Vakko Hotel Sumahan Bosphorus

Overview

Vakko Hotel Sumahan Bosphorus is a small hotel in Çengelköy, on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus. It fills a 19th-century Ottoman distillery at the water's edge. There are just 12 rooms and suites, and every one of them looks over the Bosphorus.

Vakko, the Istanbul fashion house, runs the hotel under its own name. The hotel holds One MICHELIN Key.

The Story of Vakko Hotel Sumahan Bosphorus

An Ottoman distillery on the water

The buildings began as a distillery in the 19th century, on a small bay of the Asian shore. Today the rooms inside have tall arched windows onto the water.

Vakko, from a hat shop to a hotel

Vakko's story started in 1934, when Vitali Hakko opened a small hat shop, Şen Şapka, in Istanbul's historic center. In 1938 he set up a silk-dyeing workshop and renamed the brand Vakko. Later, in 1962, the company opened an eight-story flagship store on İstiklal Avenue. The hotel brings that brand to the Bosphorus.

Staying at Vakko Hotel Sumahan Bosphorus

The rooms have fireplaces. The suites add a steam bath, while the maisonettes open onto a garden terrace. The hotel has a private hamam (a Turkish bath) next to a fitness room, and therapists can also give treatments in your room. A butler is on call day and night.

Three places to eat share the building. Vakko Le Specialità cooks Italian food beside the water, Vakko L'Atelier is a patisserie on the lobby floor, and Caviar Kaspia opened its first Istanbul room here.

Getting to Vakko Hotel Sumahan Bosphorus

By car, the city center is about 30 minutes away. However, the nicer way to arrive is by water: the hotel's own boat crosses to the European shore, where Kuruçeşme lies 0.4 nautical miles away. By road, Sabiha Gökçen Airport is about 40 km (25 miles) away and Istanbul Airport about 48 km (30 miles). Inside the terminal, our VIP airport assistance meets you at arrivals and walks you to your driver.

Who Vakko Hotel Sumahan Bosphorus Suits

We suggest it for couples and for travelers who want evenings by the water after days in the old city. With so few rooms, it feels more like a private house than a city hotel.

Our suggestion

Beylerbeyi Palace is only 1.6 km (1 mile) along the shore. Our Beylerbeyi Palace tour visits it and the Küçüksu Pavilion, 4.5 km (2.8 miles) from the hotel. Our Asian Bosphorus villages tour makes Çengelköy its first stop, then goes on to Anadoluhisarı and Kanlıca.

We book your room at the Vakko Hotel Sumahan Bosphorus and plan dinner by the water around your days. For other hotels on the strait, read our list of The 5 Best Bosphorus Hotels in Istanbul.

Updated: October 31, 2026.

Seeing Istanbul with Us

From the Asian shore, Europe is one boat ride away; send us your nights and we will plan both shores. We can also arrange a Bosphorus cruise or a guide in Istanbul.