Renaissance debuts on Istanbul’s Bosphorus

Marriott’s Renaissance Hotels brand has opened a 212-room property with views of the Bosphorus River in Istanbul. The 20-storey Renaissance Istanbul Bosphorus Hotel is located in the Besiktas district of the city, around a mile from the city's famous Bosphorus. Features include a rooftop bar, all-day dining restaurant with outdoor terrace, a fitness centre with indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and Turkish bath, and nine meeting rooms including a ballroom holding up to 575 guests. Marriott now operates six properties in Istanbul, including the recently opened Istanbul Edition, a joint venture between Marriott and Ian Schrager (see online news February 9). For our latest four-hour guide to Istanbul (published in August 2011), click here. Visit marriott.com. Report by Mark Caswell