Housed in a former bank, The Bank Hotel Istanbul is a regal setting for contemporary décor, local art, and cultural events arranged by the in-house curator. The hotel offers the key to Istanbul’s happening Karaköy neighborhood, where hip art galleries and restaurants brush shoulders with local fish markets on the banks of the Bosphorus. The interiors, designed by Sinan Kafadar, breathe life into the grand, marble structure with eclectic pops of color, rich jewel tones, and abstract art. With sweeping views of the Bosphorus and the historic city behind it, one’s eye is often drawn to the scene outside the oversized windows.