There are very few words to describe enjoying a breakfast of honey on a comb, cheese and fresh fruits on the patio of a restored eighteenth century yah (old waterfront mansion). Tranquil, generous, mesmerizing come to mind as the waiter vested in nineteenth century elegant light khaki trousers, shirt and apron refills my coffee with a hand gloved in white. Seagulls fly overhead occasionally swooping down to rest on a barge languidly trudging through the watery passage dividing Istanbul into its Anatolian and European twins. One such curious bird lands on the small access gate separating the river from Hôtel Les Ottomans, it stands there for a moment, head turning from left to right soaking in the intimate atmosphere before flying off downstream, perhaps to tell its friends of the latest treasure to be found along the deep sapphire blue waters of the city’s undulating shoreline.
The brainchild of the superbly astute and incredibly hospitable Ahu Aysal-Kerimoglu, Les Ottomans is an elegant boutique hotel delighting in Turkey’s plush, bountiful and controversial heritage. “I have always been proud of the Ottoman heritage,” says Aysal-Kerimoglu sipping on some Turkish coffee. It’s not a statement you openly hear from a people still, in large part, waving the flag of republican Mustapha Kemal Atatürk. “We need to remember them since they were very important to the Turkish people. We have to cherish our traditions and I am happy that people are starting to appreciate them as much as I do,” she concludes, a large smile widening across her face. No stranger to hôtellerie, she also owns and manages a Club-med like resort on the Anatolian coast and a second five-star hotel where Thalasso (sea-based) therapy was introduced for the first time in Turkey.
Aysal-Kerimoglu’s enthusiasm for the era when the Ottoman Empire’s laws and mores were proliferated across the region is infectious. The hotel houses only 10 uniquely themed suites (of which six are duplexes) at a cost of 1,100 USD for the least expensive and 4,800 USD for the stunning 142m2 Hurrem Sultan apartment-like suite overlooking the pool and the Bosphorous on the second floor of the mansion. Each is named after prominent sultans though the central theme remains the opulence and grandeur often associated with that period. The duplex I stayed in, Hafza Hatun (a female political powerbroker) was decorated in lush royal blue. An old damascene-like mirror sits behind an inviting chaise long opposite a plasma TV and the antique working wooden working desk. On the small circular table, a glass encased tray of dried fruit and nuts was appetisingly displayed along with a bowl of seasonal fresh fruit. Costumed chamber maids are always at the ready to replenish the goodies.
One flight up the sturdy wooden stairs, you’ll find your sleeping quarters. A French bed draped in the finest cotton sheets and down duvet acts as the centrepiece. I couldn’t help but laugh in delight at the massive reproduction of a sultan’s headdress (pearls and all) perched on the top of the bed. I try out the beige couch and leg rest just for good measure. Slowly sinking into it, I look up at the ceiling; the lighting designing is discreet and well thought through. You can dim them from a central ATX screen and command (you can actually open the downstairs door and activate the multimedia systems using the screen).
In creating each room, the three architects that worked on the seven-year project and Aysal-Kerimoglu herself wanted to make sure guests were continuously rejuvenated with positive energy. The only way to do that was to synthesis two seeming opposite concepts: Feng Shui principles and Middle Eastern design. “Some people find it surprising that we have incorporated Feng Shui into our design. But it’s just a concept and as such can fit with almost any milieu. What we have done is brought the best of both worlds together,” says Aysal-Kerimoglu matter-of-factly. It actually works very well. Each of the suites tastefully uses open space and some marble bathrooms are only walled with transparent glass, leaving very little to the imagination. One suite even boasts its very own mini hamam.
The three-floor mansion has a hidden secret known only to patrons of the hotel and Istanbul’s velvet society. A floor down from the quaint reception, you’ll find one of the world’s finest spas and health clubs. And here is the pièce de resistance – a monumental Caudelie Viontherapie Spa with treatments amazingly based on grape seeds from some of France’s finest wines. (When dining on the hotel’s delectable Ottoman menu, make sure you try Turkish wine, it could very well rival its European counterpart). The prevailing wisdom is that these ‘leftovers’ actually contain anti-oxidants that can cleanse and rejuvenate your skin. While sounding deliciously decadent, there is much to be said for the treatments. I was treated to a body scrub using an earthly mixture of sea salt, grape seeds and natural honey, followed by and head-to-toe massage and facial that left me glowing, if not aglow. What is also exceptional about the spa and health club is its endearing peculiarities. You’ll be encouraged to try espresso-shots of green grass juice (quite tasty) at the latter and the 1960s space-like meditation room with light-therapy and heated cocoon vessels. Another room in the 2,400 square metre spa touts being able to make you feel well rested thanks to a shallow pool filled with mineral water and 30 minutes of light-therapy.
When you stay at Les Ottomans you are a guest in the true meaning of the word. This is not only apparent in the impeccable service and the joviality of the staff that you come to know by name. It’s also in the conscientious details. As mentioned before, no two rooms are furnished alike and it’s almost as though each item was researched and handpicked by scouring a plethora of different antique shops and markets. You really feel as though no stone has been left unturned in the search for the perfect bedside table, the Aladdin-like slippers, the enormous silver teapot and the wonderful red rose armchair in the hallway. Even the table napkins are beautifully embroidered and the management has had the presence of mind to provide an embossed cream pashmina on the patio in case impetuous winds start blowing.
“The hotel is like a house and as hostess I also live on the premises. It’s very important for me to wake up and greet my guests. As a hostess you have to share and be generous with all who stay in your rooms. That is the Ottoman way. I want them to feel kayf,” says Aysal-Kerimoglu, racking her brain for a fitting translation. “It is a feeling of happiness from harmony.” I suddenly realise that this is the word to describe a stay at Les Ottomans. Kayf it is.
Contact
Hôtel Les Ottomans
Istanbul, Turkey
Tel + 90 212 359 1500
HYPERLINK "http://www.lesottomans.com" www.lesottomans.com
