ISTANBUL Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide will open its first Le Méridien hotel in Turkey, debuting the new 260-key Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler next year.
Owned by Makyol Construction Industry Tourism and Trading Co. Inc., the hotel overlooks the Bosphorus, offering panoramic views over two continents.
“Istanbul continues to evolve as a metropolitan center of culture, sophistication, design and cuisine, making it an ideal match for our Le Méridien brand,” sayso Roeland Vos, president of Starwood in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. “We are delighted to partner with Makyol as we introduce the Le Méridien brand to Turkey. This flagship hotel will enable us to showcase Le Méridien’s contemporary lifestyle and sophisticated origins.”
Located in the prestigious area of Etiler, the hotel will be tailored to both business and leisure travelers. The 32-story hotel will offer 206 guestrooms, 26 suites and 28 serviced apartments, Le Méridien’s new lobby concept Creative Hub, a destination bar, a signature restaurant and a rooftop lounge with views of the city. Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler will also offer 1,700 sq. m of meeting and event space, a gym, spa and both indoor and outdoor pools.
“Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler will be the gathering place in Istanbul for creative and curious minds,” says Eva Ziegler, global brand leader for Le Méridien and W Hotels. “From the hotel’s design to its inspiring guest experience, Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler will be a flagship for the brand, not only for Istanbul but also internationally, showcasing the new era for Le Méridien since it was acquired by Starwood five years ago.”
Designed by Turkish architect Emre Arolat, the modern structure rises high above the buildings in the local area. Arolat placed importance on finding the right source of inspiration for the structure. In his design, he refers to the preexisting neighborhood buildings as building blocks arranged on top of one another to create a skyscraper that blends in harmoniously with its environment. Between these three blocks, patches of natural greenery were added to further enhance this balance between structure and surroundings. Each single block gradually becomes transparent, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the sky and atmosphere of the Bosphorus.
Interiors are designed by Istanbul-based Metex in conjunction with Le Méridien brand design management.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts operates six hotels throughout Turkey, including three in Istanbul—W Istanbul, Sheraton Istanbul Maslak Hotel and Sheraton Istanbul Atakoy Hotel, Sheraton Ankara Hotel & Convention Centre, Sheraton Voyager Antalya Hotel and Sheraton Cesme Hotel Resort and Spa. In addition to Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler, Starwood will also open a Luxury Collection Hotel in Ankara next year.