Istanbul Holiday Apartments

Saying that holiday apartments in İstanbul are easy to find is like saying the sultans were celibate – it just ain’t true. So the ever-expanding portfolio of İstanbul Holiday Apartments, run by American Ann Taboroff Uysel, is as unusual as it is welcome. Now in locations as diverse as Sultanahmet, Galata, Cihangir, Taksim and Beşiktaş, these apartments in residential blocks are perfect for city sojourns of three days or more. Our favourites are the penthouse terrace and top-floor view apartments in the Glorya building near the Galata Tower; the Aslan apartments in Sultanahmet are perhaps the least impressive.

These apartments have every mod-con you'd need, right down to the hairdryer and toaster in the kitchen. Decor is comfy and contemporary, with a nod to Ottoman style. Little expense has been spared with the fitouts, featuring quality antiques, good beds and crisp white linen. There are two apartment blocks, Bereket and Glorya. Glorya has the pricier apartments. Those on its top floor have to-die-for views of Old Istanbul and the Golden Horn. The Glorya garden suite is the cheapest option of all the apartments and sleeps three (one on a sofa bed). It has a private paved courtyard. The Bereket apartments are excellent too. Those on the top floors have views from the small balconies, or even better, from the double bed – this is where we'd like to spend Saturday mornings. Bliss!