İris Nişanyan Vural
Runs the hotelShe studied at the Swiss International School for Tourism and Hospitality. She is married to Kaan and has one young child.
Müjde Tönbekici
Co-founder and hostOriginally from Bursa and Swiss. In her twenties, she was inspired by Dido Sotiriou’s novels and discovered Şirince. Co-author of the Little Hotel Book. For many years she has been the person who has put the most effort into Nişanyan Hotel and shaped its soul. The cooking workshop she created and runs is considered the highlight of the Şirince experience for many visitors.
Sevan Nişanyan
Co-founderSevan Nişanyan and Müjde Tönbekici were for many years celebrated as the co-authors of the annual Little Hotel Book, the Bible of Turkey’s small and unusual hotels. Sevan is also a linguist, author of three enormous tomes on etymology and Turkish place names, an architect of sorts, and a political troublemaker. Having fallen foul of the current Turkish régime, he now lives in exile.
The Household
From the villageMost of our team have been with us for 20 years. They have known İris since her school days; to them she is still little İris.
