See full version: Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet vs Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus
Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet and Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus are both praised by professional travelers. On balance, Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet scores marginally higher than Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus. Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet has a TripExpert Score of 89 with recommendations from 11 publications such as Condé Nast Traveler, The Telegraph and Hideaway Report. [links]
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Another means of transportation for you would be rhe IDO water taxi. reserving 2-6 hours before will do the trick.
You can go to Eminonu (spice bazaar and galata bridge, etc. from the Four Seasons Bosphorus pier and come the same way. [links]
This sounds great to me: we get our Four Seasons, but also get to live in two parts of the city. We love the idea of sprawling pool at the Bosphorus.
you can also go to the supper clubs, Reina or Sortie, past Ortakoy and land on their piers. (check my report on the water taxi) [links]
We are currently booked for the Four Seasons in Sultanahmet for our 6 night stay in Istanbul this summer. The Four seasons has offered us that we can split our stay between the Sultanahmet property and the Bosphorus property; we'd start out in Sultanahmet.
Thin is correct that there is nothing going on at night at the Sultanahmet Four Seasons. [links]
With the Sultanahmet property celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2016 and the Bosphorus approaching its 10th anniversary in 2018, Mourad returned to Istanbul in time to oversee renovations to each. The focus is on “injecting new excitement into our food and beverage concepts,” he says, adding, “Many of those who come to our Hotels don’t want to go anywhere else. If they trust us that much, we need to give him more variety.” Whatever the result, all work will be done nimbly, as Four Seasons does, with the Hotels still under operation. “Our guests would never forgive us if we closed,” he says with a laugh. “That would be like shutting down the Pyramids!”
The city and the country around it have come a long way for travellers since Mourad’s earlier Istanbul posting. “I can feel and sense the evolution of modern Turkey over the course of the decade in between,” he says, detailing the “amazing quality” of new shopping opportunities, particularly for the fashion minded; the “uniqueness” of new culinary offerings at a growing number of restaurants and lounges; the “beautiful recreational opportunities” on the Black Sea and Sea of Marmara and even nearby skiing; impressive upgrades to local infrastructure; and more. All of this creates a perfect mix of “East and West,” “Yesterday and Tomorrow,” and “Modern and Traditional,” adding to the rich historic layers that make the city unique, he says. “People don’t realise all that is new here activity-wise. Istanbul presents culture and nature in an amazing manner.”
Key to that evolution, Mourad says, is the remarkable service culture that has gotten Four Seasons where it is today. “As at any of our hotels, the Istanbul properties need to present the very best guest experiences to the world while maintaining the intangibles that make them unique,” he explains. “The goal is to always be one step ahead so that we can continue to satisfy our guests’ hunger for things that touch the heart and the soul.” more
Hospitality runs in Mourad’s blood. His mother worked in communications for hotels in his native Cairo, and two of his close uncles were general managers. Growing up in the early 1970s, luxury hotels were places to be for high society in his hometown and local kids from English language schools signed on for summer training. [links]
Mourad got his start as a liftboy and a page when he was 14 before getting sidetracked by the Egyptian national youth football team. When he returned to hotel work at age 20, a “beautiful Nubian concierge with the biggest smile you’ve ever seen” inspired him to throw himself whole-heartedly into the job. “I did,” he remembers, “and I’ve never looked back.” He joined the pre-opening team of Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence in 1999. [links]
Concurrent growth of luxury hotels within the city has increased competition for Four Seasons, not least from the property Mourad opened for another hotel group. He’s not worried. “I always see competition as a great plus,” he says, explaining that increased offerings for travellers mean increased opportunity to impress them. “Every property is after its own share of the cake. But as the cake becomes bigger, shares of growth become more profitable.” Meantime, Mourad sees competition for the Hotels’ restaurants and lounges as “the push we need become even more creative and continue to evolve.” more
Inside the lobby, traditional accents add authentic touches to contemporary decor, and well-heeled couples and families fill its airy corridors. There are soaring arches, floors inlayed with Turkish tile, handwoven kilim rugs, and intricate patterns carved into dark wood furniture. The setting in the piano bar is completely different. The space is styled like a Victorian townhouse's parlor, and afternoon tea is served in an elegant drawing room, with sky blue walls, a mosaic tile floor, and a fireplace. What was once the prison's exercise yard is now a sprawling interior garden, anchored by a glass roof building resembling a hothouse that contains the hotel's restaurant. It's surrounded by cafe tables and chairs for dining in fine weather.
The Neo-Ottoman rooftop lounge -- gushed over by guests across the board -- has breathtaking views of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. There's also a lobby lounge with a fireplace for drinks, small bites, and daily afternoon tea. Early morning free coffee, tea, and pastries are on offer near reception.
Upgrading to suites affords high-speed Wi-Fi, balconies, fully equipped kitchens and dining tables, living rooms with fireplaces, and whirlpool tubs. Some rooms face the interior courtyard garden while others look out on the Old City's quaint and picturesque streets. here
Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet