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Best Hotel Bets
Çiragan Palace (tel. 0212/258-3377; www.ciraganpalace.com): More than just Istanbul's poshest hotel, the Çiragan Palace is a destination in its own right. The grandeur of the lobby -- tinted by light coming through the stained glass and imbued with the fragrance of fresh roses -- hardly prepares you for what's to come. Expect regal gardens, a delicious Bosphorus-side pool, big fluffy beds, and flawless service. Make sure you splurge for that sea view, or all bets are off.
Four Seasons Hotel (tel. 0212/638-8200; www.fourseasons.com): Nothing drives home the magnitude of this hotel's history more than watching a former political prisoner once incarcerated here break down and cry in the hallway. Some original tile and marble details were preserved and reused in the renovation, and you might encounter the rough etchings of an inmate's name in one of the columns. But these days the unqualified opulence and comfort of this grand hotel couldn't be further from its bread-and-water past. The new Four Seasons the Bosphorus (tel. 0212/638-8200) promises the royal treatment -- but without the historic background.
Les Ottomans (tel. 0212/359-1500; www.lesottomans.com): You'll find rooms truly fit for royalty here, if you can get a reservation. Every detail, from the chandeliers, to the salon chairs, to the bedding, is a unique creation that screams "one of a kind." This very personalized nature of the hotel foreshadows the high standard of hospitality.
Sumahan (tel. 0216/422-8000; www.sumahan.com): A traditional hamam is the bonus feature in four of the hotel's rooms, while the rest of them make due with luxurious slate marble bathroom suites. Enough with the bathrooms; the hotel itself is a restored factory for the production of grain alcohol.
Best Place to Pretend You're a Sultan: No expense was spared in creating the sumptuous retreat that is Les Ottomans, Muallim Naci Cad. 68, Kuruçesme (tel. 0212/359-1500; www.lesottomans.com). If Muhzinzade Mehmet Pasa himself were to step into his former residence today, he would feel like he had gotten a promotion.
Best Views from in Bed: Honeymooners can make the most of the ample Bosphorus views at A'jia, Ahmet Rasim Pasa Yalisi, Çubuklu Cad. 27, Kanlica (tel. 0216/413-9300; www.ajiahotel.com), where plush beds face picture windows. The Mezzanine Suite throws in a panoramic bathtub as well.
Best Nostalgic Hotel: Istanbul's leaders of the onward march toward cutting-edge modernity will stand up and take notice when the restoration and preservation of the Pera Palas Hotel, Mesrutiyet Cad. 98-100, Tepebasi (tel. 0212/251-4560; www.perapalas.com), is complete in 2009. The project promises to restore the luster to this 19th-century icon of Istanbul.
Best Trendy Hotel: By the time this guide hits the newsstands, trendy hotels will be more numerous than grains of sand. For now, and tying for first place, are the Misafir Suites, Gazeteci Erol Dernek Sok. 1, Beyoglu (tel. 0212/249-8930; www.misafirsuites.com), an oasis of style and guiltless indulgence, and the Lush Hotel, Siraselviler Cad. 12, Taksim (tel. 0212/243-9595; www.lushhotel.com), with rooms decked out like the downtown studio you wish you had.
Best Bang for Your Buck: Both the Cihangir Hotel, Aslan Yatagi Sok. 17, Cihangir (tel. 0212/251-5317; www.cihangirhotel.com) and the Apricot Hotel, Amiral Tafdil Sok. 18, Sultanahmet (tel. 0212/638-1658; www.apricothotel.com), tie for the best value. The former offers affordable Bosphorus views, while the latter provides the warmth and scale of a bed-and-breakfast in a quiet, historic corner of the Old City.
Best Hotel Restoration: The architects and owners of the Sumahan, Kuleli Cad. 51, Çengelköy (tel. 0216/422-8000; www.sumahan.com), whose very name recalls the property's original use (a grain alcohol distillery), swathed the former factory in marble, and updated it without sacrificing arched windows, the distinctive chimney, its industrial feel, or a sense of indulgence.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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