Istanbul

The Ten Best Hotel Bars in Istanbul

Polished, precise, civilised. Istanbul's best hotel-bar drinking — picked for craft, not concierge buzz.

  1. No. 01 · Hotel Bar

    The Gilt at Sofa Hotel

    Tesvikiye · $$$$

    The Gilt at Sofa Hotel draws a steady local crowd in Tesvikiye. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

  2. No. 02 · Hotel Bar

    The House Cafe Sortie

    Kurucesme · $$$

    The House Cafe Sortie draws a steady local crowd in Kurucesme. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

  3. No. 03 · Hotel Bar

    Baba the Bar

    Karakoy · $$$

    Baba the Bar draws a steady local crowd in Karakoy. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

  4. No. 04 · Hotel Bar

    Balcon Bar at Lazzoni Hotel

    Mecidiyekoy · $$$

    Balcon Bar at Lazzoni Hotel draws a steady local crowd in Mecidiyekoy. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

  5. No. 05 · Hotel Bar

    5.Kat Rooftop

    Cihangir · $$$

    5.Kat Rooftop draws a steady local crowd in Cihangir. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

  6. No. 06 · Hotel Bar

    The Piano Bar at Ciragan Palace

    Besiktas · $$$$

    The Piano Bar at Ciragan Palace draws a steady local crowd in Besiktas. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

  7. No. 07 · Hotel Bar

    Banyan Rooftop

    Suadiye · $$$

    Banyan Rooftop draws a steady local crowd in Suadiye. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

  8. No. 08 · Hotel Bar

    The Cake Shop Bar at Pera Palace

    Beyoglu · $$$$

    The Cake Shop Bar at Pera Palace draws a steady local crowd in Beyoglu. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

  9. No. 09 · Hotel Bar

    Greenhouse Bar

    Karakoy · $$$

    Greenhouse Bar draws a steady local crowd in Karakoy. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

  10. No. 10 · Hotel Bar

    The Populist

    Karakoy · $$$

    The Populist draws a steady local crowd in Karakoy. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

Hotel bars solve specific problems. You need a bar near your room. You need somewhere quiet to take a meeting. You want the drink right the first time and you don't want to negotiate a wait. Every recommendation below clears those three bars. Most are open to non-guests; we've flagged any that aren't.

Best for: business travellers, late-checkout drinks, hotel-room negotiations made civilised, anniversaries that deserve a hotel jacket. Pricing skews higher than the city average — that's the trade. The rooms below justify it.

Civilised, polished, not pretending to be a club. Pick by neighbourhood and proximity to where you're sleeping.

Think we missed one?

Submit a bar

Keep exploring

More of Istanbul

Looking beyond Istanbul? See our guide to the best hotel bars worldwide, or compare hotel bars city by city.