Four Seasons Bosphorus Hotel

Istanbul

From the subtly perfumed air that envelops guests on arrival – evocative of lemon groves and cool marble; green tea and silk carpets – to the extravagant floral displays and warm, generous staff, Four Seasons Bosphorus is a feast for the senses. A former Ottoman palace, the hotel’s location on the banks of the famed strait – Europe on the one side, Asia, the other – makes for fresh breezes and lazy-afternoon people-watching aplenty. Think families and couples enjoying a stroll, ice cream in hand, a rainbow of vessels gliding by during the day and a mirage of twinkling lights by night – all visible from the chic pool with its candystripe-accented surrounds. The 166 rooms and 25 suites, come complete with sky-high ceilings and are decked out in calm shades, complemented by mahogany furniture and billowy curtains and gleaming marble bathrooms.

When it comes to meals, the sense of abundance continues. With four restaurants to choose between, breakfast might be a buffet extraordinaire – thick clotted cream, native cheeses, yoghurts, spiced sausages, eggs every way, breads, fruit and pastries piled high – lunch, Mediterranean delights on the terrace of Aqua, overlooking the sparkling water, and dinner, composed of signature Turkish salads and chargrills in the Yali Lounge, where lingering over a digestif is positively encouraged. Tomorrow, sightseeing and an aromatic hammam in the hotel’s dreamy spa await.

Doubles from £385. fourseasons.com

Words by Julie Alpine.