"Connected to the high-end retail hub of the Zorlu Center, Raffles Istanbul may have top dining, shopping, and even a cinema on its doorstep, but its position high on the hill above Beşiktaş, overlooking the Bosphorus, is pleasantly removed from the city center. Opened in 2014, the hotel blends Istanbul’s entrepôt heritage and vibrant, present-day spirit, with interiors that celebrate both the past and the present. The vast lobby features abstract sculptures, Turkish ceramic tilework, and artist Çetin Paksoy’s specially commissioned glass-mosaic doors, while the 185 generously sized rooms, suites, and multi-bedroom residences are doused in hazy blues and grays, outfitted with elegant furniture and textiles, and framed by floor-to-ceiling glass opening out onto private, furnished terraces. In-room tablets offer touch-of-a-button fixture control and room service, while the renowned Raffles 24-hour butler service fulfills more personalized needs. Istanbul’s jet-setters mingle with hotel guests over shared places at Rocca Brasserie, pan-Asian dishes at Isokyo, afternoon tea at Lavinia Lounge, homemade sweets at the Raffles Patisserie, and signature cocktails (including Raffles’ famous Singapore Sling) at the Long Bar or—in warmer months—the alfresco Lounge 6. The exceptional spa has indoor and outdoor pools—both with sweeping views—plus a gym, fitness studios, hair and nail salon, wet areas, three traditional Turkish hammams, and nine treatment rooms for pampering rituals."