The Istanbul EDITION

If there’s a better symbol of the assimilation of the boutique hotel into the hospitality mainstream than the EDITION hotels, fruit of Ian Schrager’s partnership with Marriott, we don’t know what it could possibly be. And while some may miss the elusive thrill of being in on a secret, it’s hard to see the spread of boutique values to the mainstream — meaning stylish design, memorable atmosphere, interesting nightlife — as anything but a positive development, in Istanbul as much as anywhere else.

Visually, it’s pure Istanbul, without resorting to Ottoman Empire clichés. A severely restrained color palette draws the eye closer, a move repaid handsomely by a rich variety of textures, from the roughest stone to the smoothest polished metal and everywhere in between. The rooms are crisp and modern but never alienating, and it’s clear the brief was for high-end luxury at all price points — the smallest rooms are still quite generously sized, the biggest downright palatial, and all of them come with down comforters, rain showers, B&O flat-screens and iPod docking stereos.

An installment of the Venice-based Cipriani restaurant group makes explicit The Istanbul EDITION’s link with Europe, while the Gold Bar and the Billionaire nightclub offer twin visions of upscale Istanbul nightlife, one refined little cocktail lounge, the other a high-gloss disco. The bars and restaurant draw a crowd of Istanbul locals, enough to liven up the EDITION’s financial-district location.

• 78 Rooms
• Style: Modern Design
• Atmosphere: Lively
• 2 Guest Reviews

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