The Old Lady welcomes you with a calm embrace. Her book-lined walls and elegant aesthetic make you feel as if you have stepped into a different Istanbul - and indeed, you have! Reminiscent of an older, more intellectually curious and tolerant city, this apartment will allow you to recharge not only your bodies but your souls after a long day of experiencing Istanbul in all is glorious contradictions. Like me you may be tempted to stay indoors some days for a grasse matinée to lounge in the salon, book in hand, a pot of Turkish tea warming in the kitchen. As Henry James once said about Venice, some (all?) cities require the true explorer (rather than the tourist) to slow down and feel the local pulse. You could pretend to do this at any of the thousands of hotels in Istanbul, but the Old Lady of Tarlabaşı gives you the rare opportunity of vicariously living the life of a bygone Istanbullu era. Step outside and you are in a vibrant and rapidly changing neighborhood with modern stores and a famous Sunday market. You are a mere five minute walk to the tumult of Istiklal Caddesi and the faint whispers of a dying old Pera. Transportation options abound should you wish to bop over to the Asian side or out to other neighborhoods. However the highlight of my days here has been the moment when I close the heavy door, flip on the light and put on my slippers for a evening beside the window, a cool breeze and even cooler glass of rakı soothing the nerves.
Enjoy! Slow down. Listen. Learn.