Kocatas Mansions

Kocatas Mansions Istanbul is a 39-key hillside estate in Sariyer built around two restored Ottoman mansions, now marketed by Anantara after ending its run as Six Senses Kocatas Mansions. An infinity pool at the edge of the estate is its signature. It is the most remote hotel here from the historic peninsula.

"Two restored Ottoman mansions and a hilltop infinity pool for 39 keys, newly under Anantara after leaving Six Senses, and remote from every major sight."

Aggregate 8.9/10 on our editorial scale (Room & Design, Service, Location). Independently scored; see our methodology. This is our opinion, not an aggregate of user reviews.

Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from bookings at no cost to you. We never accept payment for placement. Hotel status, room product and Michelin ratings were verified against official sources and the current Michelin Guide in July 2026.

What makes Kocatas Mansions special?

Start with the name, because it has changed. This property is now Kocatas Mansions Istanbul, marketed by Anantara Hotels and Resorts, part of Minor Hotels. It was formerly branded Six Senses Kocatas Mansions, and that brand no longer operates it: the Six Senses corporate site now lists a single Turkish property, Six Senses Kaplankaya, and the old Kocatas URL redirects to the group's hotel index. Booking sites still carry legacy Six Senses naming and some list it as Kocatas Mansions Istanbul Operated by Minor Hotels, so expect confusion when you search. What has not changed is the estate. Two restored Ottoman-era mansions, the Kocatas Mansion and the Sait Pasa Mansion, stand in laurel gardens on a hillside above the Bosphorus at Buyukdere in Sariyer, at the northern end of the European shore. The mansions were previously owned by Necmettin Molla Kocatas, a former Minister of Justice and the founder of Kocatas Water. The signature image is the infinity pool set at the edge of the hilltop estate. At 39 keys this is the smallest hotel in this ranking, and the estate layout across two mansions makes it read more like a private compound than a hotel.

Which room should you book?

Anantara publishes 39 rooms and suites, and that is the figure to trust. Six Senses-era material says 43 or 45 and some third-party listings say 38; those numbers are out of date or wrong. Rooms run from 30 to 60 sqm and suites from 45 to 173 sqm, a wide spread that reflects the conversion of two historic mansions rather than a purpose-built hotel with repeating floor plates. The most unusual category is a converted Cistern Suite. Views are either over the courtyard or over the Bosphorus, and depending on the category a room may come with a balcony, a terrace or a separate living room. Because these are conversions of historic mansions, layouts vary room to room and the category name alone will not tell you what you are getting. Ask for the specific room number, floor and outlook when you book, ask which of the two mansions it sits in, and ask how many steps separate it from the pool and spa.

Where should you eat and drink?

Anantara publishes two restaurants and a patisserie, and this review will not name them, because the outlet line-up has been in flux through the change of brand. Venue names that still circulate in older coverage date from the Six Senses period, and several have changed or may change again, so check the current list on anantara.com before you plan a dinner. That is not a small point at this address. Sariyer sits at the far northern end of the European shore, so the alternative to eating on the estate is a long drive back down the Bosphorus, and Istanbul's starred and best-known kitchens are concentrated well south of here. Guests who eat out every night will spend a lot of time in a car. On MICHELIN: no outlet at this hotel holds a star and none holds a Bib Gourmand, under either brand. No MICHELIN Key has been verified for the property either, which puts it behind the Key-holding hotels higher up this list on that particular measure. Ask what is open, and when, before you arrive.

What is the spa and pool like?

There is a spa, and it is historically housed in a stone house roughly a century old on the estate, with a Turkish hammam, sauna, steam room and relaxation area, plus a gym. Treatment-room counts published under the Six Senses brand should not be relied on now. Swimming is the stronger draw: Anantara confirms indoor and outdoor pools, including the infinity pool set at the edge of the estate that supplies most of the property's photography. One caution: during the brand transition some listings reported pool and hammam facilities temporarily closed, so confirm the current status of both before you book a stay built around them. The hillside layout means the spa and pools involve steps from most rooms, which is worth flagging if mobility is a factor.

Where is Kocatas Mansions, and how do you get there?

Buyukdere in Sariyer, at the northern end of the European Bosphorus shore, is the defining fact about this hotel and the reason it will not suit every trip. Istanbul Airport is the one journey that works in your favour: Anantara publishes both 40 minutes on its at-a-glance panel and approximately 35 minutes in its FAQ, which is the shortest airport run of any hotel in this ranking. Sabiha Gokcen is just under an hour, also the hotel's own figure. Everything else is far. Hagia Sophia and Sultanahmet lie roughly 25 km south, typically 45 to 70 minutes by car, and Taksim Square is roughly 18 km, typically 35 to 55 minutes. Those are the longest sightseeing transfers on this list. Airport transfers are offered for a fee with advance booking, and there is complimentary and valet parking, which makes a hire car more practical here than at the central hotels. If your Istanbul is museums and bazaars, book elsewhere. If it is the upper Bosphorus, this is the address.

What do guests consistently say?

Read guest feedback for this property with the date in mind, because the brand changed and older reviews describe a different operation. Anything written under the Six Senses name reflects that brand's wellness programming, service standards and outlet names, none of which can be assumed to carry over to Anantara. Reviews that predate the handover are still useful for the estate itself, the gardens, the mansion rooms and the infinity pool, all of which are physical and unchanged, but they are not evidence about service today. The property also has no verified MICHELIN Key, so unlike the Key-holding hotels higher in this ranking there is no hotel-inspection award to lean on. That puts more weight than usual on recent, dated traveller reviews. Filter for stays after the rebrand, and treat older praise and older complaints alike as history rather than as a forecast. One practical tip: ask the hotel directly which facilities and outlets were open in the week before your arrival.

Honest cons: who should skip it?

Three drawbacks, and the first is not fixable. Distance: Sariyer is at the far northern end of the Bosphorus, so every trip to Sultanahmet, the Grand Bazaar or Beyoglu is a long drive exposed to Istanbul traffic, at roughly 45 to 70 minutes each way to the historic peninsula. The airport is close; the city is not. Second, the brand transition. Outlet names, facility availability and even published room counts have been in flux, legacy Six Senses information is still circulating on booking sites, and some listings reported pools and hammam temporarily closed during the changeover. You will need to verify more here than at a settled hotel. Third, the site itself. Thirty-nine keys are spread across two mansions and hillside gardens, so movement between rooms, pool and spa involves steps and gradients. That is charming on a spring afternoon and a real consideration in August heat, with luggage, or with limited mobility.