In the heart of the city’s business district of Taksim, Barceló is a modern example of Istanbul’s contemporary face. Designed by Zeynep Fadillioğlu, the interiors balance both classic and contemporary features, offering a warm, modern feel. Spacious rooms amply utilize shades of blues and purples, while oversized (and extra-long) beds will please taller guests. Suite rooms offer a hint of old Ottoman luxury with traditional Turkish bath basins and also allow access to the private top-floor Lounge 11, where complimentary drinks, snacks, and cocktails are served throughout the day.
A favored destination for business guests, the hotel provides state-of-the-art meeting facilities, and a business corner on the mezzanine floor offers 24-hour service. When work is done for the day, guests can relax with a traditional Turkish scrub-and-soak treatment at the Marti Istanbul Spa or sip cappuccinos or cocktails at Mixo Terrace—Taksim’s largest rooftop restaurant. For guests on the go, the hotel’s Gourmet Stop café serves takeaway sandwiches and cakes.
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The Best Bath Ever, at Barceló Istanbul
Zeynep Fadillioğlu—the first woman in Turkey to design a mosque—is behind this 270-room hotel in Istanbul’s cultural and commercial heart. An Ottoman tent canopies the Atrium lounge, and limited-edition sketches of Istanbul by the Turkish painter Devrim Erbil are displayed throughout the hotel. Try an authentic bathing routine of steam, sauna, and massage in one of four hammams in the vast top-floor spa. At the Brasserie Bench restaurant, enjoy Albanian burek, phyllo stuffed with meat or cheese.