Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul

After a horrible stay at the Ritz, we moved here. The difference was night and day. This is what a luxury hotel stay should be. From impeccable customer-centric service and a stunning lobby to the food, in-room dining and amenities, everything was near perfect. Even housekeeping went above and beyond—so friendly! There were a few minor issues with our room, but the manager Umut worked quickly and graciously to fix everything. I understand that things can go wrong, but more “luxury” hotels should take a note from this playbook: underpromise and over deliver. We will certainly be back.

The Shangri-La Bosphorus in Istanbul is a magnificent hotel, beautifully located, as its name suggests, on the wondrous Bosphorus waterfront in the bustling district of Beşiktaş. The hotel is a mere 15 minute walk from the grand Dolmabahçe Palace where Kemal Mustapha Atatürk, the founding father and hero of the Republic of Türkiye, passed his last days. ||Deep in the bowels of the hotel on level B3 is a slightly portly barber named Ebrahim. He is the undisputed king or pasha of the barber shop. Business-like and firm, he is a master at his profession. You won’t be disappointed should you visit him! ||Also on level B3 is the Chi Spa ably staffed by Gemma, Liah, Aişe, Kati, Mina and others. The spa is beautifully appointed with spacious rooms and attached changing and shower facilities. My two treatments at Chi Spa were first- rate and I would highly recommend a visit! ||Ascending, we come to the stunning Lobby where the Reception/Front Desk, the Lobby Lounge, Le Bar, the Ist Too Restaurant and the Guest Relations Desk are located. ||Your first contact with any staff at the hotel’s Reception/Front Desk will impress you! Over the past two visits to the hotel, I met Mert, Furkan, Coskan, Jad, Ismail, Özgen and several others, each of whom was extremely polite, efficient, knowledgeable and helpful. There seemed nothing they wouldn’t do to make my stay comfortable and enjoyable. ||The service provided by the food and beverage staff at the Lobby Lounge and the Ist Too Restaurant exceeded all my expectations! Each of Yazgi, Noor, Zehra, Erhan, Engin, Ogüzcon (“Ozzy”), Esen, Bekir, Şevket, Yigitcan, Mehmet and others fulfilled each task brilliantly, meticulously, efficiently, and with exceptionally good attitude! The breakfast spread at Ist Too is extraordinary! ||The Guest Relations Team of Dina, Çagla and Cansu is, in effect, the diplomatic corps of the Shangri-La Bosphorus! Their excellent suggestions and guidance were key to my pleasurable stay at the hotel. Charming, and always happy to help despite the multitude of difficult issues they must so often be encountering, they brought about a sense of warmth and brightness to the cold December Istanbul days! ||Ascending further up to my hotel room, I was pleased with its size and layout. The room was spacious with a largish bathroom, a walk-in closet, a decent size balcony and a very comfortable bed. It was perfect in every respect. ||Unfortunately, I was unable to experience Le Bar or the Shang Palace but plan to do so on my next trip to Istanbul. ||The special cake on my departure from Yazgi, Yigit, Ethan and Engin and the delightful package of nuts and specially prepared pastries from Dina, Cansu and Çagla were very much appreciated. ||With this level of service, accommodation and care, why go elsewhere when in Istanbul?

The team at the Shangri-La delivers some of the best hospitality experience. Special thanks to Alper, Ismail and Sedar at the concierge who helped me a lot and resolved all problems swiftly during my stay. They together with all their colleagues elevated our stay in Istanbul with their welcoming attitude. The hotel itself is conveniently located among many attraction sites and some nice neighborhoods to wander around. There are many restaurants near the hotel whether you like street food or more refined dining experiences. It is also adjacent to the ferry terminal which makes it ideal if one wants to explore the Asian side a bit more or appreciate more of the view on the water. The rooms are not the most spacious but are cozy and elegant, some features a nice terrace with amazing views. Also, you can see plenty of cats in front of the lobby entrance in the evening :)

I loved this hotel as I liked how nice all the staff that work there are . We felt very relaxed there the 3 nights that we stayed after our cruise ended in Istanbul . We arrived at the hotel at 8.30am from the port and were immediately taken to our room . We never expected that . We were looked after from start to finish of our stay .|The hotel is absolutely stunning , absolute luxury . |We went for an upgrade to a full Bosporus sea view which I recommend for Istanbul. We used the excellent gym and large pool facilities every day. The pool felt really fresh and clean a very relaxing atmosphere. The housekeeping was first class the room was cleaned twice a day to a high standard. The location of the hotel is perfect , set back from the road so you don’t see the road at all , quiet and a good location to get to different parts of the city. Trust me you don’t want to stay the old town or that side . This hotels location is the best part of Istanbul. We particularly liked the doormen and security on the door , spent time chatting them . If I was return to this hotel it would be to see them again . Their kindness to the environment around them and helpfulness was outstanding especially Ertan , he speaks excellent English and is a real asset to the hotel . I’ve stayed at a lot of hotels in Istanbul and I really recommend this hotel , an oasis of calm and luxury in a stunning city .

I enjoyed my stay, the staff are so, so nice & makes you really feel that you are the only gust they have, from the time you arrive till you leave. The breakfast, simply delicious 😋, and for sure the chives & the staff makes you feel that they are there only for you . we upgraded our room and took one that have Bosphorus view it was a magic. The hotel is near to all places you might like to visit. I will always remember my stay at this hotel, not only that I celebrated my birthday but I felt I was welcomed all the time. I recommend strongly this hotel, and I would like personally to stay there again cause the experience is great .. this is one of my WOW places

Perfect location with excellent staff and wonderful property. We tried a few things at the restaurant and really enjoyed the spa and pool experience. Right across from the Bosphorus strait with perfect views of the city. I would definitely recommend this property and you would not regret your stay there.

We had an absolutely amazing experience at this hotel. The level of service was truly above and beyond — every detail was taken care of with genuine care and professionalism. The team went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect, and their personal attention to our kids at multiple moments made the stay even more special. You can really feel that they care about their guests. Thank you for making our stay unforgettable — we can’t wait to come back!

A very welcome reception on arrival. We were early to arrive from our cruise ship and the hotel was generous to offer us coffee and snacks while we waited for check in time. They were kind enough to accommodate us in an upgraded room checking in at midday, which was much appreciated as it allowed us to get on with exploring the city while the weather still held. The location of the hotel is great. ||Lovely views of the Bosphorus, right next to Dolmabahce Palace and a 15 minute walk to catch the T1 tram into the old town. The rooms are tastefully decorated however a couple of things were not to our taste. The only teas in the room were Oolong and Early Grey. There was some confusion in our efforts to organise herbal tea as an alternative. We also found the bed to be very firm in spite of a topper pad. It would also be preferable to have smart TVs to enable guests to access streaming services. ||Breakfast was extensive and good quality. Dinner at Ish Too was good, nice views to watch the ferries coming and going.

This hotel was the perfect ending to our whirlwind Turkey trip! Out of the three hotels we stayed in, this was by far the best. Our room was spacious and elegant, and the service was outstanding. The lobby was filled with tempting treats - though I was always too full to indulge, they were a feast for the eyes! Our final dinner at the Asian restaurant was the best meal of the entire trip. The bed was incredibly comfortable, although I only had a few hours to enjoy it due to an early flight. The Bosphorus view from my room was incredible; it felt like I could step right onto the ferries below! My only complaint is the whilrpool next was cold. The attendant was amazing, as everytime the jets stopped he would run over and turn them on. When I asked him if he could make it warmer he said he could not. I even had goosebumps the water was so cold.

We had a lovely Christmas day tea at Shangri-la Bosphorus Hotel in Istanbul. From the delicious food to the very accommodating staff it was a perfect. Yagmur and Zeynap were our servers. These two ladies insured that we had perfect service. Each request was handled flawlessly with a kind and friendly demeanor. Thank you Yagmur and Zeynap for a wonderful dining experience.

The hotel gets a 4 star -The one star is for the fee at hairdresser and for the hotel reception staff for supporting his high prices ! Everywhere else,including 5-star hotels charge between $8- $40 maximum for a wash and blow dry . Here they charged $140 !! (I went to the Four Seasons and they charged $40)

This is a great hotel and centrally located. The staff goes over and beyond to ensure you have a great experience. The food in the restaurants was great and breakfast was to die for. My suite was a duplex and had everything you can imagine at my disposal. The rolls Royce service is well worth it and they expedite your processing thru customs.

This Hotel is very nice , clean, very well decorated. My room location was so so. I Booked with Amex Centurion. The Upgrade was questionable, they did offer room up grade with additional cost of about 300. Day

Amazing experience! Really amazing staff and care. Not gonna lie, I was initially wanting to book the Four Seasons Bosphorus, but our trip was so last minute that I couldn't justify the insane price jump. Read good reviews about the Shangri-La and liked that it was newer than the Kempinski. On arrival, you have to pass your bags through an x-ray (which is actually pretty much standard at all hotels in Istanbul) and if I remember right, they check your HES code (covid test code). Everything feels really safe. You're guided to the reception, where everyone working there is pleasant. Once you've checked in, you're guided directly to the room by the same person. The room was beautiful and had Bosphorus views. Bed was super comfy, shower was really opulent, there was a TV in the bathroom mirror, y'know, all the essentials :) The hotel itself is very beautiful, not sure how many rooms they have, but it had a boutique feel. It also smells good everywhere, lol. Tried the restaurant for breakfast one day and it was delicious. They had some of the best fruit ever, and a ton of different offerings. Turkish breakfast is literally the best breakfast, FYI. Service is also great, I was looking for a sour cherry "vişne" juice, and they didn't have any but the manager came over and offered to have any kind of other fresh juice pressed for me. Such a great touch. Probably the best thing about our stay was our housekeeping staff!! Every evening once we returned to our room, it was immaculately cleaned and new slippers were laid out each day, etc.. and our attendant, Farid (or Faruk? So sorry to not remember) was literally the best part of our stay here. He went above and beyond to make sure we had anything and everything. He would come by each evening and load up our towels, give us even more water, loofahs, toiletries, literally everything. Our 2nd night I was wanting to look at the dessert menu and called room service for a menu. 5 minutes later, he rings the doorbell to restock our room and I asked if he happened to have a room service menu on him. He called down from our room and basically yelled at them to send a menu over, lol. I didn't really want anything from the menu, but 15 min later, he rings the doorbell again and brought us baklava and flowers. The evening before checking out, he bid us farewell, thanked us immensely, and gave us even more little gifts. I mean this man is a treasure, seriously deserves a promotion! The location of the Shangri-La Bosphorus makes it great for walking places, but needing a taxi poses a challenge due to the roads being somewhat one way. I would suggest walking a little bit out of the property to find a taxi, or you'll likely have to wait a good amount of time. We experienced this a few times as most of the guests at the hotel wanted taxis and Istanbul already has somewhat of a taxi accessibility problem. Regular uber works fine there, btw. You won't need a Turkish phone number for it. I'm already excited to coming back again, I would 10000% stay here again. Thank you, Shangri-La Bosphorus!

Beautiful hotel on the bosphorous. Rooms are large and luxurious. The hotel smells amazing through out. Service was impeccable and the hotel was spotless clean. Pool was nice although I wish it was partially outdoor or had some views of the sea. Breakfast at Ist Too was phenomenal daily. Huge selection of items all fresh and quality ingredients. Service was quick too. Truly loved our stay there. The on exception was the Chinese restaurant where the service was terrible. Later found out they were short staffed with only a single waiter for the entire restaurant. I am hopefully they will fix that because the hotel itself is a great spot to stay in.

My husband and I had a fabulous experience! Amazing hospitality and personable staff! The general manager made us feel at home throughout our stay and went above and beyond to ensure our needs were met!

This hotel is fantastic! The service is exceptional, everyone from the front desk to the cleaning staff always greet you with a smile and do everything they can to make your stay a good one. The fridge in the room was stocked with juice, beer and Perrier and included in the room fee. There were also complimentary nuts, Turkish Delight and 3 amazingly fresh and delicious desserts under a clear dome on our first day. I think the rooms are cleaned/attended more than once during the day and the house-keeping staff knocked on our door in the evening to make sure we had everything we needed. If you don't want to be disturbed you just press the "Do Not Disturb The rooms have everything you need from an ironing board to hairdryer and plenty of towels. You can even chose the kind of pillow you want when making your booking. The breakfast buffet is excellent and the restaurant faces the bosphorus. We did the on-site hamam experience and would recommend it highly (you can usually book it same day or the day before - I'm not sure how busy it is in peak season). I was able to get a terrific blow-dry at the on-site hair dresser for $90 TL (which currently is about $9 CAD). The hotel is central, located right next to the Dolmabahce Palace, and within walking distance to all sorts of shopping, banks and restaurants. The Wifi was a little weak and spotty in our room, but that would probably be our only complaint. We had a wonderful stay and would definitely go back.

We came to Istanbul for dental restoration and booked our 8 night stay that got extended to 12 nights due to more dental work. We booked through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts and couldn't be happier. We were upgraded to a fabulous corner room with floor to ceiling views of the city AND the Bosphorus - and manager Emrecan Özcan made sure everything was absolutely perfect. It is a very large room, with twin beds, full size desk, seating area, a separate rain shower and tub inside the gorgeous marble bath. Toiletries are Bvlgari and L'Occitane. Internet is very fast and everywhere inside - no need to log in and out in the various areas. The hotel is extremely well prepared for the pandemic and every precaution is taken. Aside from this, the service is impeccable and very charming staff members cater instantly to your requests. Due to our health and safety, we are taking all our meals at the hotel, where the food is amazing. We had sushi, which was good of course, but the crown jewel here is modern Turkish food. We had the most amazing mezze platters. The breakfasts are beautiful - in fact, wifey ordered some special yogurt made from two types of cows brought to her from the countryside, and they serve it to her daily. We visited the hair salon and we both got trims and blowdry - expertly done by Hasan. The gym and the beautiful pool are open. There is just one problem - we don't want to leave! Luckily, we get four more days in this paradise!!!

Not so a big hotel, not very small, but very very luxurious. The rooms are simply impeccable. Not a detail is missed. Luxury cotton sheets, drinks, toiletries, elegant curtains and carpets, are just too few to mention. The restaurant is amazing, as well as its food. The shysha lounge is private and with a great bosphorus view. Highly recommended