VitrA Çağdaş Mimarlık Dizisi - Arkitera

In its 50 different flats that range from 35 m² to 230 m², Manzara İstanbul hosts foreign
guests who wish to embrace Galata as their own neighborhood, do their shopping at
the local shops in Kuledibi, and enjoy taking a walk around the streets of Istanbul like
the locals. The flats can be rented for a minimum three days to a maximum of one
month. Inspired by the vision that “Beyoğlu is a hotel and Galata Tower is its entrance”,
the flat located right across from the tower has been set up as the reception area and is
also used as the greeting, meeting and breakfast space. Responding to an increasing international
demand for new and alternative touristic accommodation, Manzara Istanbul
is a unique enterprise with flats known for their design and the productive friendship
networking that takes place there.
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The accommodation industry has had to respond to changing demands recently, and
one way this has been attempted is to break up accommodation options for intellectual
or “informed” tourists, who prefer to stay for longer periods and interact with
their destination at a deep level rather than gaining a superficial view. Manzara Istanbul
address the desires of such intellectual tourists who do not expect pre-packaged tours
that require no personal effort, but prefer to live among the local people like anthropologists
doing field work.
Manzara Istanbul attempts to find a middle ground between extreme service provision
like HIP Hotels and low-key international hospitality services like Couchsurfing.
Manzara offers services from 50 apartments in the Galata and Beyoğlu districts, ranging
from 35 m 2 to 230 m 2 , and serves both local and foreign tourists who wish to stay
for between a week and a month. The owners have bought houses with good views
located in Galata, Beyoğlu and Cihangir, and restored them, sometimes with the build/
operate/transfer system, and added them to their network of rental spaces. Cleaning
and food services are provided to the houses, and private services such as city tours or
guides are also available to guests. Manzara Istanbul, whose accomodation units are
scattered throughout different buildings, uses an apartment across from Galata Tower
as a hotel front desk. This is in line with the newest approach in hotel operations, which
turns the city itself into a hotel. Manzara Istanbul also uses an apartment called “Event”
in Suriye Passage on Istiklal Street for parties, art exhibits or cultural events.
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