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Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet
TurkeyEurope
Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet
Tevkifhane Sokak 1
Sultanahmet-Eminönü
Istanbul, Turkey
Tel: +90-212-638-8200
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65 rooms
The Experience
Located within praying distance of both the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia, the Four Seasons Istanbul is set in the former neoclassical Sultanhamet prison—once filled with antigovernment intellectuals and Kurdish separatists—whose neoclassical facade, airy courtyard and heavy stone walls now house a different breed of visitor. Opened in 1996, the bijoux Four Seasons may lack prime Bosporus views, but its pristine Old City location oozes with Ottoman-era atmosphere. This is the only luxury hotel in Sultanhamet, a storied alternative to the five-star palaces just 20 minutes by taxi to Istanbul's commercial core.
The Rooms
Like the hotel itself, the Four Seasons' rooms are all about Sultanhamet's Ottoman-era charm. Its interiors are filled with high-quality local furnishings—from delicate wall tapestries and handwoven kilims, to traditional pottery and original art and photography by Turkish artists. All include marble baths of almost equal grandeur. Standard rooms face the local street scene outside, while the more deluxe fourth-floor rooms and suites face the verdant inner courtyard or the iconic Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, whose calls to prayer may wake you up in the morning.
The Service
It may be among the brand's smallest hotels, but the Four Seasons is always spot-on, with service truly fit for a pasha—a rarity even among the city's luxury leaders. From the doorman to the breakfast server, the entire staff somehow remembers names, nationalities and even favorite cocktails.
The Highlights
A spa—though sadly not a swimming pool—was finally added in 2004 and though tiny, renders a near-complete luxury experience truly complete, with offerings like Balinese massage and aromatherapy. Seasons--the hotel's sole restaurant—is spread between a glass-enclosed courtyard and al fresco terrace. Its Sunday brunch may seem out of place with the call to prayers, but it's become a must for hotel guests as well as the entire Istanbul elite.
