Picolo recommends · Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey
Shangri-La Bosphorus
From a bright, high-ceilinged room you look directly over the strait, and boats to Asia leave from a pier just along the quay.
Many of the large rooms face the strait directly, so the first thing you see in the morning is ships on the Bosphorus. Inside, the hotel is light, high-ceilinged and hushed, with an indoor pool and a spa for grey days.
On the Beşiktaş waterfront, the hotel neighbours both the Naval Museum and Dolmabahçe Palace. The ferry pier is a couple of minutes away, with boats across to Kadıköy and Üsküdar on the Asian side.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Shangri-La Bosphorus
It combines a Bosphorus view with an easy way into the rest of Istanbul. Ferries from Beşiktaş are the quickest route to Asia, and the crossing itself is one of the best views in Istanbul.
The feel is more international than Turkish. The Beşiktaş waterfront is busy in the daytime and quiet at night, so look elsewhere if you want a neighbourhood with street life on your doorstep.
What you get
- Large rooms with Bosphorus views
- Indoor pool
- Spa
- Ferry pier close by
- Dolmabahçe Palace next door
A day at Shangri-La Bosphorus
- Morning
- Coffee by the window as the ships pass.
- Midday
- A visit to Dolmabahçe Palace next door.
- Afternoon
- Ferry to Kadıköy for lunch on the Asian side.
- Evening
- A swim in the indoor pool before dinner.
Location
Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Turkey
Open in MapsQuestions about Shangri-La Bosphorus
Does Shangri-La Bosphorus have a pool?
Yes, there is an indoor pool as well as a spa, which makes the hotel a good choice in cooler or rainy months.
How do you get to the Asian side from Shangri-La Bosphorus?
Take the ferry from Beşiktaş pier, a couple of minutes from the hotel. Boats run across to Kadıköy and Üsküdar.
What is near Shangri-La Bosphorus?
Dolmabahçe Palace is next door and the Naval Museum is beside the hotel, both on the European shore of the Bosphorus.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
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