Hotels & accommodation

Pera Palace Hotel

Independent grand hotel · Opened in 1892 on Meşrutiyet Caddesi in Beyoğlu, built to host Orient Express passengers arriving in Istanbul

Pera Palace was built in 1892 on Meşrutiyet Caddesi in Beyoğlu, across the Golden Horn from the old city, to give passengers arriving on the Orient Express a grand hotel worthy of the journey. The neoclassical and art nouveau building still anchors the Pera district, a short walk from İstiklal Avenue, the Galata Tower and the Tünel funicular, with the museums and offices of modern Istanbul spread around it.

The hotel has 115 rooms and suites, many with balconies facing the Golden Horn. Interiors keep the building's 19th-century character — dark wood, marble bathrooms and tall windows — and two rooms carry the hotel's history in particular: Room 101, where Atatürk stayed, is preserved as a small museum, and Room 411 is associated with Agatha Christie, a regular guest whose Istanbul visits the hotel still commemorates.

The domed Kubbeli Salon is the social centre of the hotel, used for afternoon tea and evening drinks beneath its glass cupolas. Agatha Restaurant serves Turkish and international dishes, the Orient Bar occupies the hotel's historic bar room, and Patisserie de Pera sells cakes and chocolates from its own counter; the Pera Spa by Spa Soul offers a hammam, pool and treatment rooms below.

As a scouting base, Pera Palace sits in the middle of the Beyoğlu side of Istanbul — the consulates, galleries, language schools and expat-favoured neighbourhoods of Cihangir, Galata and Nişantaşı are all within walking distance or a short tram or metro ride, while the historic peninsula across the bridge holds the city's main government offices for residence paperwork.

• Opened in 1892 on Meşrutiyet Caddesi No. 52, Tepebaşı, Beyoğlu, to host Orient Express passengers
• 115 rooms and suites, many with Golden Horn views
• Room 101, used by Atatürk, is preserved as a museum room; Room 411 is linked to Agatha Christie
• Among the first buildings in Istanbul with electric lighting, an electric lift and hot running water
• Home to the Kubbeli Salon, Agatha Restaurant, the Orient Bar and Patisserie de Pera

Visit the property — Pera Palace perapalace.com

This featured showcase is an editorial selection by our editors. We have not stayed at this property and it is not a paid placement; no rating is implied. Paid placements never influence the Turkey liveability score, safety rating or warnings.