Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts opened Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul in May, on the European side of the Bosphorus Strait.
The hotel’s site is a 1930s-era tobacco warehouse, whose neoclassical façade has been restored. The courtyard includes Sycamore trees that are 150 and 350 years old, respectively.
The interior design draws inspiration from the nearby Dolmabahce Palace, with a mix of European, Asian and Turkish design elements.
Guestrooms have a color palette that includes shades of teal and cream. The 186 guestrooms range from 452 to 646 sq ft (42 to 60 sq m) and most have views of the Bosphorus. Bathrooms feature Turkish marble with heated floors. Almost all 17 suites offer private terraces overlooking the Bosphorus; the Shangri-La Suite has three terraces with views of the old city of Sultanahmet, Anatolia and the Bosphorus Bridge.
The three-story atrium includes a skylight and a Bohemian crystal chandelier that descends nearly two stories. In addition to a grand staircase, the atrium features a large silk painted commissioned for the hotel entitled “The Garden of Peach Blossoms.” The hotel’s 1,000-piece art collection also includes a southern Chinese lacquered carving of a Bosphorus water scene, which sits behind the reception desk.
In the lobby lounge, more than 100 types of Chinese tea and house-made pastries are available in a setting decorated with sofas and bespoke European furniture. Le Bar, adjacent to the lounge, serves cocktails, spirits, tapas and mezzes.
IST TOO, the international all-day dining restaurant, is decorated with rose gold floor lamps, spherical ceiling pendants, Turkish marble, and dark chocolate oak furnishings with upholstery in taupe, burnt orange and blue. Timber portals separate semi-private dining spaces from the main room. The space includes a sushi bar, a wine salon, a station where a Chinese chef pulls noodles, and an open kitchen.
The signature Shang Palace restaurant offers Chinese cuisine in a space inspired by historical Chinese courtyards. An inverted pagoda-type shape hangs over the entrance, which faces curved walls covered of green, handmade Chinese roof tiles. The restaurant itself comprises four contemporary dining rooms. The main Amber room is decorated with curved banquettes, bespoke glass wall lamps, timber shelves and antique gold metallic lattice screens to provide a sense of intimacy. The Lacquer room has architectural panels in a deep eggplant hue, offset by a wall of angled blocks of Arabescato Orobico marble.
Chi, the spa, has eight private spa suites as well as hammam facilities for private groups and individuals. The spa and the hammam include water features and are decorated with Turkish tiles and marble. Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul also offers a health club with a sauna, whirlpool, steam rooms and a heated, indoor pool.
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