Tomtom Suites can be described as the quintessential boutique hotel. Centrally located in a neighbourhood full of contrasts, it provides a perfect base to explore the city. The Palais de France and several churches in the area take you back to Ottoman times when Beyoğlu was home to western Europeans. Their old-style chic competes with urban grit and local colour. The building used to house French nuns, who were employed as nurses. The facade has merely been cleaned up, but the interior has undergone a complete transformation. It is all sharp modern lines, softened by wooden floors. The suites are elegantly furnished in a sparse style, while the bathrooms boast Carrera marble and Philippe Starck bathtubs. A glass elevator that soars at a surprising speed will take you to the terrace bar. The view over the Bosphorus and Golden Horn is nothing short of spectacular.