Amongst the hotels I’ve had the opportunity, and the good luck, to stay at, I retain a particular fondness for the Walton Hotels Galata. This building, nearly a hundred years old, is located in the heart of the historic Galata district. A superb renovation in very contemporary taste does not at all detract from its historic charm; quite the reverse, in fact. If you prefer boutique hotels to the major…
Amongst the sumptuous hotels I’ve had the good fortune to stay in is the InterContinental of Ljubljana. It was in 2017 that the group opened the first five-star hotel in the Slovenian capital. Its glass front sparkles in the heart of a shopping district that is ideal for browsing. The hotel is located a few minutes on foot from the railway and coach station, and from the iconic sites of…
In the heart of Uçhisar, one of the loveliest villages in Cappadocia, the Taşkonaklar hotel is an exceptional establishment, far from noise and bustle. The hotel provides luxurious, welcoming accommodation. Here, the power of nature and the hand of man have combined to create sublime architecture that goes beyond the limits of imagination. The modern layout of the hotel’s bedrooms and reception rooms are the end-point of meticulous restoration of…
In September I went to Bozcaada. This delightful island in the northern Aegean is the favourite destination for Istanbul residents when they have a yen to embrace peace and nature. It is still (to some extent) a refuge from mass tourism. Traditionally, fishing and looking after the very ancient vineyards that cover the hills are the main activities. I had been dreaming for a long time of staying somewhere that…
It is in the prestigious village of Türkbükü, beside the Aegean Sea, that the Divan group has placed its jewel. The site alone is worth the journey, but you will marvel even more when you step through the hotel entrance. The planting has been superbly managed, with blocks of bougainvillea that highlight low walls and facades; and the staff are impeccably dressed in white, in the style of the Turkish…
You will find the Swissôtel Resort Bodrum Beach at the heart of the delightful seaside resort of Türgütreis, on the edge of the blue waters of the Aegean Sea. Here all is refinement and peace. In the reception area, where white is the dominant shade, an immense bay window frames palm trees and the sea, at the end of the avenue to the beach. In the large rooms filled with…
Türkbükü, a village on the Turkish Riviera, is legendary for its glamour and is certainly the most fashionable destination on Turkey’s Aegean coast. The idyllic setting and authenticity of the Maçakizi hotel have made it, for some years, an outstanding destination. The jet-set know what they’re doing! Suspended between earth and sky, on a hill bordered by pine groves, magnolias and oleanders, the Maçakizi is an oasis of freshness sheltered…
Atop the hill on which it is perched in the very centre of Bodrum, the irresistible outline of the hotel The Marmara Bodrum catches the eye. This establishment undeniably has a certain magic. Between its walls, you will find a stylish dialogue between vivid colours and neutral tones, between the bohemian spirit of the Aegean and a discreet luxury underlined by iconic design elements. Throughout your stay here you will…
Some stays you don’t forget. My stay at the Six Senses Kaplankaya is definitely one of them. This luxury hotel located on the edge of the Aegean, one hour from Bodrum, is a haven of peace and relaxation between inlets of turquoise water, beaches of white sand, olive orchards, cypresses and bougainvillea. The hotel is part of a complex which also has privately-owned residences, a marina and beaches. It has…
Some time ago I told you about the institution of afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul. But there’s something even better! An enchanted stay in one of its rooms, with a panoramic view over the Bosphorus and the Beşiktaş Vodafone stadium, considered to be one of the finest in the world. The rooms and suites offer incomparable comfort, and their aesthetic is characteristic of luxury hospitality. But here in particular,…