Mandarin Oriental Will Open Luxurious Waterfront Hotel On The Bosphorus In Istanbul

 Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has signed an agreement to manage a luxurious hotel in Istanbul, Turkey. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2016. With Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Istanbul will enjoy a prime waterfront location on the banks of the famed strait, in the area of Beşiktaş, one of the city’s oldest and most vibrant neighborhoods. Ideally located for leisure and business travellers, the hotel will be situated close to Istanbul’s financial district as well as many of the city’s famous historical sites such as the Dolmabahçe Palace and Barbarossa’s mausoleum.

The property will feature approximately 130 spacious guestrooms and suites, with expansive outdoor terraces designed to take full advantage the hotel’s panoramic vistas of the Bosphorus, the historic heart of the city and the surrounding green hills.

Designed to become one of the city’s most luxurious properties, the hotel will offer guests and local clientele a wide variety of innovative restaurants and bars with al fresco waterside dining available at many of the outlets. The hotel will also offer expansive banqueting facilities, including a spacious Ballroom and further function rooms ideal for stylish social and business events.

Setting a new standard for holistic wellbeing in the city, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental will offer a choice of deluxe VIP treatment suites, where guests can enjoy Mandarin Oriental’s award winning signature programmes and therapies as well as specifically developed treatments inspired by local traditions.

The Spa will also feature extensive beauty treatments, a Tea Lounge and generous heat and water areas. An indoor swimming pool, large fitness centre with top of the range equipment, as well as a meditation room, will further enhance the hotel’s leisure facilities.

The owner and developer of the project is Astaş Real Estate Investments and Tourism A.Ş, which is also developing Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum, Turkey, currently scheduled to open in 2014.

Bosphorus Istanbul, Turkey

Edouard Ettedgui, Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental said, “We look forward to introducing Mandarin Oriental’s renowned 21st century luxury with oriental charm to Istanbul. The spectacular location of Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Istanbul, underpinned by our Group’s core strengths of design and architecture, holistic spas, innovative dining and legendary service will position the hotel as the most luxurious in this exciting city. It will also perfectly complement our superb resort currently under development on the waterfront in Bodrum.”

“We are delighted to be working with Mandarin Oriental on creating what is set to be the most sophisticated hotel in Istanbul. Mandarin Oriental’s position as one of the world’s leading hotel operators, as well as the Group’s reputation for excellence, matches our vision for this truly stunning site on the banks of the Bosphorus, with its unique location between both Asia and Europe” said Vedat Aşci, Chairman of Astaş Real Estate Investments and Tourism A.Ş.

Straddled between Europe and Asia and steeped in history, Istanbul is considered one of the world’s most exciting destinations. Celebrated as a crossroad between East and West for centuries, the city, which was once known as Constantinople, served as the capital of the Byzantine and then the Ottoman Empire. Istanbul is Turkey’s financial and commercial centre and the city’s colourful history and culture, combined with its stunning setting on the Bosphorus, makes it a unique destination for international travellers.

Holidays to Turkey Villas Now Offered by Solmar

Luxury villa holiday specialist Solmar Villas has added villas in Turkey to its choice of European destinations – just in time for summer.

Holidaymakers can now choose from a number of holidays to Turkey, in luxury villas, in some of the best Turkey resorts.

Solmar Villas offers luxury villas in Spain, Italy, Cyprus and Tenerife, private villas in Lanzarote, Malta, Mallorca, and villas in Costa del Sol, Italy, Costa Brava, Algarve and Fuerteventura.

Now, Solmar has added holidays in Turkey to its growing list of destinations. “Turkey is an area of spectacular diversity,” explained Julie Blake, managing director of Solmar Villas. “It is a captivating region, where simplicity and sophistication rub shoulders in everyday life. Such endearing qualities are what make this stunning coastline so special, and what first prompted us to explore this dramatic destination.

Solmar Villas specialises in luxury villa holidays in a range of destinations in mainland Spain, as well as offering villas in Menorca, Mallorca, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. In summer 2013, Solmar Villas added holidays to Turkey to its growing list of destinations. Each luxury villa is hand-picked, and comes with a private pool. Solmar Villas offers a range of villa holiday deals and cheap villa holidays throughout the year.

“Holidays to Turkey can be an educational and eye-opening experience – with rich history dating back thousands of years – or simply a great way to soak up sunshine in stunning surroundings.”

Turkey resorts offer plenty for tourists – with 20 major Lycian sites, including Lycia capital Xanthos, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Tlos, a fortress-topped acropolis offering 360-degree panoramic views of the surrounding Turkish scenery.

For more adventurous holidaymakers, Turkey is also home to the Saklikent Gorge – the second largest gorge in Europe which is scattered with tea rooms and restaurants; the Pinara, an ancient, mountain-top city above the Xanthos valley; and Letoon, a UNESCO heritage site with a Hellenistic theatre, a nymphaeum dating back to Hardian, and a series of Lycian inscriptions.

From June, luxury villa holiday specialist Solmar Villas will offer holidays at up to 25 different villas in Turkey, near popular Turkey resorts like Kalkan, Gocek, Kayakoy, Bodrum and Islamar.

If architecture, artefacts and adventure don’t suit, holidays in Turkey also offer plenty of relaxing activities. From Turkey’s rugged coastline to its stunning scenery, there’s plenty to sit and look at without breaking sweat.

From June, Solmar Villas will offer holidays at up to 25 different villas in Turkey, near popular Turkey resorts like Kalkan, Gocek, Kayakoy, Bodrum and Islamar.

There will be a mix of high-end luxury villas, specially-selected villas and private villas available. The Villa Selda, in Kalkan, is a great example of the type of villa Solmar has looked for in Turkey.

Villa Selda is just 200m from the beach, and offers great views of the surrounding Turkish landscape. The villa itself has contemporary furnishing, floor-to-ceiling glass windows providing a stunning view, and en suite bathrooms.

All Solmar’s Turkey villas will include air conditioning, Wi-Fi, flat screen televisions, satellite, washing machines, dishwashers, full cooking facilities (including barbecue), and are within walking distance of local shops and amenities.

“Our luxury villas in Turkey offer a great way to explore the region, or simply relax and take in its beautiful landscapes,” Julie added.

“We’ve handpicked some of the best Turkey villas, each with a private pool, to ensure your holidays to Turkey are relaxing, stimulating and memorable.”

Four Seasons Hotel at Sultanahmet Istanbul, Turkey

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet may be one of the best places to stay in Istanbul now but in the first half of the century it was indeed one of the worst! This beautiful sunflower yellow, 4-story building with guard towers enclosing an elegant courtyard was once constructed as a jailhouse in 1918/1919, in the last few years of Ottoman Empire. It has a contemporary concept and housed inmates who were awaiting trial or serving brief sentences. The design of the building is Turkish neoclassical style and it was built in the beginning of the "First National Architecture" period. After housing many inmates, including famous Turkish political political dissidents such as communist leaders Mihri Belli and Hikmet Kivilcimli, poets and writers like Nazım Hikmet, Rıfat Ilgaz, Orhan Kemal , Aziz Nesin and Kemal Tahir, the jail was abandoned on January 25, 1969 and has been neglegted until 1992. The building was later renovated and opened in 1996 as a deluxe hotel of the Toronto-based Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts chain and is now one of the best hotels in Istanbul.

The hotel, which has just 65 bright and comfortable guest rooms and suites, it feels like a luxury and warm boutique hotel although it is a part of a large luxury hotel chain. Four Seasons Hotel at Sultanahmet is very centrally located in old city and is walking distance away from Istanbul's main tourist attractions like Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia,  Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace and offers great walks through the old city.  Hotel is famous for its rooftop bar called St. Sophia Terrace which has a stunning view of old Istanbul, its Ottoman cuisine at Seasons Restaurant.

Four Seasons Hotel at Sultanahmet Rooftop Bar (Hagia Sophia behind) - Source : luxecityguides.com

The only problem is that this hotel, with its price in the range of 800+ USD per night, is quite an expensive place to stay although it will save some taxi money and significant time for leisure tourists. And there is no swimming pool in the hotel. which may not a problem in winter but a quite nice to have in hot Istanbul summers.

Sultanahmet is the old city center and is home to many historic sightseeing of Istanbul. There are many hotels in Sultanahmet catering tourists but you can also choose to look at hotels in Bosphorus, which has a great view especially in spring.

You can check the room prices and availability in Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet here:

Other hotels in Istanbul Sultanahmet (old city) and Istanbul

Hotels in Sultanahmet	... Bosphorus	... and other 5-Star hotels in Istanbul