THE HALL OF ANTIQUITIES

Where: Eresin Crown Hotel, Istanbul

The draw: A British Museum–worthy collection of ancient trinkets

The scene: Jet-set shipping magnates and their much younger, art-loving wives

Picture this: This first-class hotel is built on the former site of the Great Palace in Sultanahmet, so it's hardly surprising that a rich stash of ancient treasures was unearthed during construction—many from Constantinople's Hellenistic heyday. The 49 pieces are on display throughout the property, and since ancient walls and columns were used as architectural features, the general air is that of live-in museum. Make sure to search out the best of the finds: a beautifully preserved mosaic with a fish motif, and the walls of the ancient cistern. Those exhibits are supplemented by a gallery of some 150 photographs by iconic Turkish shutterbug Gültekin Çizgen. The rooms are just as classical, if a little less vintage: They're decked out in sumptuous modern luxury, with parquet floors, ornate linens, and antique furniture. Alexander himself would have been perfectly comfortable.

Eresin Crown Hotel
Tel: 90 212 638 4428
Doubles from $334