10 Karakoy Istanbul

The waterfront district of Karaköy is one of the city’s oldest, but it’s also the site of quite a lot that’s exciting about life in present-day Istanbul — and that includes the stunning 10 Karaköy. This luxury boutique hotel is fashioned from a neoclassical building that, at a mere 150 years old, is a relative newcomer by local standards. And after its reimagining at the hands of architect Sinan Kafadar, it’s a masterful marriage of the classic and the contemporary.

The interiors mix period architecture, Ottoman-influenced contemporary design, and modern furniture, much of it designed by the architect himself. And while the in-room look might be visually sparse, the experience isn’t bare-bones — all the necessities are accounted for, from wi-fi to down duvets and HD televisions, and at the top of the scale, in the suites and the penthouse, the accommodations verge on the truly high-end.

And there’s more going on in 10 Karaköy than what you see in the rooms. The restaurant, Brasserie Ten, serves international plates in a sensual, subtly lit ambience, while Kupaj Lounge is a typically vibrant nightspot. As, of course, is ON10, which sets its stylish crowd against the backdrop of a wraparound view of the Bosphorus and the city skyline — another instant classic.