Sumahan on the Water

Sumahan is a Hotel on the Water

Sumahan sits on the very edge of the Bosphorus Straits which separate Europe from Asia and link the cold waters of the Black Sea to the warm waters of the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean beyond. The Bosphorus feeds the heart and spirit of the city.

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Sumahan is Unique

It is a rare Bosphorus-front property that has remained in the hands of the original family. Turkish-American owner-architects Nedret and Mark Butler have transformed an unlikely family heirloom, a derelict late Ottoman alcohol factory, into special retreat for visitors to the modern city. Its aim is to provide the highest degree of service to the independent traveller in the intimacy of a family-owned hotel.

Sumahan has Spectacular Views

Status in Istanbul has long been determined not by the horsepower of your car but the magnificence of your living room view. Every bedroom in the hotel offers an ever-changing seascape of fisherman and ferryboats and ships gliding through the night. It's a view of myth and of history. Odysseus, Jason and his Argonauts all passed in front of the Sumahan as did Soviet submarines. In a list that includes Topkapi Palace and the Maiden's Tower, the Guardian newspaper cites Sumahan as the only hotel among Istanbul's five best waterside views.

Sumahan Neighborhood

Sumahan is just outside Çengelköy, a part of the city that still preserves its air of an authentic Bosphorus neighorhood. It is a village of wooden houses, fish restaurants and seaside promenades. The Bosphorus-front mansions nearby are among the stately homes of Turkey, and include the residence of Abdullah Pasa, the son of a Çengelköy boatman who went on to become the Grand Vezir. Çengelköy is famous for its fruit orchards and market gardens and had the royal palace where the last Ottoman Sultan was raised.

Accommodations

The properties of light and water, different at every time of day and in every season provide the instant attraction of staying here. There is a choice of suites and bedrooms, each with its own personality, most with fire places, but all with magnificent views. The twin level suites have their own Bosphorus-side garden. In the purity of its conception, the choice of wood and marble, steel and brick, fabrics and linens, Sumahan sets a standard in restoration architecture and interior design. The furnishings are contemporary. The large bathrooms are well-appointed with thick Turkish towels and a choice of traditional colognes and special toiletries including rich natural soaps. Many of the rooms have their own Turkish-style bath or hamam.

Dining

Tapasuma, located on the Çengelköy shore of the enchanted city of İstanbul where East meets West, is the newest additon to Sumahan on the Water. Located in a restored nineteenth century Ottoman distillery, a unique and contemporary dining experience awaits.

Executive Chef Gökay Çakıroğlu builds upon the best of seasonal fish dishes with a unique twist on modern Turkish and Mediterranean cuisines. A striking eight-meter long marble bar displays innovative Turkish "mezzes" offering an unmatched culinary and sensory experience.

Ideal for daytime business luncheons, intimate dining or a get-away to watch the İstanbul sunset, Tapasuma is both beautiful and convenient. Access is provided by the charming launch, Sumahan I, linking the European shore to Tapasuma's private dock. Get ready for an unforgettable experience in a cozy atmosphere with its exceptional location overlooking a view that has no equal.

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