W

As the centrepiece of the newest mixed-use development to be unveiled in the city, W Istanbul benefits from a high-profile location that is steeped in history yet showcases today’s leading luxury lifestyle brands.

Originally built by order of Sultan Abdülaziz in the 1870s to serve as living quarters for high-ranking officers of the Dolmabahce Palace, the landmark Akaretler Row Houses in Besiktas have been leased from the government by Serdar Bilgili who, since 2005, has spearheaded a renovation project to restore them to their former glory. In keeping with their history, the renewed neo-classical frontages reflect a period in time when westernisation influenced the architecture and housing of the Ottoman Empire. Oozing understated sophistication, they have now been revitalised to serve as the city’s hippest destination for luxury residences, high-end designer shops and trendy cafés.

Unsurprisingly the location proved to be a big attraction for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which, under a management agreement with Bilgili’s company Akaretler Turizm Yatirimlari, opened the doors to its first W hotel in Turkey this April at a cost of US$75 million. “Istanbul is a dynamic city with growing potential so it suits the W culture and represents a great place to establish the brand in Europe,” says General Manager Göktug Özdemir. “Serdar Bilgili was looking for a hotel management company with enough style and substance to become the centrepiece of this development. Our company loved the building and location.”

To respect both the historic nature of the Row Houses and the modern brand values of W, an architect and interior designer with the capacity to unite old and new was selected to conceptualise and supervise construction of the interiors of the 12,000m2 hotel. “Mahmut Anlar is a young, famous local designer who was able to visualise the combination of classic and modern that this building needed,” Özdemir continues. “While W has clear brand positioning, it doesn’t take a cookie cutter approach towards design. So we were able to create something out of the ordinary within W’s framework and an interactive, approval process.”

Co-founder of the Turkish architecture and design firm Geomim, Anlar has striven to create a modern Ottoman style for the hotel, one that recalls the magnificence of the Empire but in a contemporary way. “Our materials and fabric selections were influenced by those we have seen in Ottoman palaces, including Topkapi Palace,” he comments. “We wanted the hotel to evoke feelings of mystery and erotic energy through the design.”

Guests approaching the discreet-looking entrance are given no initial clues to the success of Anlar’s design formula but step through the doors to the lavish Welcome area and it soon becomes apparent. Under the conceptual banner of ‘Treasure Room’, cool-looking black Marmara marble flooring provides the backdrop for a jewellery box-inspired Welcome desk, covered in silver metal and decorated with inset crystals backlit by colourful mood lighting. In homage to a stunning jewellery artefact displayed at Topkapi Palace, a glass-cut, emerald-coloured lighting feature shaped in the form of a tree grows from behind the desk to reach out across the ceiling. Exposed brickwork provides a glimpse of the original building while displays of ornamental copper alems and quilted ottoman seats frame the sleek entrance into the hotel.

Moving through billowing transparent silver drapes, the magic continues. In a secondary entrance chamber, home to the concierge desk, grey velvet seating decorated with jewel-embellished cushions and mirror-effect furniture are complemented by beautiful displays of lilies and orchids, mosaic-covered columns, ornate mirrors and a flower motif projected on the wall. A black-fringed curtain leads to SIP, a modern Ottoman-style lounge that features low-level sedir seating and an ornamental stone lace wall.

The effect is decidedly feminine and picks up on one of the major themes of the overall concept – to emphasise the sense of mystery that would have been reflected in the harem sections of traditional Ottoman palaces.

Accessed by a feature staircase underlit in gold, W’s signature Living Room represents the main social area of the hotel. Here, contemporary leather furniture and side tables sourced from the likes of Moroso and B&B Italia complement the sedir seating. Brass-grid latticework covering pillars and mirrored walls again evoke the idea of the harem, where screens would have allowed the Sultan’s slaves to see but not be seen. Wooden-slat blinds, an eye-catching oak bar, block canvases and an exposed stone wall sprayed with a subtle glitter-effect finish lend a naturalistic feel to the space, which manages to achieve the tricky balance of feeling warm, yet captivating.

Leading up to the hotel’s restaurant, Spice Market by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, an ornamental wooden wall and staircase signal the start of cleaner, pared-down interiors that remain in harmony with the rest of the hotel but allow the delicious South-East Asian cuisine to take centre stage. Spice Market has already established itself as a destination restaurant in Istanbul, attracting affluent locals from outside the hotel who comprise approximately 75% of the clientele.

The 134 guest rooms, at an average size of 30m2, may have felt a little on the small side were it not for the addition of outside space and the incorporation of clever design solutions borrowed from traditional Safranbolu houses. Eschewing a typical corridor, the first section of the room has instead been used to house functional features such as shower cubicle, WC and sink, all of which are hidden in their own separate areas behind wooden panels and closet doors. Marmara marble is used for this wet area, which leads onto carpeted living space that comprises oversized desk, funky seating, feature mirror, W signature bed, flat screen TV and iPod docking station. An original stone pattern found in the Row Houses acts as a unifying detail throughout the rooms and can be found on the bathroom mirrors, bedheads and ceilings – as well as in the sexily lit hotel corridors beyond.

Looking back on construction, Anlar explains that the biggest challenge was designing within the confines of a historic building. “To create a functional layout that worked around the load-bearing structure and original elements of the building was really tough,” he concludes.
But the determination of the W Istanbul team to create something special already seems to be paying off. The hotel’s opulent design captures the glamour of a bygone Ottoman era while serving up the amenities expected by today’s discerning travellers.


W ISTANBUL
Suleyman Seba Cad No: 22 · Akaretler, Besiktas · Istanbul 34357 · Turkey

Capacity:    134 guestrooms
Food:    Spice Market by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, W Cafe
Drink:    Sip, Living Room

Leisure:    Sweat™ Fitness Centre 
Facilities:    Spa Treatment Rooms