Peek inside a secluded sanctuary in Istanbul's historic old town
Design, luxury, art and culture converge in this sumptuously reimagined hotel
Istanbul is full to the brim with hotels, but finding a charming, stylish spot to bed down in the city’s old town has always been somewhat of a challenge. Until now.
Following an extensive refurbishment, overseen by London-based Goddard Littlefair, the reimagined Four Seasons Sultanahmet has been transformed into a tranquil oasis where traditional craft and contemporary design converge to dazzling effect.
Set around a landscaped courtyard garden, the neoclassical property was originally conceived in the 1910s as a prison for intellectual dissidents (hence the working masjid and historic guard towers in the courtyard) but has served as a luxury hotel since the 1990s. While the renovations have given the interiors a much-needed facelift, loyal fans of the local landmark will be relieved to know the hotel has retained some of its celebrated original design elements.
‘The exterior of the building, including the buttercup yellow hue, was part of the property’s protected features,’ says Jo Littlefair, co-founder of Goddard Littlefair, the design studio behind Le Parchamp in Paris and the super buzzy spa at the newly-opened Raffles London at the OWO. ‘We had to find ways of working with them without doing any invasive work. The striking yellow hue, for instance, guided our decision making around colour palettes.’
With its fantastic location and luxe new look, which nods to the city’s creative identity, past and present, the Four Seasons Sultanahmet is the ideal base for a spoiling mini-break in Turkey’s cultural capital this winter and beyond.
As you might expect from a Goddard Littlefair property, every corner of this charming 65-room hotel has been carefully thought through, from the artful gallery hangs in the public areas to the curated in-room coffee table book displays.
‘The design team undertook extensive research to ensure that each element within the hotel not only resonates with the area’s rich history but also meets the expectations of modern luxury travellers,’ says Littlefair.
‘We wanted to create an environment where guests can connect deeply with Istanbul’s heritage and feel part of the local area, immersed in the cultural tapestry of Sultanahmet, rather than feeling like outsiders,’ adds Littlefair’s co-founder Martin Goddard.
The duo has achieved this by harmoniously juxtaposing great pieces spanning periods and styles. In the public areas, authentic Turkish designs such as mosaic tiles, stitched leathers and handwoven Kilim textiles evoke the city’s heritage of artisan craft, while contemporary elements including angular floor lamps and new paintings reflect the city’s thriving international arts scene.
‘Alongside working with local artisans and the best of Turkish lighting, furniture and rug manufacturers, we scoured boutiques and bazaars for pieces that spoke of the city’s historical significance and modern allure,’ says Littlefair.
‘The hotel owners had also invested in original pieces that we didn’t want to discard,’ adds Goddard. ‘Instead, they were reframed and hung in a more contemporary gallery wall format, ensuring relevance and appeal to 21st-century guests.’
Although the hotel is located in one of the city’s buzziest neighbourhoods, there is a notable sense of spaciousness and calm throughout the public areas, which allows guests to relax and switch off effortlessly. Ample light and high ceilings enhance the tranquil feel.
The delightful bedrooms, which are decorated in the duo’s wonderfully layered aesthetic, reflect this sense of serenity too. Light marbles, neutral walls and crisp white linens are pepped up with brass embellishments, warm woods, burgundy accents and soft blue-green tones.
As in the public areas, European and Ottoman antiques nestle happily alongside contemporary Turkish pieces, sparking unexpected and intriguing dialogues across cultures and continents. Bathrooms feature heavenly rainfall showers, a double sink, gleaming marble walls, fluffy white robes and Diptyque amenities which add a major touch of luxury to any indulgent soak.
The refurbished property now features all the mod cons you’d expect from a five-star hotel. There’s a small but sumptuous spa, several bars and restaurants including a patisserie and private dining room as well as a curiosity shop, a jeweller and a serene courtyard garden at the heart of which stands Avlu, the hotel’s primary restaurant serving modern Anatolian cuisine.
‘The central courtyard stands out as the most impressive aspect of the entire refurbishment,’ says Littlefair. ‘By implementing solutions that merge indoor and outdoor elements, such as Avlu’s expansive folding glazed doors, we transformed the area into a vibrant social space.’ It is without a doubt a great spot to enjoy a coffee, glass of vino or long, lazy lunch with friends — in fact, it’s so quiet here that it’s easy to forget you’re right in the thick of it.
When it comes to food, order the oven-baked beef manti (ravioli-style dumplings) before tucking into the slow cooked beef short rib. If the white chocolate pistachio cake is on the pudding menu, order it, twice. Breakfast is also served here and is the stuff of dreams. Think eggs-anyway-you-like, pastries of all shapes and sizes, fruits, cereals and sweat treats aplenty. Service is second to none so don’t be afraid to tailor your order if needed.
Pre-dinner tipples and night caps are best enjoyed in the hotel’s Lingo Lingo bar. Guests can enjoy afternoon tea here during the week and live jazz and wine tasting on Friday evenings from 6-9pm.
But the pièce de résistance has to be the hotel’s rooftop terrace, offering spectacular views of nearby Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. You’d be hard pressed to find a finer place to escape the thronging city streets and reflect on Istanbul’s unique blend of Eastern and Western influences. It doesn’t get any better, I promise. Unless you add a Sultan’s Martini into the mix!
Goddard Littlefair won the 'Guest Room Luxury' Gold Key Award in November 2023 for the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet