Picking a hotel in Istanbul
Witt Istanbul Suites
The 18 contemporary and spacious suites contain modern kitchenettes with walls of mirrored tiles, grey marble bathrooms with indulgent five-headed showers (and Molton Brown products), and large, comfortable beds.
The House Hotel Galatasaray
The first hotel project from the owners of Istanbul’s trendy House Café chain turned a dilapidated 19th century building in historic Çukurcuma into a design buff’s dream.
The House Hotel Bosphorus
Istanbul’s dynamic House team's latest venture has transformed a 19th century waterfront mansion in cosmopolitan Ortaköy – where a bevy of restaurants, bars and clubs sit alongside a magnificent neo-Baroque mosque – into...more
Sumahan on the Water
The building dates from 1875 and was derelict before being sensitively restored by its Turkish-American owner-architects, who’ve used its inbuilt industrial chic to great effect. Exposed brickwork, stone walls and steel ...more
Sirkeci Konak
The family-run hotel is big on local character: traditional hanging brass lamps, carved wooden beds, original artwork and brightly-coloured kilims, and an open-air terrace overlooks Gülhane Park, a green oasis from the h...more
Hotel Ibrahim Pasha
The rooms and public spaces are an artful blend of Ottoman opulence and contemporary cool, with bedrooms decked out with ornate bed covers and traditional Turkish carpets on the polished wooden floors.
Hotel Empress Zoe
Made up of five separate Ottoman-style houses, it’s a warren of charming rooms reached by a narrow spiral staircase, hidden courtyards and terraces. And there’s no mistaking where you are, from the colourful kilims that ...more
Pera Palace Hotel
Opened in 1892, it was the last stop on the Orient Express with guests as diverse as Greta Garbo, Ernest Hemingway and Agatha Christie. Now, after a multi-million dollar renovation, it’s been returned to its former glory...more
Four Seasons Sultanahmet
From sadistic guards a la Midnight Express to personal butlers that cater to your every whim, much has changed in this grand building. Where inmates once were held in horrific conditions now willing captives are pampered...more
Çırağan Palace Kempinski
It’s the most indulgent experience in the city – but one that's worth every penny. Located on the shores of the Bosphorus, Kempinski ingeniously restored the grand Çırağan Palace – a former residence of Ottoman Sultans -...more
A'jia Hotel
This off-the-beaten track yali – a waterfront Ottoman mansion – in the Bosphorus village of Kanlica dates from 1876. By turns an army barracks, private residence and a primary school, it is now an ultra-modern boutique h...more
Liked this article? Let your friends know about it