Istanbul is not the kind of city you visit for the beach. It’s a swirling mix of all kinds of shops, tea-rooms, hammams, cocktail bars, mosques, and everything else —a place where you drop in for a layover or a business trip. There are some good places to stay: a historical Pera Palace with Atatürk’s room or Soho House (they have a great breakfast in the garden). But when I needed a quick meeting with my family — without boarding a flight to Antalya or Alanya for a sea vibe — I wanted the impossible: a real beach resort close to Istanbul.
I searched everywhere. Guesthouses, boutique hotels, converted mansions on the Princes’ Islands—all charming, but none felt like the spa‑level resort I was craving. Then I stumbled on Prince Palace, tucked on Büyükada, the largest of the Princes’ Islands in the Marmara Sea.
What is Prince Palace Beach Resort on Büyükada?
Prince Palace sits on Büyükada, the largest of the Princes’ Islands in the Marmara Sea, and opened in 2021 as the first full-service beach resort this close to Istanbul.
With just 70 or so rooms and suites, it ranges from garden-view doubles to spacious sea-facing suites with terraces. The Prince Palace Beach Resort is part of Leading Hotels of the World and is privately owned by the Akdağ family, who run it with a personal touch — from house-made jams at breakfast to knowing many guests by name.
Alongside its calm, pool-like beach and two outdoor pools, there’s the ANIM spa with hammam, sauna, and a glass-walled indoor pool, plus EMA’s Dining Room, serving Mediterranean-Turkish dishes.
Getting There: Ferry or Yacht, Your Choice
The best part? It’s easy. You can hop on a public ferry from Istanbul to Adalar, and simply ask the hotel to send their buggy to meet you at the pier.
Or do what we did: the hotel arranged a mini‑yacht from Dragos, and in just ten minutes we were stepping off the deck onto the dock. The yacht transfer—and the buggy pickup—are complimentary, a detail that sets the tone for the whole stay.
Prince Palace Resort Beach, Pools and The Bar
The beach here is like a large swimming pool, separated from the open sea and waves by piers. The water depth is about 1.5 meters everywhere, making it easy to swim without sudden drops. It stays calm and clear, perfect for a slow float or a short swim.
Two outdoor pools sit just behind the beach, with neat rows of sunbeds, shaded cabanas, and a bar close enough to reach without leaving your spot. The overwater decks have cushioned beds and umbrellas, facing directly onto the Marmara.
We ordered a bottle of extra‑dry Italian prosecco ($90), grilled fish, and a burrata salad. Everything was fresh, light, and unpretentious. When we’d polished off the bottle, I asked for just one more glass—they poured it, on the house. A tiny gesture, but the kind that stays with you.
The Spa: Quiet, Serious, and Almost Yours Alone
Mid‑week, I had the whole Prince Palace Resort spa to myself; there were not so many guests inside. The indoor pool—a long, blue stretch framed by glass walls with palms outside (almost Dubai) — looked out to the terrace, where only the sound of gulls broke the silence.
My sister booked the hammam: an hour‑long scrub, foam wash, and massage by a local therapist (€180). She came out glowing. I had hoped for a male masseur, but there wasn’t one available. A small disappointment, but not enough to dent the calm.
Good Modern Furnished Rooms With Balconies
I took a deluxe single (€450); my sister and mother shared a garden‑view double. Both rooms were what you want a resort room to be: big beds, coffee machines, minibars stocked with something other than sad sodas, a rainfall shower, and, yes, a bathtub.
The property itself is larger than you expect—you can stroll the paths or wander off to explore the island.
Breakfast: A Feast You Don’t Order
Breakfast at Prince Palace is an experience you don’t see coming. There’s no menu, which threw me at first. I asked the waiter for spinach, maybe some salmon—he smiled and said, “We don’t have it.” So I asked, what do you have then?
“We serve our own traditional breakfast,” he replied. “May I see a menu?” I pushed. “No,” he said, still smiling.
Interesting, right?
A few minutes later the table began to fill like magic: bowls of local olives, handmade butter, at least five kinds of Turkish cheeses, and plates of fruit—sweet melon slices, apricots, pineapple, berries. There were jars of jam, which the waiter proudly told us were made by the owner’s wife, alongside pomegranate juice and coffee.
We thought that was it—until more plates kept coming: slices of spicy Turkish sausage, flaky börek, and omelettes with burrata, vegetables, and warm bread straight from the oven.
It was unexpected, generous, and deeply local—and yes, it’s all included in the room price.
What’s Outside the Gates
Beyond the Prince Palace resort, Büyükada is a gentle escape from the mainland: almost no cars, just pine‑lined paths and sea views.
A few highlights:
- The Greek Orphanage, the largest wooden building in Europe, standing empty but full of history—it sheltered 5,800 children between 1903 and 1964.
- The Aya Yorgi Monastery, a climb worth it for the view alone.
It’s the kind of place where two or three days is perfect — long enough to unwind, meet friends and family in a calm atmosphere but still kind of in Istanbul.
What You Won’t Find
Prince Palace isn’t trying to be a yoga retreat or a cooking‑class hub. There are no paddle‑boarding workshops, no sunrise meditations. It’s a place for stillness—for floating in shallow water, eating well, and forgetting, briefly, that Istanbul’s chaos is just across the sea.
Prince Palace Resort (Istanbul) – My Opinion
I came looking for something Istanbul supposedly doesn’t have: a proper beach resort. I left with the feeling that Prince Palace might be the only place delivering exactly that.
Not another “cool” members‑only scene. Not another historic lobby to check off a list. But a real, clean, modern resort where prosecco arrives cold, the hammam leaves you lighter, and the Marmara laps softly at your feet.
Two or three days here is enough. Anything longer and you might get restless. But for a weekend reset, just one ferry or a ten‑minute yacht ride away, Prince Palace is exactly the answer you didn’t think you’d find.
