Destinations, Asia
Istanbul lures Soho House and other high-profile hotels to set up in the city
Istanbul is very ready for its closeup as Turkey has emerged from almost two years of instability in its neighborhood to cement its position as the go-to country in its region. Nice, four-star properties are just cherries on the top.
Turkey has been luring visitors to its azure seas and ancient sites for thousands of years, but only recently has it gained a reputation as a Hollywood hangout — not to mention a filming location. Until the late '90s, the most well-known movie set in Istanbul was 1978's Midnight Express, a cautionary tale about its prison system. Long a source of consternation among Turks, it was banned locally until 1992.
Flash forward to 2012. That prison in Midnight Express now is one of two plush Four Seasons — the Four Seasons Sultanahmet (Tevkifhane Sokak 1, rooms from $405). The hotel is one of dozens of Turkey's new breed of ultraposh resorts in a city increasingly renowned for its cuisine and contemporary art.
Tags: istanbul
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