Witt Istanbul Suites

Rooms

Tuncel Toprak appointed Autoban - an award-winning Istanbul-based architecture, interior and product design firm - to capture his vision.

The result is 18 open, airy suites dressed in a fascinating collage of textures, including hardwood floors, marble slab, leather upholstery, faux walls laser-punched with fluid swirl designs, all bathed in natural light from 4 sets of double-doors. Regardless of category, each comfortable cocoon comes with individually controlled air con, WiFi, flat-screen TV, and a Nespresso machine.

Crisp white bed linens and wrought iron flourishes add definition to warm earth tones. All the furnishings are from Autoban’s own minimalist line, including the cosiest of king- or queen-sized beds with a leather-upholstered wingback-style headboard. Bathrooms include a bouquet of showerheads raining from the ceiling of a shower roomy enough for two. You also get spoiling Molton Brown toiletries. 

Categories are assigned by view and terrace space. All suites - except the King - have panoramic vistas of the bustling traffic on the Bosphorus, as well as a handful of major landmarks. The King and Queen with Panoramic Terrace and the Penthouse suites have a glorious terrace with space to sit out on, too. The Queen suite is by far the smallest room, but we'd certainly be happy here for a long weekend. 

On our latest visit we stayed in a King suite, which felt huge and oh-so-comfy, although we missed having some outdoor space. But the shared roof garden is a lovely spot to sit and absorb the city scenes. That said, we'd still recommend spending a little more on a terrace room to make the most of those amazing views, especially if visiting in spring or summer. Suites on the higher floors feel brighter, too. 

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Central heating
• Coffee / tea making
• Cots available
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Radio
• Safe box
• Toiletries
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

Enjoy breakfast in your room at no extra charge. Or head for the buffet set in the lobby from 7.30-11am each day. Choices range from Turkish standards (tomatoes and cucumbers, marinated olives, white cheeses, yoghurt with dried fruit) to more international fare including dry cereals, breads, pastries and fresh seasonal fruits. You can also order eggs any way, which pair perfectly with their rich and spicy Turkish ezme sauce. We particularly loved the local menemen (scrambled eggs with lots of tomato, peppers and onion).

King and King Panoramic suites have a gleaming marble island with a large sink and microwave, and all suites have a minibar and coffee machine, but that's about as far as dining facilities go. The minibar (stocked with the standards) doubles as a refrigerator roomy enough for purchases at neighbourhood markets.

You'll be eating your way around Istanbul's culinary scene most of the time; the front desk can recommend restaurants in the neighbourhood or farther afield, and make reservations or arrange to have dinner delivered to your room (you get complimentary room service).

Features include:

• Breakfast
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service

Activities

• Join neighbourhood artists and intellectuals at corner cafes in Cihangir; Beyoglu is the heart of modern Istanbul and home to a thriving arts scene, bars, and some of the best restaurants in the city. A 12-minute walk from Taksim Square - Istanbul’s Piccadilly Circus - where you can catch a metro to anywhere
• Take a tram (tourists often get stung by taxis and traffic is a pain) across Galata bridge to Sultanahmet (10-15 minutes away); home to one of the richest concentrations of ancient relics in the world, among them the Suleymaniye and Sultanahmet (or Blue) Mosques, Hagia Sophia (a 6th century Byzantine marvel) and the Topkapi Palace, you could easily spend two days there
• Take to the water: cruising up and down the Bosphorus on a ferry or a tourist boat is one of the best ways to see the city, and all the main docks - Karakoy, Eminonu and Kabatas - are within easy distance of the hotel
• Go shopping: From the haggles of the Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carshi) (10 minutes by tram) and Spice Market to the high-street stores that line the mile-long pedestrianised Ýstiklâl Caddesi, or the designer boutiques of Nistantasi, Istanbul is a shopaholic's dreamland
• Go party: Beyoglu is Istanbul’s club central and many of the better night spots are within walking distance. Try Nardis Jazz Club, Istanbul 360 (a cool rooftop terrace bar) or Babylon (for world music)
• Do the museums and galleries circuit: the Pera Museum in the nearby Tepebasi district is housed in a lovely Victorian building (once the Bristol Hotel); or Istanbul Modern (Istanbul’s answer to Tate Modern) is housed in a converted waterside warehouse at Kabatas (a five-minute walk)

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Shopping / markets
• Traditional cultures

Kids

This is a grown up place and and there are no facilities as such for families with little ones. That being said, baby cots are available and extra beds can be added on request. 

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Set on a steep hill in quiet Cihangir - a charmingly gentrified residential neighbourhood off the tourist track - but close to the action of European Beyoglu. Once you’ve arrived, you’ll get a map and detailed directions to the hotel in Turkish for taxi drivers. The nearest tram station is Tophane, a 5-minute-walk from the hotel and the nearest subway station is Taksim Square, a 15-minute-walk from the hotel.

By Air:
The nearest airport is Istanbul Airport (40km away).

From the Airport
It’s a 45-minute taxi ride from Istanbul Airport to Beyoglu, though the journey can grow rapidly during rush hour. The hotel can arrange a transfer. You can take the metro from the airport to Taksim Square or Tünel, both around a 1hr20 journey and a 15-minute walk from the hotel. If you are driving yourself, the hotel can pay for parking in a nearby car park.

By Ferry:
The nearest ferry services (for boats across the Bosphorus) are at Karakoy (to the south) and Kabatas (to the north).

Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.

More on getting to Turkey and getting around