Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Istanbul

Mandarin Oriental occupies its own 200-metre shoreline in Kuruçeşme, one of the most glamorous stretches of the European shore, known for waterfront restaurants, cocktail bars and summer beach clubs. Views take in both Bosphorus bridges and Beylerbeyi Palace. Ortaköy is about a 20-minute walk along the water, and Bebek, with its elegant cafés and seafront promenade, is a short drive north.

With the historic Naile Sultan pine grove as its garden and pools set directly on the water, the hotel feels more like a private Bosphorus estate than a city hotel. The design is contemporary and warm, with natural materials and Ottoman-inspired detail.

Designed to feel like a private Bosphorus residence, the rooms offer 45 square metres or more, with redgum wood panelling, walnut floors, handmade rugs in Ottoman-inspired patterns and marble bathrooms. Every room and suite has a private balcony or terrace, and the best sit right above the water.

Novikov Istanbul brings the London favourite to the Bosphorus, serving Asian and Italian cuisine in a lively dining room and on its waterfront terrace, with its own lounge and pool bars. Olea & Bar serves Italian family recipes on a sunlit deck, the Bosphorus Lounge offers afternoon tea and Turkish coffee, and the Mandarin Cake Shop is known for its pastries.

One of Istanbul's largest spas, it's a serene retreat set around a tranquil Zen garden. Traditional hammams with cool chambers and a scrub room sit alongside heated treatment beds, a jacuzzi, a sauna and a heated indoor pool. Outside, two pools lie right on the Bosphorus, with private wooden pavilions for lazy afternoons, and a kids' club keeps younger guests happy.