After a stint in the business district of town, I was pleased to return to Galata, the home of the Georges Hotel. Lugging our bags up steep cobbled streets, we wondered where and when we might find this hidden gem. There were no signs on the street, no signs on doors to indicate such an establishment. I went to ask a smartly dressed waiter who was dawdling in what looked like a dark clothes shop. Rather than offering useful directions, he wrying smiled and stepped aside welcoming us to the Georges.
This discreet design hotel is set out in an unconventional way. You enter through the restaurant, Le Fumoir, a lovely little French affair which sadly seemed empty throughout our stay. The lavish red carpet, flickering candlelight and exposed brickwork make the whole room rather sultry and macabre. A heavy velvet curtain is pulled to one side to allow guests to ascend the slim building to their prospective bedrooms.
Although the rooms number from 1 to 21 there are just 20 rooms, number 13 is omitted, apparently this is to cater for superstitious tourists, which I found amusing. Each room is designed and decorated in a contemporary but local style, modern handmade furnishings add character and charm to the simple elegant rooms. We didn’t have to go far to find our homely abode, room 8 on the first floor. I initially noticed the glossy wooden flooring and the ornate blue tiling in the tiny adjoining bathroom. The colours and materials are carefully selected for the finest quality and comfort. The bed looked like a huge white cushion it was so plump and tightly bound in a crisp white sheet. A small cream leather topped desk and stool were neatly arranged with inspiring magazines and stationery.
A thin curtain on one side of the room pulled aside to reveal a balcony overlooking the street below. Although the space was limited, the Georges rooms are equipped with every luxury gadget your could need, I particularly appreciated the Nespresso machine. Spending time in our lovely little room was a welcome break from the busy touristy streets. My only qualm with the room was that it was a little dark in the evenings when the daylight faded.
Breakfast is served in the most idyllic of settings, the rooftop overlooking the city beneath the blazing sun. Each morning we picked at a delightful assortment of food: fresh fruit and crunchy French toast with honey was received greedily and gratefully. Good Western coffee is hard to find in Istanbul but the Georges knows how to cater for tourists serving up a delicious cappuccino.
The location and the chic design are enough to persuade any visitor to pick Georges Hotel for their luxury holiday accommodation, but it is the ‘above and beyond’ thoughtful service that ensures guests return year after year.
More information and book a stay at Georges Hotel here: www.georges.com/en
