Princes' Palace Resort

Princes' Palace Resort is Sabaro's hotel on the Princes' Islands, and the only one in our Istanbul selection with a private sandy beach. It occupies a seaside estate on the Sea of Marmara at Büyükada, the car-free island where Istanbul's wealthy families spent their summers in the 19th century. It is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, an association of independent luxury hotels.

The Akdağ mansion

The estate's story begins in 1872 with a private waterfront residence. Around 1885, the architect Periklis Fotiadis designed a grand seaside house there, built by Yorgo Simota. In 1908 it passed to Mustafa Zeki Pasha, chief of artillery of the Ottoman army. Listed as a first-degree historic monument in 1989, it was badly damaged by the İzmit earthquake in 1999, then destroyed by fire, and stood abandoned for more than twenty years.

The Akdağ family, industrialists and patrons, bought the estate and began rebuilding it in 2016. The architect Nezih Tekinel rebuilt the mansion to its original proportions; the designer Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu created the interiors; Clint Nagata of BLINK Design Group designed the resort, and EDSA the gardens. The Akdağ mansion, with its salons, terraces and six suites, can be booked whole with its own staff.

Rooms and suites

The estate has 70 rooms and suites in four collections: garden, cabana, sea view and signature suites. The rooms table details the main ones.

For a couple, the Sea Suite, with its private terrace facing the Sea of Marmara, is the right choice; the Cabana Suite, by the lagoon, puts the beach at the end of the terrace. Families take the Garden Suite Grand, with its separate living area. For a special occasion, the Sea Suite Panorama, glazed all round on the highest part of the estate, faces the sea and the Istanbul skyline.

The hotel has no specially adapted accessible room, but undertakes to help each guest according to their needs.

Beach, pool and jetty

The estate has a private beach of fine sand with a lagoon, cabanas and loungers, and an infinity pool at the water's edge. From the private jetty, a traditional boat takes guests out to swim in open water, anchor in a bay or picnic. The gardens hold more than 650 endemic plants, under palms and pines.

The Anim Wellbeing spa offers treatments and hammam rituals. For dining, EMA's Dining Room serves breakfast facing the sea, Kreb's Grill & Beach Bar grills and the catch of the day, and the Akdağ mansion afternoon tea and dinners. Fish comes daily from the islands' fishermen, vegetables and herbs from the estate's gardens and regional growers. See also our beach page.

Location

The hotel stands on Çankaya Caddesi, on the Büyükada seafront, in the Princes' Islands. The ferry from Kabataş takes about 1 h 30; Istanbul Airport (IST) is about an hour's drive from Kabataş without traffic. There are no private cars on the island.

Rates

In October 2026, for two nights from 1 to 3 June 2027, the official website offered the cheapest room at €520 a night for two adults, €1,040 for the stay, breakfast included, with free cancellation until 30 May 2027, including taxes and fees.

Sabaro's view

For whom: couples and families who want to end an Istanbul stay at the beach, in peace; honeymooners (see honeymoon).

Strengths: the private beach and infinity pool; the story of the Akdağ mansion; breakfast included in the rate found; no cars on the island.

Good to know: its Google rating is 4.4 out of 5, the lowest in our Istanbul selection. The trip into the city takes 1 h 30 by ferry. For a waterfront palace hotel in the city, see Çırağan Palace Kempinski.