Set to open on 1st September, Raffles Istanbul is at the heart of the Zorlu Center – a new hub for fashion, food and the arts on the European shore in Be?ikta? – overlooking the Bosphorus, the Princess Islands and the historic peninsula. In keeping with its stylish sister hotel, Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, the sleek, modern interiors at Raffles Istanbul will be embellished with an impressive collection of artwork, specially commissioned from local artists, a mix of paintings, sculpture, photography and video installations. These will all come together under the common influence of Turkish culture and heritage, to give the hotel a strong sense of place.
And, as in Paris, Raffles Istanbul will have an Art Concierge to guide clients through the city’s exciting new art scene which, over the last few years, has shifted from heavily traditional to a reinvigorated one, energetically celebrating its new generation of artists. The thriving fashion scene, too, is embraced by Raffles Istanbul, and the hotel will offer its guests a personal shopping and styling service, to take them on a fashion trail through the city.
“Turkey is a rising star of the global economy and Istanbul is a rising star of global tourism,” says Peter French, President of Raffles Hotels & Resorts. “It is a meeting place between East and West, between Asia and Europe. A city on which, over many centuries, great civilizations and cultures have left their mark. Travellers have come to Istanbul for thousands of years: it is a place where people meet, exchange ideas, tell stories, rest, refresh and set out again on their journeys. And it is this tradition of bringing people together – which is very much part of the Raffles philosophy – that is an essential feature of the story of Raffles in Istanbul. The Zorlu Center is a new destination for the city of Istanbul and for people from all around the world. A new icon, both in function and design – very much like our hotels, wherever they are.”
