This Resort in Turkey Was Named One of the Best New Hotels in the World by T+L Editors — With Some of the Best Views in Istanbul

As travelers return to Turkey, The Peninsula Istanbul is becoming one of the most coveted places to stay, with a forthcoming restaurant by the chef behind Michelin two-starred Turk.

Turkey has not had an easy go at rebuilding its tourism industry. What was once a favorite destination among foreign visitors, thanks to its history, architecture, glistening Mediterranean coastlines, and delicious culinary heritage, Turkey spent the years leading up to the pandemic trying to shake off social and political unrest that significantly slowed incoming leisure travel. And a promising post-lockdown resurgence, thanks to brand-new infrastructure (like a shiny airport and cruise terminal in Istanbul, plus exciting beach clubs in Bodrum) was halted when an earthquake hit the eastern part of the country, along the border with Syria, in February.

However, many of the destinations tourists would visit are also thousands of kilometers away from where the earthquake took place. If Istanbul’s seductive siren song is calling to you, then there is no better place to get acquainted with Turkey as a cultural powerhouse than the newly opened Peninsula Istanbul. The hotel, which was recently named one of the best new hotels in the world by Travel + Leisure editors, is spread across four buildings along the shores of the Bosphorus.

Erecting a luxury hotel on the banks of this fabled waterway isn’t rocket science. Between the silvery glisten of its surface and the only-in-Istanbul atmosphere you get from the hordes who gather around it at all hours of the day (to commute, to picnic, to people-watch), the Bosphorus is prime real estate. But The Peninsula Istanbul oriented its entire operation toward this very important strait for one compelling reason: the views. From the windows and balconies of the hotel's 177 rooms, you get to stare at the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia and their skyscraping minarets, the fairy-tale-like towers of Topkapi Palace, and the imposing domes of Süleymaniye Mosque. Yes, there are many other fabulous accommodations along the water, but they're hard-pressed to top these views.

It’s no surprise that, for designer Zeynep Fadillioglu, the world’s first female mosque designer who worked on the Şakirin Mosque in 2009, the Bosphorus was also a source of immense inspiration. “Our design intends to align with the contextual frame of the Bosphorus,” she says of Peninsula Istanbul’s interiors. “Standing amidst the heritage around the Bosphorus gives you this feeling of an energy shift of the urban life in this very location.”

For a hotel that occupies four distinct buildings (three historic towers plus a glossy new build), creating a cohesive hospitality experience does come down to design — of course, being that this is a Peninsula, peerless service is to be expected. “Everything is connected through the continuity of a certain level of detailing, materials, and textures,” Fadillioglu explains. “In this way, we keep a sense of surprise for the guests while maintaining a sense of identity for the entire hotel.” She likens the visual experience here to four homes belonging to one storied, affluent family. Yes, the buildings have their own histories, but they are all trying to tell a cohesive story.

The main lobby, which hosts the more casual of the hotel’s two restaurants, is housed in a Bauhaus building that was once part of a ferry terminal. Its soaring height is made more opulent by gorgeous stained-glass details throughout (including the ceiling itself), plus gilded oversized pendant chandeliers and lots of dark wood surfaces — all three are details that show up again and again in other spaces. And for prime people-watching, head to the mezzanine to watch Istanbul’s well-heeled come in for Champagne-fueled afternoon tea.

Because the 177 rooms are stuffed into four different buildings, your mileage in terms of shape, size, and even view will vary (and as such, there are numerous room categories). Fadillioglu and her team layered consistent Turkish-inspired design flourishes onto Peninsula’s standard guest room experience. (The in-room tech is especially foolproof, including the plethora of charging stations plus the clever valet closet right by the door, where staff will drop stuff off so you’re not disturbed.) Rooms are given a decidedly Turkish touch, but not in any way that feels gimmicky — this is really where a quiet luxury take on Turkish, Ottoman, and Byzantine opulence comes in. You’ve got kilim-style carpets, Marmara marble for days, inlay marquetry with mother-of-pearl, embroidered damask curtains, and sliding doors with stained-glass panels created by Orhan Koçan. Istanbul-based parfumerie Nishane was called upon to create the hotel’s signature scent: a citrusy fragrance that leads with notes of fig and is meant to gently remind you of Turkey.

Of your lodging options, the showpiece is easily the two-level 5,920-square-foot Peninsula Suite, which comes with its own hammam, gym, and rooftop swimming pool. But even if you did end up booking the palatial suite, a trip to the spa is a must. The austerity of the all-white hammam is not without its own decadence thanks to the nearly all-marble construction. And the 82-foot indoor swimming pool is flanked by Marmara columns and lit by illuminated overhead domes that might remind you of mini mosque ceilings.

There are plenty of outdoor spaces, too, like fragrant gardens by landscape architect Enzo Enea. (An herb garden is growing as we speak and will be further activated with yoga and other fitness classes.) There’s an outdoor pool overlooking the Golden Horn,  but if you want to get into the Bosphorus, you’ll have to wait a bit: the hotel is in the process of getting its own boats built. They’ll whisk guests away on bespoke sailing tours of the city. Gallada, the indoor-outdoor rooftop serving Turkish Asian food from celebrated chef Fatih Tutak (his restaurant, Turk, is the only kitchen in Istanbul that's been awarded with two Michelin stars) opens in July. Once open, everyone in town will be clamoring for a reservation. Admission alone might even be worth the trip to Istanbul if you’re not local.

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