W Istanbul

The W doesn’t have staff, it has insiders (that’s really the title on their business cards). Flanked by designer boutiques and minutes away from the Dolmabahçe Palace, the W’s décor—aquamarine lighting, gleaming chrome, slick surfaces—is equal parts neo-Ottoman and neo–Stanley Kubrick. (Think Sultan Mehmet V: A Space Odyssey.) Almost all the 134 units (in categories ranging from Wonderful Rooms to Extreme Wow Suites) come with private patio cabanas or landscaped terraces; all sport pillow-top beds, high-tech gadgetry, and baths furnished with Bliss toiletries. The W Lounge is a bit heavy on the self-consciously hip trance music, but its mojitos are the best in the city; Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market restaurant is justifiably popular.

Room to Book: In summer, a Spectacular Room with a cabana for private sunbathing; in winter, a Fabulous Room with a skylight and terrace.