Strolling down Taksim Square in Istanbul you wouldn’t think that just this summer there had been violent clashes here sparked by the eviction of protesters against the redevelopment plans of the nearby Gezi park that quickly spiralled into nationwide anti-government rallies.

Turkey’s biggest city (13.85 million in 2012) is back to its normal and very busy life with a never-ending stream of people flowing through its streets, eating Turkish bagels (simits), smoking nargile water pipes in the outdoor cafes, drinking tea and coffee and enjoying peaceful days.

With the earliest settlements dating possibly to 13th century BC, Lygos-Byzantium-Constantinople-Istanbul has been home to Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans and many, many others.

It is a place where at the Bosphorus strait Europe meets Asia, where Paganism morphed into Christianity, which in the 15th century was pushed aside by Islam and the powerful Ottoman rulers.

Istanbul offers various treats for tourists from sightseeing in the old city, shopping in the Grand Bazaar, washing in Turkish baths and eating mackerel sandwiches by the Galata bridge, to dancing in the ‘Reina’ nightclub side by side with the city’s rich and beautiful.

If you want to enjoy a truly local experience, I suggest you say at the Marti Istanbul hotel, very close to Taksim square in the commercial heart of the city. Marti is a Turkish hotel group that began operations in 1969 with the country’s first real resort property in the seaside town of Marmaris.

The five-star Marti Istanbul opened last year with 270 guest rooms and suites spread over the 11-storey building. The hotel has been designed by internationally acclaimed interior designer Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu, who is famous for being the first woman to design a mosque.

Ms Fadıllıoğlu is well known for combining Eastern and Western traditions, mixing old and new and telling the story through colours, textures and textiles.

Marti hotel is a contemporary hotel with Ottoman flair and is dominated by purple, blue and various shades of beige, brown and grey.

Most rooms feature marble floors, traditional handmade Turkish decorations and a special pillow menu. The Turkish suites have Hammam-style basins and double sink vanity units.

I was very impressed by the Regal Suite on the 10th floor that stretches over 2700 square feet and consists of a hallway, huge bedroom, living-room with an elegant piano, kitchen, study, walk-in closet and a magnificent Hammam-style bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub.

The hotel’s gym, spa and an exclusive Top Floor Lounge are located on the 11th floor overlooking the city. There’s also a rooftop bar with loungers and Jacuzzi tubs, but unfortunately it was closed during our stay due to bad weather.

I absolutely loved running on the treadmill in the gym with its floor-length windows offering magnificent panoramic views.

The 850 square metre spa is a beautiful Ottoman inspired space with five treatment rooms, saunas and steam rooms for both men and women. I had the Turkish Hammam Bath treatment and full body (60 minute) traditional Bali massage that were absolutely perfect.

If you’ve never tried the Turkish Hammam Bath treatment, I highly recommend doing it in Marti’s spa – it is luxurious and very relaxing.

The ancient Ottoman traditional treatment allows the skin to breath, following a thorough exfoliation of the body that leads to an increased blood flow making skin feel supple and refreshed.

First you get warm in the steam room and then lie down on a flat table-like surface in a marble hammam. A therapist starts the procedure by gently scrubbing off the dead skin with a special cloth, then washes it off and picks up something that looks like a pillow case and creates so much foam that you feel like you are in the middle of a cloud.

After that, you get a massage while still covered with the foamy cloud, then it’s a mix of hot and cold water, and voila! You feel like you are born again. The whole pleasure lasts about 40 minutes and costs about £30.

We had a few language issues with the hotel’s junior staff, but towards the end of our stay in Istanbul my guest and I concluded that at the Marti hotel and everywhere in the city, Turkish people are the country’s greatest treasure.

They are really friendly, accommodating, not too pushy, have a great sense of humour and made our stay really special.

Nightly rates at the Marti Istanbul hotel start from €200 based on two sharing a Classic double room.

If you would like Bon Vivant to plan your next trip to Istanbul, please email us now.

Read our review of the Raffles Istanbul.

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