Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul

The Hotel

Çırağan Palace was built between 1863 and 1867 by Sultan Abdülaziz on a stretch of the European Bosphorus shore previously occupied by a series of older Ottoman residences. The architect was Sarkis Balyan of the Armenian-Turkish dynasty that designed the great late-Ottoman buildings (Dolmabahçe Palace next door, Beylerbeyi across the Bosphorus, Çırağan itself). The neo-Baroque Ottoman façade — three storeys of marble, with the central pediment bearing the Sultan's tughra — runs along the waterfront for nearly three hundred metres. The palace was the residence of Sultan Murad V (after his deposition in 1876) and the meeting place of the first Ottoman parliament; it burned in 1910 and stood as a roofless shell for more than seventy years.

The restoration began in the 1980s as a joint Turkish-government and Kempinski project. The historic palace was rebuilt to the original Balyan plans (the few surviving photographs and engineering drawings allowed an archaeologically faithful reconstruction); a separate hotel wing was constructed alongside it on the inland side; the two buildings are joined behind the historic façade and operate as one hotel of 317 rooms. The Çırağan reopened in 1991, was extensively renovated again in 2007 and 2017, and remains the most decorated hotel address on the Bosphorus.

Of the 317 rooms, 11 are inside the historic palace itself — these are the Palace Suites, ranging from the Pasha Suite (~80 square metres) up to the Sultan Suite (~400 square metres, three bedrooms, a private dining room, a private hammam, and a Bosphorus terrace), which is among the most expensive hotel suites in continental Europe. The remaining 306 rooms are in the contemporary wing; entry-level rooms run to 38 square metres; the Bosphorus-facing categories all have private balconies or terraces; the Corner Suites and the Penthouse Suite occupy the upper floors with the most generous Bosphorus views the wing offers. Every Palace Suite booking includes complimentary butler service throughout the stay; the contemporary-wing premium suites include the same.

The dining is the property's quiet strength. Tuğra — the historic Ottoman dining room inside the palace — runs an Ottoman-imperial menu that draws on the original Topkapı kitchen records; the room itself is the most consequential historic dining setting in any Istanbul hotel. Bosphorus Grill is the contemporary outdoor restaurant on the waterfront terrace, open from May through October. Laledan is the all-day brasserie. Çırağan Sunset, the seasonal pool-bar and rooftop, is open during the summer months. Six restaurants and two bars in total, the most comprehensive food and beverage programme in the city's hospitality.

The outdoor infinity pool — set into the Bosphorus shore so the water visually merges with the strait — is one of the most photographed hotel pools in Europe. The Sanitas Spa includes a marble Sultan's Bath (a working hammam available for private after-hours bookings), a Turkish hammam menu drawn from traditional Ottoman recipes, and treatment rooms above. The Çırağan also operates a private 26-metre yacht (Sultana) for guest use, and is the only Istanbul hotel that can berth larger private yachts at its own pier. Service is the deepest in the city; the staff-to-room ratio is reportedly the highest of any Istanbul property. The position on the Bosphorus — between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy, with the Bosphorus Bridge five minutes away by yacht — combines with all the rest to produce the most decorated single luxury proposition Istanbul offers.

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