From the candyfloss froth of the reception, to the crisp confines of the breakfast area and the sensual elegance of the 47 suites, the latest Room Mate hotel is a light-flooded study in contemporary chic; cool but also romantic.
Credit Lázaro Rosa Violán, whose total remodelling of this period property honours Istanbul’s cosmopolitan past by retaining painted ceilings, parquet floors and exposed brickwork but brings it firmly into today with a mix of mid-Century flourishes, strategically-placed mirrors, lovingly-crafted woodwork and ultra-contemporary furnishings.
Skip over the chain’s mildly mortifying Alt-AirB&B notion that each of its 22 hotels is the embodiment of an actual person (guests booking online for Istanbul are greeted by plaid-shirt pretty boy, Emir) for what founder Enrique Sarasola has pulled off – affordable, stylish properties in central locations – is genius.
It’s the hotel equivalent of an Uterqüe. Or a Zara. Little wonder that Inditex heiress Sandra Ortega holds shares.
ADDRESS
Kuloğlu Mahallesi, Sadri Alışık Sokak 33
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Brunello Cucinelli’s festive takeover of Harrods turns the department store into a cashmere wonderlandUnveiled this morning, the Umbrian fashion house has taken over the store’s iconic Brompton Road windows, celebrating the spirit of its home town of Solomeo in fantastical fashion
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Each mundane object tells a story at Pace’s tribute to the everydayIn a group exhibition, ‘Monument to the Unimportant’, artists give the seemingly insignificant – from discarded clothes to weeds in cracks – a longer look
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Discover The Legacy, Hong Kong’s eye-catching new condoThe Legacy, by ACPV Architects Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, is a striking new condo tower that aims to ‘create a sense of community and solidarity among people’
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Birdcage 33 opens with simplicity and elegance, perched on the Turkish RivieraBodrum welcomes Birdcage 33, a cool boutique hotel, to its Aegean coastline
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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
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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
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Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
