Last Updated on December 14, 2016 by Fiona Maclean
Overnight in a bank! Vault Karakoy, Istanbul:
While I am a firm believer that you should never have regrets, there are occasions when I allow myself the odd wish. After my very short trip to Istanbul staying at Vault Karakoy hotel, I’ve been looking for the Genie to make sure he’s got the message that I’d actually rather like to go back. Before arriving at Vault Karakoy I was slightly concerned. It was the day of a big football match and the traffic, which I learnt later is generally heavy, was particularly bad. The trip from the airport to the town centre took over an hour. I did wonder where I had found myself.
But, walking up the steps into the stunning hotel, I was immediately put at ease. While the Vault Karakoy is a boutique hotel with just 63 rooms, the entrance lobby is rather splendid and belies the intimate level of service and attention to detail throughout the building. Magnificent high ceilings, stunning marble columns and patterned floors provide a backdrop to an interior which has been carefully planned to feel contemporary and comfortable and yet traditionally Turkish.
Throughout the hotel you’ll find a collection of contemporary art and the welcoming atmosphere is enhanced by stunning displays of flowers and by shelves lined with books about art, culture and music. I learnt that they have their own in-house art curator, Zeynep Berik, who is the editor in chief of contemporary Turkish art magazine ICE, which perhaps explains the level of perfection in the art collection.
It feels grand and yet in no way intimidating. The hotel was at one time a bank, like most of the buildings on the street. Restored by Han Tumertekin, an award-winning Turkish architect, the hotel has retained many of the original features countered with comfortable furnishing and some stunning art.
Opening the door to my room had a real wow factor. The ceiling must have been 20ft high, painted in traditional Turkish style and lit both by a central light and carefully placed wall lights. Floor to Ceiling curtains were so heavy they had to be opened using an electronic control. It was at once luxurious and very tasteful. And there was a kettle and a good quality coffee machine on the sideboard, something which really makes a difference for me if I am on a short visit and don’t have time for breakfast.
The marble lined bathroom was also beautifu, perhaps partly because of the rather unusual and very distinctive veined marble. Once again, impossibly high ceilings made for a luxurious feeling. There were perfectly fluffy white towels and a robe. And some beautiful bespoke Turkish toiletries.
Just before I set off on my walking tour I enjoyed a coffee on the rooftop bar. That alone would have sold me the Vault Karakoy. It’s the kind of place where I could sit all day, just looking out over the Bosphorus. With a mixture of seating, comfortable sofas and chairs, bar tables and stools and with a view to die for, I’m surprised it wasn’t busier.
I didn’t get a chance to eat at Kasa Lokanta, the hotel’s main restaurant. Located in the main lobby, it is where, had I not been leaving at 5am, I would have been able to enjoy breakfast and later in the day the restaurant serves a menu of Turkish and International dishes.
While Vault Karakoy itself is on the other side of the Bosphorus to the Old City and the main tourist attractions – the Blue Mosque and the Cathedral of St Sophia, it’s a short tram or taxi journey there. And, the Karakoy neighbourhood is full of galleries, restaurants and cafes, including the SALT Galata arts and cultural centre. If like me, you prefer to stay a short distance from the main tourist district and get more of a chance to see the real heart of a place, Vault Karakoy is certainly worth visiting. It’s somewhere you’ll find a warm welcome and a luxurious level of comfort.
Oh, and next time, I’m definitely booking the penthouse suite – with its stunning panoramic bathroom!
The Vault Karakoy Hotel is part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World
Vault Karakoy Hotel
Arap Cami,
Bankalar Cd. No:5,
34421 Beyoğlu/Istanbul, Turkey
+90 212 244 34 00
Thinking of visiting Istanbul? Why not pin this post for later
Disclosure: I was invited to stay as a guest of The Vault Karakoy Hotel.
Just in the process of planning my trip to Istanbul right now and this looks like an amazing place to stay! I thought it was going to be a lot more expensive but after looking it up it seems pretty reasonable. I mean, I love the high feelings and everything just seems so modern and well done. I guess the kicker is the rooftop bar – the view is incredible! thanks for sharing, I’ll probably book this for my trip!
Ow, what a lovely place to stay! I especially like the shower walls, I thought it was plants when i first glimpsed at the photos!
Wow that hotel looks so contemporary and amazing!! I can see the beauty of the bathroom its so unusual i can imagine walking in and just being stunned!
Now that is my kind of hotel. One of the things that attracted me most was the views. Never seen Istanbul look so appealing!
I always find it so interesting when older buildings are converted into hotels. What a beautiful property! Thanks for sharing and happy travels 🙂
That is such a stunning building, love that the have kept the old building and transformed it into something wonderful..
wow! What a beautiful hotel. I’d love to stay here, Instanbul has never been on my bucket list though.
Wow what a stunning and unique hotel – we just spent 5 days in Istanbul and will absolutely be back – will definitely make a note to stay here on our next trip. Thanks for the great review 🙂
Wow, this looks amazing! I don’t mind staying a bit further from the main attractions. Two of three times I stayed at a hotel that was three tram stops away from the Old City and it was an amazing experience. Less of a hype all around.
Wow! That bathroom is absolutely spectacular! Safe to say I;ve never stayed anywhere that fancy! Surely it must have cost a fair bit?
The rate at the moment is well under 100euros a night…
Boutique hotels can really make a huge impact when visiting a new city, and this one looks very special.
What a beautiful hotel. Looks very cozy & warm. Love the architecture and it’d be amazing to stay in a bank like this. Thanks for sharing, Noted for my next visit.
Wow! So much luxury!
Hard to imagine it was a bank once.
Loved the interiors, simple and perfect.
Like you, the penthouse will be it for me! What a view. What a name for a hotel, too!
Love, love, love the architecture and all the details of the Vault Karakoy. The marble shower looks like an abstract painting. Istanbul is on my list, just haven’t made it there yet and sounds like the Vault Karakoy i sthe place to stay. One day…
The rooms looks absolutely lovely and I love when there is a coffee maker and kettle in the room. I’m a tea drinker and enjoy a cup to relax with before bed. But the real gem of this hotel is that rooftop view. Wow!
The rooftop bar is somewhere I’d have happily sat all day (and night!)
Oh my. This hotel is stunning – so decadent. Xx
What a beautiful hotel. I’m not too sure I would ever leave that bathroom!
I just pinned this. This hotel is very lovely. Boutique hotels will make you feel so pampered. I definitely like the marble in the bathroom, so exquisite! Overall, it looks really elegant. I was expecting more of red and orange but I prefer this hotel’s choice of color.
I think the colours helped make the hotel feel light and contemporary, without losing their heritage
What a beautiful hotel. I love architecture so to stay in a bank like this would be amazing. The room and especially the bathroom looks luxurious and that bit different too. I will definitely consider staying if I ever visited Istanbul
It is beautiful – that combination of ‘grand’ yet boutique is quite special