighborhood you'd be better off avoiding for lodging. As of 2018 the Lonely Planet guidebook said the Sacramonte neighborhood in Granada was unsafe for solo women, so I'd say that would be an area to avoid unless you take a walking tour that covers that area. I don't remember what, if anything, Rick says about Sacramonte.

Airbnb or other apartment type accommodations are hands down the best option for travel with kids. Especially in Europe where the default is a room for 2 and you can’t have extra people in it. Of course you CAN find rooms for 3-4, but it’s pretty limiting. An apartment also gives more privacy (you have a bedroom(s) and a living room, making things like getting dressed easier). Finally, the ability to store food - cook or just snacks/picnic style stuff. In my experience this is especially helpful in Spain because at least my kids don’t love dinner at 10PM.

So…go with apartments

I always do, and have never had a doorman or anything. These cities are safe, especially in the main tourist areas. Those would be the easiest to stay in, closer to the sights and generally safe. There are safe areas outside the center, of course, but it’s less convenient and also might be harder to find out where is good.
I guess I’ve never worried about safety beyond double checking the locks and such at check-in. You can go to Google street view and look around the area. Perhaps ask the owner what floor the apartment is on and avoid ground floor, just in case? And if it’s very cheap compared to others of similar size in the area, that’s a flag to me. Not necessarily unsafe but…something makes it cheap and I don’t want to find out what!

Finally, if you are really concerned look for “serviced apartments” or “aparthotels”. These are often apartment style rooms with a bit more of a hotel set-up. I don’t know of any specifically in these cities but they might exist.

We had a great time using Airbnbs in Spain and I would highly recommend them for a family (much easier to be able to feed the kids then always searching for a restaurant). I have traveled by myself and with family and always felt safe - I usually choose locations near the historic center since it is easier (and more fun) to walk around and see the beauty. Sevilla downtown felt very safe as did Granada - there are always people out strolling late since they often don't eat until 9-10pm.

Couple of things to note:
1) You can usually get a washer but dryers are very hard to find, especially in the historic parts on the cities. People still hang their laundry or use a drying rack. It can take a couple of days for clothes to dry depending on the type of material, humidity, etc... We only had one rental with a combination washer/dryer in Toledo and it was a pricey Airbnb for ~$240/night. We planned ahead when we were going to do laundry or found a laundromat to use the dryers (something like 3 euros for 15 mins).

2) Building codes must be very different in Europe. Most of the rentals we used had very steep stairways, sometimes slippery steps, and some were without a railing. I definitely remember thinking they would not be good for kids or people with mobility issues. I would contact the owners before renting and inquire about steps, railings, etc.. just to be safe.

HTH,