Gezi Hotel Bosphorus

The place

A slim 17-story tower beside Gezi Park and Taksim Square. Inside, warm wood and mid-century furniture; each of the 67 rooms and suites is finished with a marble bathroom. Some suites open onto a private balcony or terrace, the water stretching uninterrupted below.

Downstairs, an inner garden and a fully equipped fitness center. The spa keeps to tradition — a Turkish bath, a steam room, a sauna, a menu of treatments. Delma Grill Bar handles the rest: open through the day, al fresco, a relaxed Turkish and Mediterranean menu beside a long list of drinks.