Raffles Istanbul is a city hotel in the modern sense: it occupies a tower within the Zorlu Center, a mall and performing-arts complex in Besiktas, and its appeal is polish, privacy and amenities rather than a palace setting. The hotel lists 185 rooms across 21 floors, built in 2014, with heated bathroom floors, a pillow menu and furnished balconies or terraces. The spa is a headline feature: Raffles Spa occupies a full floor and includes hammams, saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs. There are an indoor pool, a rooftop outdoor pool and a seasonal outdoor pool open in summer, plus a Technogym fitness center and a yoga and Pilates studio. Dining runs from Isokyo, a Pan-Asian restaurant with a ten-course menu, to Lavinia, the Bosphorus Lounge, the Long Bar and a coffee shop, and in summer a rooftop bar by the sixth-floor pool. The hotel also has a heated helipad, an electric-car charging station and a conference center, which tells you something about its clientele. Eataly, Godiva and other cafes sit within a couple of minutes' walk, and the mall's shops and the Zorlu Performing Arts Center are almost on the doorstep.
Who it suits
Shoppers, business travelers, culture lovers who want theater and concerts on the doorstep, and families who value pools and a playground. Children up to five stay free in existing beds, and cribs are free on request. It is less suited to travelers who want a historic Istanbul atmosphere, since the surroundings are modern, and one reviewer noted that the Bosphorus view is distant and not worth an upgrade, so choose rooms for comfort rather than a hoped-for water view.
Location math
The Zorlu Center is a one-minute walk, the performing arts center three minutes, and Gayrettepe and Levent metro stations are about fourteen and sixteen minutes on foot. The Bosphorus and its bridge are within about three miles, and Sultanahmet's monuments need a taxi or metro-and-tram journey of well over half an hour. Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport is about fifty-five minutes by car.
The hotel itself notes that a car is recommended for getting around, so budget for taxis or the hotel's transfers. If you want to walk out of the door into a bazaar or a mosque, look elsewhere; if you want a luxury base in the modern city, this works.
Practical notes
Buffet breakfast is served in the morning for an extra charge, the seasonal outdoor pool is open from mid-July to mid-September, and guests under eighteen are not allowed in the spa except with adult supervision. Parking and the airport shuttle are charged, pets are accepted within size limits for a fee, and cards, debit cards and cash are all accepted. Check-in is from three o'clock and check-out before noon. Book spa treatments through the property in advance, and look at the rate terms because free cancellation applies to select rooms only.
Why stay here
- ✓Full-floor spa with hammams
- ✓Indoor and rooftop pools
- ✓Technogym fitness and yoga studio
- ✓Isokyo Pan-Asian restaurant
- ✓Lavinia and Long Bar
- ✓Heated helipad
- ✓24-hour room service
- ✓Direct access to Zorlu Center mall
Good questions
Is Raffles Istanbul near the Bosphorus?+
It is in the Zorlu Center in Besiktas, within a few miles of the Bosphorus but not on the water. A reviewer noted that the Bosphorus view is distant.
Does it have a spa?+
Yes, Raffles Spa occupies a full floor with hammams, saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs. Reservations go through the hotel, and under-18s need adult supervision.
Is it close to the old city?+
No. Sultanahmet needs a taxi or metro-and-tram journey of well over half an hour, and the hotel itself recommends a car for getting around.
