Set on the European side of the Bosphorus Strait, between the Dolmabahçe Palace and the Naval Museum, Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul overlooks the unfolding panorama of the Turkish capital’s domes and minarets and the green hills of the city’s Asian shores. The hotel is located on the site of a former 1930s tobacco warehouse. The warehouse’s restored neo-classical façade and two carefully preserved 150 and 350-year-old sycamore trees in the courtyard are testament to its past.
Art and light
Inside, the Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul is a modern oasis. The hotel takes design cues from the glamorous Dolmabahçe Palace with swathes of marble, glittering chandeliers and a mix of European, Asian and Turkish design. A grand staircase wends its way down through the hotel’s three-storey atrium, transporting guests from the lobby to the elegant ballrooms below.
The Shangri-La Bosphorus showcases more than 1,000 pieces of European and Asian art
The dome-shaped atrium is lit by a natural skylight and massive chandelier that rains crystals over nearly two storeys. The area is also graced by The Garden of Peach Blossoms, a stunning 18-metre silk painting, commissioned especially for the hotel. The Shangri-La Bosphorus showcases more than 1,000 pieces of European and Asian art. One masterpiece, located behind the reception desk, is an exquisite southern Chinese lacquer-craft carving, depicting a Bosphorus water scene.
The grand lobby flows into the Lobby Lounge, where bespoke European furniture and plush sofas are arranged to create intimate seating areas. Guests can relax to the sound of classical or jazz music and enjoy homemade pastries and more than 100 types of Chinese teas. The adjacent Le Bar serves traditional cocktails and spirits, plus tapas and mezzes.
The hotel plays with both subtle and overt luxury. In guestrooms, the teal, cream and caramel colour scheme is elegant. The hotel’s rooms are the most spacious in Istanbul (ranging from 42 to 60sq m), and the majority offer dazzling Bosphorus views.
The 186 rooms are outfitted with every amenity expected of a five-star hotel and provide free high-speed internet. Artists from the east and west were engaged to create unique pieces for the guestrooms, inspired by the Istanbul scenery, and the bathrooms are decked in dramatic Turkish marble, complete with heated floors and Bvlgari toiletries.
Nearly all of the hotel’s 17 suites have private terraces revealing beautiful Bosphorus vistas. The ultimate indulgence is the Shangri-La Suite, which has three private terraces overlooking the Old City, Asian shores and the Bosphorus Bridge.
Decadent dining
On the same level as the lobby is the hotel’s speciality restaurant, IST TOO. Against a beautiful Bosphorus backdrop, rose-gold floor lamps and spherical ceiling pendants light the restaurant’s expanse of Turkish marble and custom-made dark oak furnishings.
Dining enclaves offer privacy, while conker-coloured leather banquettes stretch along the wall, seating those who prefer to be in the mix. Matching the vibrant design is an all-day menu of world cuisine, including Mediterranean, Turkish, Southeast Asian and Japanese. The restaurant boasts a sushi bar; vast wine selection with full-height, glazed wine cabinets; and an open kitchen where chefs cook over a 12-metre grill.
One floor down is the hotel’s signature Shang Palace restaurant, where chefs from China prepare delectable Cantonese cuisine and carve Peking duck at your tableside, while the Kung Fu tea master pours your drink. Inspired by the sculptural beauty of historical Chinese courtyard chambers, the restaurant unfolds into four contemporary dining chambers. Upon arrival, an inverted pagoda structure appears to float overhead. Facing the entrance, a series of curved walls composed of handcrafted Chinese roof tiles provides drama and texture.
In the main amber chamber, curved banquettes and bespoke lamps, set off by full-height bookshelves and gold lattice screens, create a sense of intimacy. On the other side of the reception, the lacquer chamber’s architectural panels glow with a deep glossy aubergine lacquer. This cosy setting is contrasted against a dramatic wall of solid arabescato orobico marble.
The hotel also has CHI, The Spa with eight of the most indulgent private spa suites in Istanbul, offering Asian and Turkish treatments. The hammam facilities are extensive, catering to both private groups and individuals. Both the spa and hammam have Turkish tiles, water features and abundant marble. A health club with sauna, jacuzzi and steam rooms, and a heated indoor pool, are also available to guests.
