Here at Artisans, and over at Travels With Bella Figura USA, we've talked about how much we love Turkey - Istanbul, in particular.

It is a sprawling, bustling, grand, beautiful city.  And it's home to some brilliant artisans, making exquisitely lovely products: textiles, jewelry, ceramics - to name just a few.

And we've posted several videos with beautiful views of the city; but today we've got something a bit different.

We've received several emails asking about where we stay when we visit.  Of course, there are a number of lovely properties, but we're partial to two: the Ciragan Palace (in the new city and right on the Bosphorus) and the Four Seasons Hotels.  These are the top rated places, and deservedly so. 

And we have a treat:  over at our Travels With Bella Figura USA blog, we have two wonderful videos - both produced by the Four Seasons Hotels.  The first is of the lovely Four Seasons Sultanahmet in the old city (yes, this is the hotel that was created from the notorious prison shown in the movie, Midnight Express.)

And the second video is of the newest Four Seasons in the city: the Four Seasons at the Bosphorus.  This hotel was still under construction the last time we were in Istanbul, but it's right down the street from the Ciragan Palace - spectacular location, spectacular views.

And to give you a feel for the gorgeous Ciragan Palace:



You can't go wrong with these grand hotels.