Istanbul is simply one of the greatest cities in the world. It’s a treasure trove of historic monuments, most famously Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar, and new marvels like the futuristic Çamlica Tower and gleaming Istanbul Modern museum. It’s an intoxicating destination, with a maze of ancient alleyways set against a contemporary, cosmopolitan culture. Without fail, I can rely on Istanbul to whet my appetite for travel. Though the city is thousands of years old — and though I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve visited — I always discover something new and unexpected.

Turkey’s top metropolis is easier to incorporate into an itinerary than you might think. Istanbul has become one of my favorite stopovers on journeys from North America to Africa and Asia. Recently, such a trip provided the perfect opportunity to investigate two notable hotels: the new Peninsula and the newly renovated Four Seasons Sultanahmet.

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet

After getting caught in a snarl of Istanbul’s infamous traffic, we arrived at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, which reopened in late 2022 after extensive refurbishment. The 65-room hotel is in a former prison just steps from Hagia Sophia, but despite the somewhat grim backstory (we were assured the property is not haunted), it’s now a bright and cheerful space that was warm and welcoming during our off-season visit.