The Ottoman Luxury Trail

Beyond its tourist sights and magnificent bazaars, Istanbul is now establishing itself as a serious luxury hub and MICE destination.

- Riaan Jacob George

EAST MEETS WEST

It’s a balmy Istanbul evening and as the sun sets, the city’s socialites and influencers have gathered along the banks of the Bosphorus at the city’s hottest new waterfront gin bar, The 47. It is here that Istanbul’s well-heeled locals and upscale travellers have been spending their evenings, enjoying hand-crafted Monkey 47 gin-cocktails and gourmet bar-bites, in the shadow of a heritage Ottoman palace. This picture is, in my opinion, a perfectly painted one of modern Istanbul, where luxury travellers converge, to sample its myriad offerings, while being surrounded by and immersed in its ancient heritage, architecture and culture. Be that as it may, my soiree at the newly-opened The 47 bar goes on until the wee hours of the morning and, from the look of it, the bar has already established itself as a must-do on everyone’s list.

While Istanbul has always been one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations, today, it has come of age as a luxury destination. Many factors have contributed to Istanbul’s rise as a global luxury hub — entire neighbourhoods have been gentrified into premium spots for retail, restaurants, cafés and bars, global hospitality giants have stunning hotels in this destination with a constantly evolving offer and, most importantly, the emergence of Istanbul as a global MICE destination. Travellers, both business and leisure are now looking at Istanbul for destination weddings, large-scale conferences, off-sites and, of course, curated family vacations. Moreover, its geographic location, between Asia and Europe, makes it a crossroads of culture.

A PALACE REDISCOVERED