Ansen Suites

In the heart of the city’s old European quarter, a sophisticated apart-hotel with 10 spacious suites and an Italian restaurant and bar

Boutique hotels are the new big thing in the 2010 Capital of Culture. And this little beauty was one of the first – certainly it was the first to inject new life into the fading grandeur of old Pera, the historic neighbourhood between the glittering Bosphorus and the bo-ho back-streets of Beyoglu. In former times, it was the hotel district, a mosaic of races and religions, in the cosmopolitan heart of the city. In the 1950s, it began a slow decline which left many of its beautiful buildings abandoned and derelict – though the rejuvenation of this one has helped restore the area’s reputation as one Istanbul’s favourite places to stay.

A tall skinny, late Ottoman townhouse, it was converted in 2004 into a block of swish apartment-style suites (two on each of its five floors). The façade is late Ottoman fancy; the interior contemp-orary classic. Downstairs, there’s an Italian bistro restaurant serving classical Italian dishes – part of an emerging community of cafés, bars, night clubs, jazz clubs. The mosques and museums of Sultanahmet are just across the water.

Highs

• Great location, within easy walking distance of Istiklal Caddesi (the former Grande Rue de Pera), Tunel, Taksim Square and the Galata Bridge
• Smart apartment-sized rooms with all mod cons including kitchenette
• The water-side suite on the penthouse floor has superb views of the Golden Horn
• Flexible check-out time and 24-hour room service

Lows

• The service, though charming, can be a little erratic - for this price you expect better
• Staunch non-smokers may find the full ashtrays in the reception a little off-putting
• The lower floor suites have no views (other than the walls of neighbouring buildings)
• The kitchenette is more symbolic than practical - but realistically, with so many great restaurants on your doorstep, you won't be self catering