The Peninsula Istanbul

Overview

The Peninsula Istanbul is a hotel on the Karaköy waterfront, set in old port buildings on the Bosphorus. It belongs to Galataport, the rebuilt cruise port, and it opened in February 2023, after years of work on the pier. Because it sits on the water, guests can arrive by land or by sea. It holds two MICHELIN Keys.

Four buildings of The Peninsula Istanbul

The hotel spreads over four buildings, and three of them are historic and restored. These three are the old Karaköy passenger terminal, Merkez Han and Çinili Han. A new fourth building then adds more rooms and a ballroom. From the waterfront, guests look across to the domes and minarets of the old city.

Quick facts

• Good for: port buildings from 1910 to 1940, views over the Bosphorus to the old city, walking in Karaköy and Galataport
• Best combined with: Galataport, Istanbul Modern and Karaköy

The Building and Its History

Çinili Han and Merkez Han, 1910 to 1914

The pier buildings date back to the early 1910s. First came Çinili Han, in 1910–1911, which rose on land won from the sea. It served as a passenger terminal and then, from 1940, as a post office. The Dock Company built Merkez Han on Rıhtım Street between 1912 and 1914, in the Art Nouveau style. Until the port tender of May 2013, it held the head office of Türkiye Denizcilik İşletmeleri, the national maritime company. Today, gold tiles cover Çinili Han, while turquoise mosaics decorate Merkez Han.

The Karaköy passenger terminal of 1940

By the early 1930s, more ships were calling, so the old terminals could not cope. A design competition followed in 1936, and the architect Rebii Gorbon won it. His terminal then rose between Çinili Han and Merkez Han, on piles in reclaimed land, until it opened on July 1, 1940. Above the entrance, the clock in its tower came from Mustafa Şem-i, a watchmaker to the court of Sultan Abdülhamid II. Later, the building held the port's pilotage office and the Liman Restaurant, and it served until May 2014.

How The Peninsula Istanbul rebuilt the terminal

In February 2017, during the Galataport works, the company running the project demolished the terminal. After the reaction, the company promised to rebuild an exact copy. Builders then reconstructed it faithfully, and most of the original marble floor survived. Today, glass walkways link it with the buildings on either side. For this reason, the hotel in its present form dates only to 2023.

Where The Peninsula Istanbul Sits

The hotel's address is Kemankeş Caddesi in Karaköy, on the Beyoğlu side of the Golden Horn. Ferries call at the Karaköy and Kabataş piers, while the T1 tram stops at Karaköy and Tophane. From there, the same tram line runs on to Eminönü and then to Sultanahmet.

Galataport, Istanbul Modern and Karaköy

Galataport stretches along the shore around the hotel, with shops, restaurants and the cruise port. Inside the project stands Istanbul Modern as well. Behind the waterfront lie the streets of Karaköy, and farther inland is Galata. Before you decide, compare other parts of the city in our guide on where to stay in Istanbul.

Who It Suits

The hotel suits travelers who care about architecture and port history, because its three old buildings span three decades of the working harbor. It suits walkers too, since Karaköy, the tram and the ferries are close at hand.

Visiting or Staying at The Peninsula Istanbul

Updated: October 25, 2026.

Spa and pools at The Peninsula Istanbul

Its spa has eight treatment rooms, saunas and separate hammams for men and women. Two pools complete it: a heated outdoor pool on the Bosphorus and a 25-meter (82-foot) indoor lap pool. For meals, there is GALLADA, a Turkish-Asian restaurant, plus Mediterranean dishes and open-air bars by the water. The hotel has 177 rooms and suites. We book your stay at The Peninsula Istanbul.

Seeing Istanbul with Us

Would you like to stay by the water in Karaköy and explore Galata on foot? Karaköy below, Galata above: share your dates, and we will book your hotel stay and our Beyoğlu and Galata tour up the hill.