RAFFLES Hotels continues to grow its impressive portfolio with the opening of its first property in Turkey on September 1 this year. The hotel is in the heart of the city in Zorlu Centre in Istanbul with a prime location offering a new hub for fashion, food and the arts on the European shore in Besiktas – overlooking the Bosphorus, the Princess Islands and the historic peninsula.
The sleek modern interiors at Raffles Istanbul will be embellished with an impressive collection of artwork, specially commissioned from local artists, a mix of paintings, sculpture, photography and video installations. These will all come together as a contemporary interpretation of Turkish culture and heritage, giving the hotel a strong sense of place. Raffles Istanbul will have an Art Concierge, to steer clients through the city’s exciting new art scene which, over the last few years, has shifted from heavily traditional to a reinvigorated one, energetically celebrating its new generation of artists. Art Concierge will enable the direct access of Raffles guests to the Zorlu Center Performing Arts with world-class dramas and musicals.Peter French, president of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, explains: “Turkey is a rising star of the global economy and Istanbul is a rising star of global tourism. The Zorlu Centre is a new destination for the city of Istanbul and for people from all around the world. A new icon, both in function and design, very much like our hotels, wherever they are.”