Back story
An unusual boutique hotel located in the middle of the financial district of Istanbul and in the building of the neoclassical-style former Credit General Ottoman bank built in 1863. When the empty building was taken over by new owners, House Hotel Group, they found some well-preserved architecture behind the neoclassical façade and to emphasize its authenticity parts of the old banking equipment, such as safes doors and money counting machines, became a part of the hotel equipment and exhibits. The hotel combines the modern with the antique and some special experiences are the ride in the historic elevator through the staircase and a visit to the wine cellar, located in the original vault, where you can choose a bottle of fine wine.
View from the inside
Volkan Cengel, the head chef, is the trademark of the hotel’s culinary story and the quaint Kasa Lokanta restaurant offers seasonal dishes inspired by local culinary influences. The chef is a reputed trendsetter, constantly on the prowl for fresh ingredients that are combined to create gourmet cuisine. He can transform the typical Istanbul fare got with fishermen at the nearby Galata Bridge into an excellent smoked mullet meal.
Meet with a view
The view from the terrace spreads over the city and extends straight up to the Bosphorus and the outlines of the minarets of the largest mosques in the distance, silhouetting the Asian side of town. The terrace is the added value of this hotel where holding a reception can be a memorable experience. It’s also worth mentioning that the conference room, like the wine bar, is located in a bank vault and that the four conference rooms can accommodate from 5 to 40 persons. Another specialty is that the hotel has its own curator, Zeynep Berik (Editor-in-Chief of Turkish contemporary art magazine ICE), who carefully selects the artworks exhibited in the hotel and ensures close contact with the local art scene.
