The A'jia Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey

The A'jia Hotel.

While Istanbul is Turkey's most modern and European city, when you're there you are never far from the antique pleasures and seductions of Asia Minor. A great base from which to indulge in them is the A'jia Hotel, a gleaming white 19th-century mansion, the home of a pasha, on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The recently opened hotel has just sixteen rooms, which are furnished in a memorable minimalist decor. But the A'jia's contemporary soul, as represented by goose-feather pillows, LCD televisions and many other modern amenities, is anchored in neoclassical architecture and a timeless setting. Add a superb restaurant featuring a cucina italiana menu prepared with Mediterranean flair--saffron risotto with sea bass, tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms, grilled salmon with a balsamic sauce--and a waterside terrace with a view of the Bosporus and a visit here becomes a unique form of reverie. Sailing ships ply the strait between Europe and Asia as the sun sets over the old city and a crescent moon pours its light onto the shadowy mosques. The prayers of Muslim clerics waft through the warm air; it's easy to hear the ancient world calling. A Turkish delight indeed. Rooms from $386; 011-90-216-413-9300; ajiahotel.com.