When it comes to pedigree and location, it’s difficult to trump the new Hagia Sophia Mansions in Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet quarter.
The British interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard has parlayed his penchant for Middle-Eastern exoticism, geometric patterns and lush fabrics into a 21st-century pasha’s pleasure dome.
Located on the edge of the Topkapi palace, the hotel comprises a sweep of richly textured 75 rooms and a private villa that were carved out of a cluster of Ottoman ambassadors’ homes. The illusion of Arabian Nights romanticism is reinforced by a number of conceits, not least reflecting water pools, chandeliers, brass lanterns and Ottoman-inspired wallpaper to go with the hand-carved beds and mini-hammam in each bathroom.
And if the views of the Topkapi or the Blue Mosque aren’t sufficiently thrilling, the subterranean spa earns extra points for its atmospheric setting in an original Roman aqueduct, as does the house restaurant Sarnic, which is inserted into a cavernous 1,500-year-old water cistern.
ADDRESS
Cankurtaran Mh., Kabasakal Cd. No. 5
-
This surreal new seafood restaurant in LA is the stuff of mermaid's dreamsAt Cento Raw Bar, delectable fare is complemented by playful, oceanic interiors by Brandon Miradi
-
What’s new in the wearable world of smart glasses, and extended and augmented realityAre you ready for AR? Meta, Google, Snap and more are gearing up to compete with Apple and deliver frames-based communications devices – complete with AI integration
-
Italian-Japanese fusion’s a joy at east London’s Osteria AngelinaA Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields has been given a slick modern makeover to house a unique Italian-Japanese restaurant
-
Sun-soaked European destinations to visit in springDreaming of Florentine palazzos and Greek islands now that the weather is starting to turn? Check into one of these beautiful European hotels and holiday homes
-
Turkish Airlines reveals its flowy new Crystal Business Class cabinsLuxury is in the air as Turkish Airlines pulls back the curtain on its anticipated new Crystal Business Class cabins
-
A wellbeing temple and ocean-side apartments: Scorpios brings its downtempo scene to the Turkish RivieraBeach club Scorpios opens its new Bodrum outpost, including the brand’s first accommodation offering, with Mexican-Mediterranean interiors
-
Istanbul’s Arkestra serves Michelin-starred dishes and three kinds of funArkestra is a one-of-a-kind and three-in-one Istanbul restaurant by chef Cenk Debensason and entrepreneur Debora Ipekel
-
Birdcage 33 opens with simplicity and elegance, perched on the Turkish RivieraBodrum welcomes Birdcage 33, a cool boutique hotel, to its Aegean coastline
-
Turkey’s Bodrum Loft hotel turns sculpture park this summerBodrum Loft hotel hosts artworks by Takashi Murakami, Daniel Arsham, Jean-Michel Othoniel and more in collaboration with Perrotin and consultancy Artsa
-
Visit Istanbul’s architectural gems, best restaurants and a historic bathhouseWhat to see and do in Istanbul – from restored architectural treasures to an experimental cocktail bar, a luxurious Turkish bath, and the city’s best kebabs
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
