Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Turkey / Istanbul / The Peninsula Istanbul
The Peninsula Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey · Peninsula · Apex Luxury
The Peninsula Istanbul opened in February 2023 within four restored early-20th-century Karaköy waterfront buildings, including the Bauhaus-inflected 1937 Karaköy Passenger Terminal designed by architect Rebii Gorbon and the 1912 Merkez Rihtim Han, all part of the Galataport regeneration. Its rooftop restaurant Gallada is led by Fatih Tutak, the first and only chef in Turkey to hold two Michelin stars, earned at his own restaurant TURK in 2022.
- 177 rooms
- Opened 2023
- Neighborhood: Kemankeş Cd. 49/8
- Architect: Rebii Gorbon
- Interiors: Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu
About The Peninsula Istanbul
- That 2022 recognition came in the inaugural Michelin Guide Istanbul, making Gallada the city's most decorated chef-restaurant collaboration.
- That terminal was Turkey's primary transatlantic cruise arrival point for decades; its passenger hall now forms the hotel's signature dining floor.
- The Peninsula brand waited 95 years after its 1928 Hong Kong founding before opening its first hotel in a Muslim-majority country — Istanbul 2023 was that debut.
- Interior design was entrusted to Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu, the Turkish architect who also designed the interiors of the Şakirin Mosque in Istanbul — the first mosque in Turkey designed by a woman.
- The World's 50 Best Hotels named The Peninsula Istanbul 'One to Watch' in 2024, less than 18 months after opening.
History
The Peninsula Istanbul occupies four waterfront buildings in Istanbul's historic Karaköy district within the Galataport development, including three protected early 1900s landmarks and a 1937 Bauhaus-style cruise terminal carefully renovated. Set amid landscaped gardens along the Bosphorus Strait, it blends Ottoman heritage with contemporary luxury at the convergence of East and West. Opened in February 2023, it revives historic structures while offering modern amenities with sweeping views of the strait and the Old Town.
The setting
The Peninsula Istanbul occupies four restored early-20th-century buildings on Kemankeş Caddesi in Karaköy — including the 1912 Merkez Rihtim Han and the Bauhaus-inflected 1937 Karaköy Passenger Hall by architect Rebii Gorbon — within the Galataport waterfront regeneration that revived this historic Bosphorus quay. The district's Genoese roots, 19th-century Ottoman banking heritage along Bankalar Caddesi, and the adjacent Istanbul Modern art museum confirm its cultural standing, while the Galata Tower is 11 minutes on foot and the Egyptian Bazaar 16 minutes, placing guests at the seam between old-city grandeur and vibrant Beyoğlu. 3 km from Hagia Sophia Mosque.
Restaurants and bars
- Gallada — Restaurant · Two MICHELIN Stars
- Topside Bar — Bar
Experiences
- Opening dining options — Special dining options celebrating the opening, with Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Arabic cuisines.
Amenities
- spa
- hammam
- indoor pool
- outdoor infinity pool
- gym
- fitness centre
- private yacht
- gardens
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Rooftop bar
- Cinema
- Fine dining
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- World's 50 Best Hotels (2026)
- World's 50 Best Hotels One to Watch (2024)
- Two MICHELIN Keys
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More Peninsula hotels
- The Peninsula London — London, United Kingdom · Apex Luxury
- The Peninsula Paris — Paris, France · Apex Luxury
- The Peninsula Tokyo — Tokyo, Japan · Apex Luxury
- The Peninsula Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand · Grand Luxury
- The Peninsula Beijing — Beijing, China · Grand Luxury
- The Peninsula Beverly Hills — Beverly Hills, United States · Grand Luxury
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- Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet — Four Seasons · Apex Luxury
- Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus — Four Seasons · Apex Luxury
- Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Istanbul — Mandarin Oriental · Apex Luxury
- Park Hyatt Istanbul - Maçka Palas — Park Hyatt · Grand Luxury
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