Ankara, Turkey’s capital since the founding of the republic in 1923, is a city that is often eclipsed by Istanbul. While Istanbul is known for its glamour, energy, and history, Ankara remains better known as a city of bureaucrats and politicians. Orderly and calm, but let’s face it, a bit dull. Although Ankara may never have the blockbuster appeal of Istanbul, many visitors, particularly business travelers, will find that at one point or another they have occasion to visit. While Ankara has a wide range of hotels catering to the many businessmen and diplomats who frequent the city, very few of these could be called exciting or memorable. Which makes the opening of the Divan Çukurhan boutique hotel that much more exciting.

Divan Çukurhan Hotel is located in Ankara’s old town, in an area known as Kaleiçi. It is across from the main gate of the old city, in a neighborhood that was historically used as a horse market. It is housed in a traditional Anatolian caravanserai – a roadside inn for travelers journeying across long distances to trade their wares. Caravanserai were particularly prevalent along the Silk Road, a trade network of interconnecting routes that, at its peak, stretched across southern Europe to Asia and North Africa. They were important because they not only provided shelter for traders and their beasts of burden, but were also vibrant hubs of commerce and vital for the exchange of information.

Built in 1522, the Çukurhan caravanserai is one of Ankara’s most important early Ottoman buildings. Constructed partly with finished stone, and partly with timber and sun-baked bricks, the center contained a large open courtyard that was used as an open-air market. For centuries, Çukurhan provided what were then considered luxury accommodations for travelers along these routes, and played an important role in the city’s economy as a center of commerce, selling everything from fruits and grains to the city’s famous Mohair wool. However, in 1950, the building was severely damaged by a major fire, which destroyed a large part of the original structure, and led to its eventual abandonment.

In 2007, the Koç Group, headed by Mr. Rahmi Koç, leased the property from the Turkish government and began restorations. Rahmi Koç is one of the country’s most high-profile businessmen, and is an epic figure in Turkey today. He owns banks, hotels, museums, and more, and is also known as a philanthropist and a passionate and refined collector. His father was Vehbi Koç, one of the country’s wealthiest men and founder of Koç Holding Corp., Turkey’s largest industrial conglomerate.

Restorations took two and a half years to complete, with great care taken to preserve the original state of the building. Whenever possible, original materials and building techniques were used. Of course, some changes to the original structure were made out of necessity, including covering the courtyard with a glass roof, which allows natural sunlight to stream in while also protecting the sun-baked bricks.

As striking as the building itself is the interior design and the many decorative items on display throughout the hotel. Each one of the hotel’s 19 guest rooms is decorated with a different concept or theme, including Bamboo, Indian, British, Ottoman, Tibetan, German, Venetian, Bosphorus, and Beijing. The rooms seamlessly blend the antique and new items to very tasteful effect, with each room transporting you to a different world. Every room in the hotel is of deluxe standard, and includes a comfy seating area with all the amenities needed to make you feel right at home, including a swiveling, wall-mounted flat-screen television, an espresso machine, fresh fruit and Turkish delights, and pillows and duvets so fluffy you’ll feel like you’ve landed in a cloud. Meanwhile, the bathrooms are all wall-to-wall marble in green, brown, or cream, with toiletries from Molton Brown.

The interior design was done by Turkish designer Neşe Ergin and Barbara Ther, a Londonbased interior designer and antiques dealer who is a good friend of Mr. Koç. Ms. Ther has worked with Mr. Koç on many projects. She oversaw the design of his Istanbul yalı (Bosphorus mansion) and has helped build his vast antique collection over many years. In fact, pieces from Mr. Koç’s private antique collection are displayed throughout the hotel.

This is the type of hotel where once you enter, you won’t want to leave and could easily be a visitor destination in and of itself. There is a small, cozy bar decorated with photos of historical Ankara, and a study that features a unique library as well as various African masks, safari memorabilia, and mounted animal heads, giving the impression that you’ve stepped back in time to another era. The covered courtyard has a dining section as well as a relaxation area with a small indoor stream and leather sofas, where you can sit back with a book or a friend.

Breakfast is served in the courtyard in the Avlu restaurant and features a mouthwatering selection of classic Turkish breakfast items, including regional cheeses, olives, jams, honeycomb, and clotted cream, as well as a hot menu featuring both Turkish and European dishes. On weekends, there are live musical performances, which alternate between classical and jazz, helping to make this a popular brunch spot with locals.

The hotel’s other dining option is the Çengelhan restaurant, which is actually located in an adjacent building, the Rahmi M. Koç Museum. Offering traditional Turkish cuisine, this is widely regarded as one of the top restaurants in the city, and is a member of the prestigious culinary Chaines des Rotisseurs, an international gastronomic society. Also located in a glass-covered courtyard, Çengelhan offers an atmospheric dining experience, where you enjoy your meal surrounded by museum displays.

In fact, when staying at the Divan Çukurhan, a visit to this museum is a must. Opened in 2005, this museum has a wide collection that features many items related to transportation and communication, from toys to equipment. This museum has special meaning for Mr. Koç as it contains a restored version of the general store where his father first worked as a young boy, selling everything from spices to Mohair. It was in that store that the elder Koç took his first steps into commerce, starting down a path that would eventually lead to a business empire.

Although a relatively new city, Ankara still offers a number of interesting sights and museums, which can easily fill a weekend. When Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, named the town (then known as Angora) the capital of the newly founded Turkish republic, city planners decided not to touch the historic town located inside the old city walls. Consequently, this area still retains its character in its winding dusty streets and historical buildings, many of which have been restored over the past decade. While there are a number of restaurants housed in restored Ottoman homes, known as konaks, the most noteworthy building is the citadel itself, which dates back to the Galatians, with the Byzantine emperor Michael II and the Selçuks making further additions. Enough of the original structure remains to give an idea of what the citadel looked like, and its hilltop location offers sweeping views over the city.

One of the sightseeing highlights of any visit to Ankara must surely be the world-famous Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, also located right by the old town in a historical building that dates back to the 15th century. This displays an incredible collection of artifacts from important archeological sites all over Anatolia, with a particularly impressive section on Hittite artifacts, including superb sculpture and jewelry items. For some more recent history, you can visit the old parliament building, or Anıtkabir, the mausoleum for Atatürk. And if all that history wears you out, Ankara also offers a number of very pleasant parks and boulevards for strolling, shopping, and eating, particularly in the Tunalı and Kavaklıdere districts.

Whether it’s business or sightseeing that brings you to Ankara, anyone who appreciates luxury and history will find the Divan Çukurhan Hotel the ideal place to stay. With a wonderful attention to detail in both the décor and the service, this hotel makes for a truly memorable stay, and leaves you with the feeling of having witnessed living history. The many works of art it holds from Mr. Koç’s private collection give it a very personal feel, as though the whole project were a labor of love. Mr. Koç has been quoted as saying that acquiring pieces for his many antique collections is “an unending story.” If this is so, then this hotel is surely an important chapter in the tale.

Tarihi Ankara Kalesi, Necatibey Mahallesi, Depo Sokak No:3 Altındağ Ulus, Ankara; P: (0312) 306 64 00  

Originally published in The Guide Istanbul September/October 2011