The Westist Hotel & Spa

For many travelers the historic district of Beyoğlu is the very heart of Istanbul; it’s among the most picturesque and richly varied parts of town, and is home to more than a few of the city’s finest hotels. To that number you can add the Westist, as purely design-focused a boutique hotel as this city has seen in a long time.

Virtually absent is the Ottoman style so common among Istanbul hotels, replaced at the Westist by an Art Deco–influenced but thoroughly contemporary minimalist look, a near-monochrome style where white and black are accented by subtle pinks and blues, and the crisp modernist lines dominate the visual composition.

Space is at a bit of a premium in this crowded quarter of the city, and the Westist’s rooms are compact, though their efficient layouts mean they never feel cramped. Subtle luxuries like parquet floors and rain showers provide some substance to complement their considerable style.

Meanwhile a small and stylish spa edges the Westist ever closer to luxury-hotel territory. And on the ground floor the Pera Antakya restaurant — so called because Pera was Beyoğlu’s original name — completes the package, serving traditional Turkish fare in a lively, contemporary space.