Georges Hotel Galata is a unique and hip 20-room boutique hotel where British fashion designers come to play.
Location
It lies to the West of Istanbul, up a cobbled street of trendy Turkish dress shops and hipster coffee houses, in an 1860’s apartment building that was renovated in 2011 to incorporate a glass elevator, rooftop bar, and stylish interiors.
This chic, trendy neighborhood is just a few steps from the Galata Tower and just a few minutes’ walk to the main drag, Istiklal Street. You can stroll to the Old City’s main sites (Aya Sofia, Spice Bazaar, Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Suleyman Mosque, Cisterns, etc.) in less than 20 minutes.
Style & Character
The hotel is not signposted, so you could be forgiven for missing the hotel altogether, but once found, this trendy boutique hotel welcomes you with a cool, calm interior, dark marble staircases, a comfortable lobby, and a beautiful rooftop lounge and restaurant. In fact, the staircases are so stylishly dark that, being only lit by electronic candles, you may well need your iPhone torch to navigate your way up.
Rooms
Rooms are very spacious with high ceilings, contemporary furniture, parquet floors, white linens with a goose-down duvet on a super comfortable bed. Most have private balconies with stunning views of the Bosphorus, from the first bridge to the Historical Peninsula and which the local cats love to sun themselves on. The historic building means that each room embraces historic architectural details whilst still feeling modern with the latest technology, including an Led TV, iPad docking stations, laptop-sized safes, a Nespresso machine, and free Wi-Fi. The Bathroom contains monogrammed terry cloth towels and robes, L’Occitane toiletries, and wooden blinds. For a lively part of town, the rooms are blissfully quiet.
Food & Drink
Breakfast is a mix of traditional Turkish and contemporary options. The typical spread includes eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, various jams, clotted cream, fresh orange juice, and Turkish coffee and tea. The views in the morning are stunning, over the Old City to the west and the Bosporus Bridge to the northeast.
Conclusion
In the evening, the local neighborhood contains much of the best of Istanbul’s dining and clubs, but George’s own Le Fumoir Restaurant, Terrace & Bar is among the highlights. Le Fumoir is split into a clubby brick-walled dining room inside and a rooftop terrace. Serving French cuisine and drinks and with loads of comfy couches and chairs to lounge on, the terrace is the perfect sunset venue. Sip a cold beer as the sun sets over the city to the soundtrack of club tunes mingling with distant prayer.
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