Between Orient and Occident: Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul
In a prime location, between the Dolmabahçe Palace and the Naval Museum, this (hotel) jewel is situated directly on the Bosphorus, and while the strait that gives it its name may separate the two continents, the Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul, knows how to blur the boundaries. An approach that has a long tradition throughout. The multinational company, founded in 1971, filters the best of both cultures into the luxury house in Istanbul, which opened in 2013, and stands for luxury in the upper class with its branches all over the world.
The nearby palace, for example, was used as inspiration for the lobby, which is decorated with marble and opulent chandeliers, while the interior of the 163 rooms and 23 suites shines with European restraint and is kept in warm blue and grey tones. The emphasis is on understatement, and because the hotel chain itself makes little fuss about it, it is left to us at this point to rave about the 1000 works of art by European and Asian artists that nonchalantly decorate the rooms.
The hotel also comes up trumps in other respects: The largest suite occupies a proud 366 square metres on the top floor and offers an incomparable view over the city. The hotel is distinguished by its sophisticated gastronomic offerings, from award-winning Cantonese cuisine to delicious Turkish and Istanbul cuisine, reflecting Istanbul's rich cultural heritage, while the spa is an oasis of calm in the bustling heart of the city. An experience in itself, the stay can be crowned by various activities: so if you want to be chauffeured around the city in a Rolls-Royce "Ghost", this is the place to be. The "Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul" is a place of superlatives in a city of contrasts that can be so masterfully combined despite all the differences.
