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Last updated: 15 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Dana Facaros

Set on the Bosphorus, this large, five-star luxury retreat is set in an opulent 19th-century marble Ottoman residence, spilling out into several newer buildings.

The main palace building houses seven suites, popular among visiting royalty, heads of state and Hollywood stars.

The Ciragan Palace provides guests with every conceivable mod con – indoor and outdoor pools, a hammam, fitness centre, gardens, and even the occasional classical concert – alongside mesmerising views of the Asian side of town and the Bosphorus Bridge.

There’s a superb breakfast buffet, too – pricey, but could keep you going until the evening.

Lounging in the hotel’s heated infinity pool, watching ships sail down the Bosphorus strait, is a total luxury. After all, you are staying in a real Sultan’s palace.

Surrounding area

The hotel is in an exclusive, peaceful setting on the European side of the water, with the sometimes busy Ciragan Caddesi separating it on the other side from Yildiz Park and a small mosque. There are Four Seasons and Radisson hotels on one side, and a university on the other. A ten-minute walk north will take you to the centre of pretty, waterfront Ortakoy.

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Key facilities

Airport transfers*
Beach: None
Fitness centre
Fitness classes
Golf course
Hot tub
Kids club
Parking: On-site (free)
Pool (adults only)
Pool (indoor)
Pool (outdoor)
Pool (kids)
Spa
Tennis courts
WiFi: Free
Yoga

Food & drink

All inclusive
Kids menu
Restaurant on-site
Self catering
*
Additional charge

Room types

Apartments
Bedrooms
Cabins
Suites
Tents
Villas
Yurts

Room facilities

Air conditioning
Flat screen TV
Jacuzzi (private)
Pool (private)
Tea & coffee making facilities
WiFi

Bedding options

2+ bedrooms
3+ beds
Connecting rooms
Rollaway/sofa bed

Bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Dolmabahce Palace

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.4 miles]

An extraordinarily opulent 19th-century palace that blends Ottoman architecture with Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles.

Best for ages: Any | £9

Topkapi Palace

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[4.5 miles]

Built in 1459 to become the 15th and-16th century home of the Ottoman Sultans, this magnificently decadent palace is a perfectly preserved time capsule of life at the top in this most exotic of empires.

Best for ages: 8+ | £17

Istanbul’s palaces

Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey[4.5 miles]

Splendid Imperial palaces and gardens, built for the sultans, line the Bosphorus River in Istanbul, including the must-see Topkapi and Dolmabahce.

Best for ages: 8+ | £2

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Overview >

Other worthwhile experiences in this destination if you have the time or the interest, closest first

Decorative metal Helmets Of Warriors Of Turkish Ottoman empire
Experience

Istanbul Military Museum

Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey[2.4 miles]

A fascinating and quirky military museum with an astonishing array of uniforms, weapons and battle standards. Upstairs, there is a room devoted to the revolutionary statesman Ataturk. Go around 3pm for an unforgettably weird re-creation of a 17th-century military band concert.

Best for ages: 13+ | £1

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Overview >
View of art museum in old hotel
Experience

Pera Museum

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[3.7 miles]

World-class collections of Ottoman art, tiles and ceramics – plus big-name travelling exhibitions – set in a former grand hotel.

Best for ages: 18+ | £2

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Overview >
Man and a woman looking at paintings in a modern art gallery
Experience

Istanbul Modern

Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey[3.9 miles]

A modern art museum housing the finest collection of modern and contemporary art in the country. The Modern’s temporary exhibits by Turkish and international artists – often organized in collaboration with MoMA (New York) and the Centre Pompidou (Paris) – are particularly exceptional.

Best for ages: 18+ | £4

Website >
Overview >
Exterior of white museum with trees lining the entrance
Experience

Museum of Turkish Islamic Arts

Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey[5.5 miles]

One of the world’s finest collections of Islamic-influenced glassware, rugs, ceramics, metal work and ethnographic items.

Best for ages: 18+ | £4

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Overview >

Destination guides including or relevant to this place to stay

Istanbul

Marmara Region, Turkey

Exotic, inexhaustible and dynamic – East meets West head-on in this mesmerising city metropolis, famed for its extraordinarily rich history, superb food and shopping, and mind-blowingly magnificent, over-sized mosques.

Website >
Overview >

Round-ups that include this placetostay

15 Great palaces you can stay in

Multiple countries

A Sultan’s palace in Istanbul, a royal palace in Vienna, a Moghul fort-palace in India – authentic palace stays offer a taste of royal and aristocratic life from bygone eras. Here’s our round-up of 15 of the best.

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