istanbul, not constantinople

May 8th, 2008

exterior

Built inside an historic Art Deco Palace, Park Hyatt Istanbul opens in October 2008 in the trendy Nisantasi shopping and dining district of this ancient capital, now re-emerging as one of the most thrilling cities in Europe and Asia.

Abdi Ipekçi Street runs through the center of Nisantasi and offers upscale fashion boutiques, similar to Via Montenapoleone in Milan or Avenue Montaigne in Paris – Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Armani, Hugo Boss, and Tod’s are all in attendance. Local designers like Cemil Ipekci and Arzu Kaprol represent Istanbul’s creative class and bring the region’s rich history of textiles into the arena of haute couture. The neighborhood is also famous for its Art Nouveau apartment buildings, many of which house Turkey’s prominent figures in culture, art, and business. Saturday night is especially popular with revelers, while Sunday afternoons afford a nice, quiet stroll and cafe-lingering among longtime residents.

Park Hyatt Istanbul is just the right size, with 90 rooms total, 25 of which will be designated as residential spa rooms (think steam bath and a heated bathroom floor for guests to enjoy the traditional Turkish Hammam body scrub). The interiors were designed by Randy Gerner of Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel in New York; the ground floor of the hotel creates a channel to the bustling shopping district outside and houses existing Emporio Armani and Gucci boutiques.

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