Visnezade Mah. Acisu Sok. No:19, Istanbul, Turkey | (541) 362-3741
Spacious, contemporary guest rooms and suites renovated in 2015
Rooms with flat-screen TVs, Nespresso machines, and marble bathrooms
In a garden setting overlooking the Bosphorus
Indoor
lap pool and rooftop infinity pool
Huge spa with Turkish bath, sauna, steam room, and hot tub
Four
on-site restaurants
Several
meeting rooms and ballroom
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Far
from the main tourist attractions
Swiss restaurant only open seasonally
Fee for breakfast
Fee for fitness center and high-speed Internet (except for apartment guests)
Swisshotel
The Bosphorus is one of Istanbul's most luxurious hotels, situated in
65 acres of gardens overlooking the Bosphorus. Newly refurbished in
2015, its 566 guest rooms have a classy, contemporary style,
and are equipped with luxury amenities such as 46-inch flat-screen
TVs, Nespresso coffeemakers, and spacious marble bathrooms. The
hotel's many on-site features do not disappoint and include four restaurants, an
indoor lap pool, a rooftop infinity pool, and a huge wellness center with a spa, sauna, steam room, Turkish bath, and a hot tub. However, the hotel's isolated location a 20-minute drive from most major
tourist attractions in Sultanahmet, may put some tourists off. Leisure travelers may want to compare rates with the
more centrally located luxury property CVK Hotels & Resorts Park
Bosphorus – Istanbul.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Luxury property popular with business travelers
Swisshotel
The Bosphorus has a stunning natural setting on the edge of the
Bosphorus and in the middle of 65 acres of gardens that were once the grounds of the Ottoman Dolmabahce Palace. The hotel
itself is an unattractive and generic-looking glass building, but
from the interior, the large glass windows offer scenic views over
the water. The vast and spacious lobby area is covered in luxurious
white marble and has a sparse look, with only a few seating
areas of leather sofas and armchairs tucked away in
quiet corners. The adjacent lobby lounge is spacious and
light-filled thanks to the high ceilings and windows. This hotel is primarily popular with business travelers, but gets it's fair share of tourists too.
Location
In the Besiktas district, overlooking the Bosphorus
Swisshotel
The Bosphorus is located in Istanbul's Besiktas district, and is
easily accessible from central Taksim Square, a short drive away.
Located on the leafy grounds of a former Ottoman palace, the area is
quiet and somewhat isolated, with a park just across the street, and mostly residential apartment buildings in the immediate area.
The location suits business travelers better than tourists, as most of
the city's tourist attractions are located in Sultanahmet, a 20-minute drive away. - Eight-minute drive to Taksim Square
Rooms
Luxurious, contemporary-style interiors with scenic views
The Swissotel offers a variety of lodging options, including guest rooms and suites as well as two-story lofts, and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. All
units are spacious and light-filled, and have scenic views over the
Bosphorus, the gardens, or the city skyline through large floor-to-ceiling windows. Newly refurbished and redecorated in 2015, the
interiors have a stark but tasteful, contemporary Swiss-influenced look. The color palette is dominated by neutral grays, pale
yellows and blues, and warm saffron, which complement the light
tones of the contemporary wooden furniture. In-room amenities include 46-inch flat-screen TVs, Nespresso machines, minibars with alcohol and soft drinks, and large work desks with ergonomic chairs. The luxurious bathrooms
are done up in gray marble and feature double vanities, large walk-in
showers with rainfall showerheads, and separate bathtubs. Apartments include fully equipped kitchens,
separate living areas, and many luxurious extras like iPod docs, Xbox/Wii consoles, a tea service, free soft drinks,
wine, and beer from the minibar, and free access to the fitness
center (guests in rooms and suites are charged extra to use it). Note that the Internet connection is limited to 512 Kbps; guests who need a faster connection are charged a fee, except for those in the apartment units.
Features
Large breakfast buffet, four excellent restaurants, some with al fresco dining, spa, and sports center
As
a luxury hotel with many extra features on offer, Swissotel The
Bosphorus does not disappoint. A vast buffet breakfast (for a fee) made up of hot and cold continental, Swiss, Turkish, and
American dishes is served each morning at the Cafe Swiss restaurant
and gets enthusiastic reviews from guests. The restaurant
occupies a large, light-filled space with scenic views of the
Bosphorus, and is open for lunch and dinner. During the summer
months, guests can dine alfresco at the Gaja Roof Restaurant and Gaja
Sky Bar, open for dinner and drinks only. The Oasis Restaurant is
located next to the outdoor pool and serves lunch and light meals, as
well as drinks at the adjacent lounge bar. Open in the winter only,
the Chalet Restaurant is an attempt to bring a little bit of
Switzerland to Istanbul. The setting is a 100-year-old wooden chalet
imported from Switzerland with a dinner menu offering Swiss-style
specialties like cheese fondue and roast potatoes.The
hotel's gigantic Purovel spa and sport center includes 14 treatment rooms for
therapeutic and beauty treatments, a hydrotherapy room, a relaxation
lounge, a salt pool, a sauna, a steam room, a Turkish bath, a hot tub, and a juice
and snack bar. In addition to the indoor lap pool, there's also a
rooftop infinity pool with a view over the Bosphorus. The sports
facilities include a running track, cardio and weight-training equipment, table tennis, basketball, and classes in Pilates, yoga, and
boxing. But only guests in apartment units can used the fitness center freely, others must pay an additional fee.The
hotel also offers extensive meeting facilities, namely 28 meeting and function rooms and three ballrooms that
can accommodate up to 1,200 guests. Audiovisual and technical
equipment is available, and catering can be arranged. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, but guests requiring
a high-speed connection will have to pay extra (unless they are staying in one of the apartments). On-site parking is
available for a fee.
