Situated on the Bosphorus Strait on the European side of the Golden Horn, The Peninsula Istanbul is a show-stopper. This is the type of hotel where HRH types like to stay. When I stayed at the Karaköy area hotel in November, the luxurious amenities, world-class food, impeccable service, and rooms with sweeping views made me feel like a queen.
What Makes The Peninsula Istanbul Special
Opened in early 2023, the 177-room and suite hotel comprises four separate buildings. Three are historic. The Peninsula Istanbul is located on the site of a former ferry terminal. It has two Beaux-Arts structures that were offices for the ferry company and a main 1930s building that was the passenger terminal. Plus, there’s a contemporary space for meetings and various events.
While Istanbul offers many hotel options, from business to funky, The Peninsula Istanbul is in a class of its own.
I entered the main building where the lobby and check-in counter were situated. A plush quietude greeted me. At reception I was directed to my room in building 3, one of the Beaux-Arts beauties. Walking through a connecting hallway, I pushed open a polished wooden door to a set of elevators and was whisked up to the third floor.
Rooms with a View
My Deluxe Bosphorus room was more like a small apartment. Incredibly spacious, it had a walk-in wood-and-glass dressing room complete with vanity. The Marmara marble bathroom had a separate soaking tub and shower enclosure. I was especially impressed with its’ mother-of-pearl floor tiles and Japanese toilet with a warmed seat.
A hot cup of Turkish tea waited for me by the sitting area overlooking the Bosphorous. A thick kilim-inspired carpet was underfoot and eclectic modern Turkish artwork hung on the walls.
Leaning back on my King bed, I gazed through the floor-to-ceiling window and watched ferries and pleasure boats zipping through the choppy water.
The Deluxe Bosphorus rooms are split between two of the heritage waterfront buildings. Depending on the building their styles differ a bit. Some have garden terraces.
The hotel also offers smaller Superior rooms, with either Bosphorus or neighborhood views. Larger Grand Deluxe Bosphorus rooms have terraces and/or balconies. A variety of suites are available with separate living rooms, dining areas, and gardens.
Complimentary Wi-Fi is available. Rooms feature coffee makers, mini-fridges with minibars, flatscreen TV, and on-demand movies. Bedside touchscreen controls for lighting, temperature, and window treatments. PenChat is the hotel’s 24-hour e-concierge service.
Elegant Dining Indulgences
The Lobby restaurant maintains the building’s original Art Deco design. It offers all-day Mediterranean fare and a Signature Peninsula Afternoon Tea. I indulged in the outstanding Sunday brunch, which included Turkish and International fare. The breakfast egg station featured a variety of Hollandaise items. Different meats were grilled to order. There was a seafood station (including lobster flown in from Maine), sushi, and oodles of bread, cheeses, pastries, and desserts.
Dinner can be had at Gallada. The rooftop restaurant serves Silk Road flavors of Türkiye, Central Asia, and China.
Tucked into the second floor of the main building is the Topside Bar. It’s a great place for cocktails and small bites. I loved its vintage grand yacht décor.
When the weather warms, there’s also the Abelia Pool bar where you can sit outside near the pool and enjoy a beverage and snack.
On-Site at The Peninsula Istanbul
The Peninsula Istanbul has a private boat dock (of course it does!), not to mention a heated outdoor swimming pool. There’s also an indoor pool, 24-hour fitness facility, and spa with hammam and tea lounge. In addition, you can watch well-loved kitties play in the waterside gardens. I noticed that in building 3 there’s a rooftop garden. Unfortunately, it was closed during my stay.
- Buy Travel Insurance
- Get a Car Rental
- Search for Great Tours HERE
Easy Access to the City’s Iconic Attractions
For guided experiences, you can sign up with The Peninsula Academy. This is a signature concept created by the hotel brand. The tours reflect local heritage, lifestyle, cuisine, and the arts. The Peninsula Istanbul had a few listed when I was there. These included a tour of Ottoman Art and a James Bond tour featuring sites seen in “From Russia With Love.”
The hotel’s location makes it a breeze to access some of the city’s most renowned sites. I was pleased to find that the Galata Tower, Hagia Sophia, and Blue Mosque were nearby in Old Istanbul. Plus, I could walk to the Grand Bazar and Spice Market. They were over the Galata Bridge and around two kilometers from the hotel.
What you can find in the Karaköy Neighborhood
Walking around Karaköy, I found a vibrant neighborhood filled with high-end boutiques, big-name brands, and restaurants. These ranged from streetside stands offering delicious fish wraps, to high-end restaurants. And Liman was one I tried with amazing traditional Turkish dishes.
Local shopkeepers told me the historic area, originally settled by the Genoese in the 12th century, had been badly neglected for years. But, it had undergone a revitalization in the last 10 years. Now it was one of the city’s hippest spots to hang out.
The Karaöy waterside promenade butts up to the hotel gates and passes by Istanbul Modern art gallery. As a well-used walkway, I noticed it was a favorite place to stroll for city dwellers and tourists alike.
The area often hosts free outdoor performances. Plus, it is home to the Galataport Istanbul cruise port, which opened in 2021. It’s a cruise terminal like no other I have ever seen. Passengers disembark from their ships and go through special hatches that lead to halls below ground. Here they enter customs stations. After processing they are picked up in underground transportation hub where buses then zip them off to land excursions. When there is no ship berthed at the port the hatches close up. The promenade is again open to the public and you’d never know what was below you.
Rates at The Peninsula Istanbul
A Superior Room starts at around $530 per night and a Deluxe Bosphorus room starts at $800 per night. A Grand Deluxe Bosphorus room starts at $900 per night. Suites range from $1,270 to $6,350 a night.
Hotel feature by Toronto-based travel writer Maureen Littlejohn. Photos © Maureen Littlejohn. The Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency arranged for her stay as she researched a larger piece. As always, her thoughts and opinions are her own.
