Hilton Izmir

Hilton Izmir was a five-star hotel in İzmir, Turkey, operating under the Hilton name and serving as a prominent accommodation, conference, and dining venue in the city. Its defining architectural feature was a 33-storey tower with a structural height of 142 metres, making it one of İzmir’s most visible high-rise landmarks. When completed in 1992, it was the tallest building in İzmir and the Aegean Region, and ranked among Turkey’s tallest buildings. Its prominence lasted until the completion of the 200-metre Folkart Twin Towers in 2014. The property occupied a significant position in İzmir’s business and hospitality landscape. In addition to conventional hotel accommodation, its offer included meeting and conference facilities, events, restaurants, and other services associated with a full-service five-star urban hotel. The hotel was repeatedly nominated for the World Travel Awards’ Leading Conference Hotel in Turkey category from 2007 through 2012, indicating that its conference infrastructure and business-travel positioning were important parts of its market identity. Hilton Izmir closed permanently on 16 October 2020. The closure occurred during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the available reference material does not establish a specific reason for the permanent shutdown. After closing, the building continued to have a humanitarian role. From October 2020, it accommodated survivors of the 2020 Aegean Sea earthquake for at least three months. It was used again to host survivors of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes from 10 March 2023. In July 2025, the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality transferred its company shares, according to the cited reference material; the material does not provide sufficient detail to identify the transaction structure, parties, or subsequent operating plans. Because Hilton Izmir was a single hotel property rather than a separately documented international hotel chain, public information about its ownership, management arrangements, founding parties, executives, financial performance, and product-level history is limited. The property is therefore best understood as a discontinued Hilton-branded hotel and landmark building, rather than as an independent consumer brand with a broad product portfolio.

Hilton Izmir was developed as a major full-service hotel property in İzmir and was completed in 1992. Its 33-storey tower reached a structural height of 142 metres, giving the property a strong architectural presence in the city. At completion, it became İzmir’s tallest building and also held the distinction of being the tallest building in the Aegean Region. Nationally, it ranked behind the Mertim Tower in Mersin and the Sheraton Ankara when those buildings’ respective heights were compared. The building’s height and hotel use made it both a hospitality venue and a notable element of İzmir’s skyline. During its operating period, the property offered the services expected of a five-star urban Hilton hotel, including guest rooms, food and beverage operations, meetings, conferences, and events. Its conference role was particularly visible in the hotel’s repeated nominations for the World Travel Awards’ Leading Conference Hotel in Turkey category from 2007 to 2012. These nominations suggest that the property competed not only for leisure and business accommodation demand but also for conference and group-event business. The hotel remained İzmir’s tallest building, and the tallest in the wider Aegean Region, until the Folkart Twin Towers were completed in 2014. Those towers reached approximately 200 metres and displaced Hilton Izmir from its height-related landmark status. The hotel nevertheless remained an established city property until its permanent closure on 16 October 2020. After closing, the building was used for emergency accommodation. Survivors of the 2020 Aegean Sea earthquake were hosted there from October 2020 for at least three months. The property later served a similar purpose after the devastating 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, accommodating survivors from 10 March 2023. These post-closure uses gave the building a continuing public and humanitarian function even though it no longer operated as a hotel. The available reference material also states that the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality transferred its company shares in July 2025. It does not provide enough information to determine the exact legal entity involved, the recipient, the consideration, or whether the transfer led to a redevelopment or reopening plan. No reliable details are supplied about the hotel’s original developer, property owner, operating company, individual executives, financial results, or the precise circumstances behind its closure. Accordingly, Hilton Izmir’s documented history is primarily architectural, hospitality-related, and civic rather than corporate.

• 2025

  Reported municipal share transfer

  [1]Hilton Izmiren.wikipedia.org

  The İzmir Metropolitan Municipality reportedly transferred its company shares in July 2025; transaction details are not provided in the available source.

• 2023

  Emergency accommodation after Turkey–Syria earthquakes

  [1]Hilton Izmiren.wikipedia.org

  The former hotel began hosting survivors of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes on 10 March 2023.

• 2020

  Permanent closure

  [1]Hilton Izmiren.wikipedia.org

  The hotel permanently closed on 16 October 2020.

• 2020

  Emergency accommodation after Aegean Sea earthquake

  [1]Hilton Izmiren.wikipedia.org

  The closed property hosted survivors of the 2020 Aegean Sea earthquake from October 2020 for at least three months.

• 2014

  Loses İzmir height record

  [1]Hilton Izmiren.wikipedia.org

  Completion of the 200-metre Folkart Twin Towers ended Hilton Izmir’s status as the tallest building in İzmir and the Aegean Region.

• 2007

  First documented World Travel Awards nomination in the cited period

  [1]Hilton Izmiren.wikipedia.org

  Hilton Izmir began a sequence of annual nominations for Leading Conference Hotel in Turkey that continued through 2012.

• 1992

  Hotel completed

  [1]Hilton Izmiren.wikipedia.org

  Hilton Izmir was completed as a 33-storey, 142-metre five-star hotel tower.

• 1992

  Becomes İzmir’s tallest building

  [1]Hilton Izmiren.wikipedia.org

  Upon completion, the hotel became the tallest building in İzmir and the Aegean Region.

Upper-upscale to luxury full-service city hotel with a strong conference and landmark-building profile.

• Hospitality · 1992

  Hotel accommodation

  The property operated as a five-star urban hotel under the Hilton name, providing guest accommodation for business and leisure visitors in İzmir. Room categories, amenities, and the precise inventory are not specified in the available reference material.

• Meetings and events

  Conferences and events

  Meeting, conference, and event services were a significant part of the hotel’s commercial proposition. Its repeated World Travel Awards nominations for Leading Conference Hotel in Turkey indicate a recognized focus on conference and group business.

• Dining · 1992

  Food and beverage services

  As a full-service five-star hotel, Hilton Izmir provided restaurant and other food-service operations for guests and events. The available material does not identify individual restaurant names, menus, or signature offerings.

• 2023

  Post-closure humanitarian useOther

  Background

  The region required accommodation for people displaced by the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes.

  Action taken

  The former hotel began hosting earthquake survivors from 10 March 2023.

  Aftermath

  The property retained a civic and humanitarian function despite no longer operating as a hotel.

  Source

• 2020

  Permanent operating closureStrategy

  Background

  After operating as a five-star Hilton hotel for decades, the property ceased hotel operations in October 2020.

  Action taken

  Hilton Izmir closed permanently on 16 October 2020.

  Aftermath

  The closed building was subsequently used to accommodate survivors of major earthquakes in 2020 and 2023. The cited material does not state the reason for closure or identify a reopening plan.

  Source

1. 1Hilton Izmiren.wikipedia.org