Inside Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, an uber-luxurious hotel that offers magical views of Istanbul

It could only be Istanbul. I’m lying in bed in Europe, staring at Asia through opened curtains. This unique luxury is afforded by a stay at the Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, an exclusive, uber-luxurious addition to the ancient metropolis that’s famously split across two continents.

The five-star hotel sits on the European side of the Bosphorus, the strait that slices through the city, dividing it into Europe and Asia and linking the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara.

This rolling spectacle is best witnessed from Mandarin Oriental, where 80 per cent of rooms and suites boast Bosphorus views. While contemporary and pared-back, the hotel’s exterior is inspired by the ornate palaces and ‘Yali’ mansions that line the banks of the strait.

Above is the Bosphorus-facing Naile Sultan Bosphorus Suite, priced at around £20,000 a night

The Naile Sultan Bosphorus Suite has a private entrance so that security teams and chefs can slip inside unnoticed

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