Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet, Turkey
Anyone who has seen the Oscar-nominated movie Midnight Express about a young American drug dealer who is incarcerated in a Turkish gaol might well wonder how anyone could even think of converting this infamous prison into a luxurious hotel. But this is what the prestigious Four Seasons hotel group has done – and to great acclaim. The century-old Neoclassic Sultanahmet gaol has adapted beautifully to its new guise and caters to discerning guests in just 65 rooms and suites, which open on to a beautifully landscaped internal courtyard – the former exercise yard for inmates. The original southwest wing, built in 1919, now houses the lobby, reception and bar. The prison's original wooden doors are still in use and courtyard watch towers now house elevators. Ottoman tapestries, chandeliers, paintings, antique rugs and murals help complete the transformation. www.fourseasons.com/istanbul
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