The Stay Bosphorus
Ortakoy Ottoman
Strait to the point
Stay on top with a trip to The Stay Bosphorus, on the banks of the mighty edge-of-Asia strait in Istanbul. The Autoban-styled interiors bring a little Bauhaus to the Bosphorus, with a slick modern makeover to this 19th-century Ottoman-clan mansion. The fabulous family who built this beauty were also the architects of other Turkish delights, including the Beylerbeyi Palace and Ortakoy’s mosque (pleasingly visible from several windows). It’s a little away from the action in Ortakoy, but there’s a handy harbour for sailing the storied waters – and the former-fishing-village neighbourhood has its own scene to stick around for: galleries, boutiques and on-trend eateries.
Facilities
Rooms
26, including 12 suites.
Checkout
Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.
More Details
Rates usually include breakfast. Quiet rooms are available; you can request one at the time of booking.
Also
The hotel’s communal areas are accessible for wheelchair users, but there are no specially adapted rooms.
Free Internet Access
Laundry
Pet Friendly
Room Service
At the Hotel
Gym, terrace, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: air-conditioning, minibar, free bottled water, TV, tea-making kit, Nespresso coffee machine and bespoke bath products.
Our Favourite Rooms
You can see across to Asia from most of the windows, but the view is even better from your own private terrace – go for a room with a balcony and, if you’re feeling greedy, an Executive Bosphorus Suite, which has two balconies. All of the rooms have lofty ceilings, but if you're especially tall (or just like grand proportions), go for one of the four-metre-high Penthouse Suites.
Packing Tips
Bring deck shoes and nautical stripes for taking to the strait.
Also
The hotel has a gym, but if you prefer a moving backdrop for your workout, the banks of the Bosphorus form the perfect playground for a morning run.
Children
All ages are welcome, but the hotel doesn’t especially cater to mini Smiths. Babysitting is available with a day’s notice for €20 an hour (minimum four hours), with an extra charge for taxis after midnight; and the lounge has highchairs.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
There aren’t many places where you can sit at the frontier of two continents: get thee to the terrace.
Dress Code
These palatially proportioned surrounds are fit for a sultan and sultana: bejewelled turbans, optional.
Hotel Restaurant
There’s no full restaurant, but a simple menu is served in the lounge: expect crowd-pleasing classics like burgers, schnitzel and grilled salmon, along with some pizzas and pastas. There’s also the riverside House Café next-door, from where food can be ordered and served in the lounge. Breakfast is a spread of muesli and fresh fruit, with organic bacon and fresh-from-the-farm eggs cooked to order. You can also go for a Turkish option – assorted Turkish cheeses, sausages and olives, and menemen, a traditional dish of eggs, tomato and green peppers – if you’re feeling experimental.
Hotel Bar
There’s no bar but drinks are served in the lounge and on the terrace; plus, minibars have the usual suspects ready to raid.
Last Orders
Breakfast is served in the lounge between 7.30am and 11am.
Room Service
A menu of light bites like salads and pizzas can be served in your room.
Planes
Istanbul Airport is closest, around 40 kilometres from the hotel. Landing at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is also an option; the journey takes about 55 minutes from here. Hotel transfers to either airport cost €99 each way plus tax.
Trains
Sirkeci is the nearest rail station, half an hour away by car. From here, TCDD trains run to and from other Turkish cities, including Ankara.
Automobiles
It’s a 25-minute drive to Istanbul’s Old City, but the traffic can be teeming – it’s probably easier to stick to strolling and taxi-hailing. If you do drive, the hotel has a car park that costs €10 a day.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Admire Asia across the water, either from your room’s terrace or the hotel’s communal one, take tea in one of the cafés along the banks of the Bosphorus in Ortakoy, browse the district’s backstreet boutiques and don’t miss your temporary neighbourhood’s lively market if you’re there over the weekend. Carb fans should add tracking down a kumpir to their must-do list; the Ortakoy speciality – baked and then stuffed potatoes – is a street-food favourite. Culinary Backstreets will take you on a food-based tour of the Grand Bazaar, with sampling stop-offs for Turkish treats. The Bosphorus is on your doorstep – and the hotel will be able to help to arrange boat trips departing from Ortakoy’s handy harbour. The channel’s namesake suspension bridge is visible from the hotel, or you can cross the Galata Bridge from Karakoy to the Grand Bazaar, stopping to watch the fishermen dangling their rods. Ortakoy’s mosque is right next-door to the hotel. There’s no pool at the hotel, so head to a beach club instead: there’s one a little drive out of the city at the local-favoured Suma Beach, or try Sauda Club, a floating venue adrift between coastlines.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
