Istanbul, TurkeyUlupelit
Casa Lavanda Boutique Hotel & Restaurant
Secluded forest bolthole
Secluded forest bolthole
Stone paths wind through twenty-one acres of oak forest, where a family estate embraces slow living less than an hour from Istanbul.
What it’s good at
Notable
Family-stewarded hospitality featuring handcrafted furnishings by artist Feryal Şen, stone fireplaces, and private forest-facing verandas.
Notable
Forest-facing saunas, Darphin botanical facials, and Balinese bodywork set within peaceful oak woodlands and gardens.
Notable
Ulupelit forest mushroom foraging, Şile harbor seafood, and heirloom produce cultivated in an on-site biodynamic garden.
What they say
One Michelin Key
Michelin
Now a luxurious 16-room boutique hotel surrounded by forest, it’s stewarded by owners Feryal and Ahmet Şen and their two sons...
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Tucked into the quiet village of Ulupelit, the estate sits among dense oak and pine woods, forty-five minutes northeast of central Istanbul.
The rooms
Named after native trees, rooms feature custom ceramics, open fireplaces, and private verandas looking out over landscaped gardens and quiet oak woodlands.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
An outdoor swimming pool sits among twenty-one acres of gardens and oak woods, lined with cushioned wooden loungers.
Sauna and steam
Large picture windows in the timber sauna look straight into the pines beside a tiled steam room.
The spa
Balinese therapists provide botanical facials and bodywork in stone-walled treatment rooms scented with dried herbs.
Casa Lavanda Restaurant
Chef Emre Şen sources eighty percent of ingredients from the on-site biodynamic garden, served fireside or on the terrace.
At the table
Lavanta Lounge Bar pours botanical cocktails infused with garden herbs beside an open indoor fireplace.
How it began
The Şen family began hand-building this limestone retreat in 1993, escaping city life to establish a slow-living country estate.
Good to know
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Casa Lavanda Boutique Hotel & Restaurant
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.