Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Hotel Name: The House Hotel, Bosphorus
The Skinny: On the shores of one of the most picturesque and storied bodies of water in the world is the House Hotel Bosphorus, a luxury boutique inn located in Istanbul's lively Ortaköy district on the European side of the busy strait. This lovely 26-room Ottoman-mansion-turned-hotel is at the center of a very active neighborhood of cafes and nightspots (the loud music from nearby bars offended the delicate sensibilities of at least one New York Times reviewer) and features stunning views of the historic waterway and the 19th-century neo-Baroque Ortaköy Mosque. As for amenities, the hotel's website promises that the penthouse suite (pictured) has goose down pillows and duvets, "a proper desk", and a Nespresso coffee machine so you can keep the Turkish coffee coming 24/7. There's also nightlife right on the grounds: the ultra-stylish Bosphorus Lounge Bar slings drinks and snacks until 11pm, while the hotel's terrace café keeps the booze flowing until 2am, with live DJs in the summer months. Which, if they play Greek pop, the Times reviewer may have had a legitimate beef.
· The House Hotel, Bosphorus [Official Site]
· All Hotels Week 2014 posts [Curbed National]