Category: Travel

Exclusive: What’s New at Swissotel?

Our New York offices were visited yesterday by Eva-Maria Panzer of Swissotel Hotels & Resorts, who was eager to tell us about the new Swissotel Living extended-stay suite concept at Swissôtel The Bosphorus, Istanbul.

The first Swissôtel Living, an exclusive extended stay suite concept by Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, debuts at Swissôtel The Bosphorus, Istanbul in time for the internationally recognized property’s 20th anniversary. A $28 million, 2.5 year undertaking, the 63 new suites are next door to the Swissotel, and guests can use all of the hotel’s facilities. (It doesn’t go both ways, though—guests at the Living building have their own private pool that hotel guests can’t use, for example.) The suites range in size, from studios to 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms, and can be booked for a night or a year. (Apparently, one person has moved in and is planning on renewing the year’s booking indefinitely.)

More Swissôtel Living residences are planned for the future in other Swissôtel destinations—Panzer said that the Odessa property may be next.

Beyond the new Living label, Swissotel is launching a new spa brand, Purovel Spa & Sport. These spas will probably not take over existing spas in existing hotels (although some may be adapted), but will be used for new builds going forward, Panzer said.

And there are quite a number of new builds in the works, too: Dresden will get a new hotel this year; Kiev and Odessa are slated to get new properties in 2012 or 2013; and Bangalore and New Delhi will get new Swissotels in 2013 or later.

Perhaps most interestingly, a new Swissotel will open in Makkah (also known as Mecca) later this year. Its rooms, Panzer said, will look out over the Kaaba, the most holy site in all of Islam, and guests can pray directly from their rooms. But don’t pack your bags yet: Makkah only allows Muslims within its walls, and no non-Muslims can enter the city. Even the president of Swissotel, Meinhard Huck, can’t go check out his own hotel there, Panzer laughed.

via Exclusive: What’s New at Swissotel? | Travel Agent Central.

June 25, 2011
Trail of the unexpected: Along the Bosphorus

Cathy Packe explores lively districts and historic sites along both sides of the Bosphorus

Saturday, 25 June 2011

Reuters Water delight: The suburb of Ortakoy, underneath the Bosphorus Bridge

The world’s most spectacular continental divide? Surely the Bosphorus, the 19-mile waterway that defines Istanbul. On the European side, the Topkapi Palace presides over the southern limit, while the minarets of great mosques puncture the sky. Every visitor to the city should take a ferry across the divide from the Eminonu quay, from where boats shuttle constantly to several ports on the Asian side: choose Harem to see the Selimiye Barracks, where Florence Nightingale was based, or Uskudar for the small but attractive Semsi Pasa mosque, designed by a major architect of the Ottoman Empire, Mimar Sinan.

For centuries the Bosphorus has been a strategic link between the Black Sea and Russia to the north and the Mediterranean – via the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean – in the south. The best way to appreciate its significance is to wander its length.

On Sunday mornings, amateur fishermen cast their lines into the water, then wait patiently for something to bite. Buckets of small fish, destined to be fried for supper, attract the attention of curious children, while families buy chestnuts or mussels from stalls along the waterfront.

The usual visitor experience of the Bosphorus is on one of the cruise boats that depart from Eminonu pier. But while there is plenty to see from the water, I decided on a closer exploration, to get to the mouth of the strait by staying, mostly, on dry land.

The bustling streets that skirt the European shore soon turn into a pleasant promenade and calmer suburbs: Ortakoy with its waterside bars, and Arnavutkoy, full of attractive cafés. Glamorous summer houses and chic restaurants mask the fact that for centuries the Bosphorus has been one of the most bitterly contested waterways in history.

The Roman Emperor Constantine was aware of its strategic significance when he chose the site of his new capital, Constantinople, in the 4th century; and even before they conquered the city some 1,100 years later, the Ottomans started building fortifications along the water.

Rumeli Hisari, “the Fortress of Europe”, looks more like a pleasure palace than a defensive site, cascading as it does down the hillside and stopping just before it tumbles into the water. Now, deeply crenellated walls surrounding a series of towers are all that is left. Trees and shrubs have taken over the interior, leaving space only for a recently constructed amphitheatre which is used for outdoor concerts in the summer. But when it was built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452, the fortress was a prominent statement of his intention to advance on Constantinople.

Just beyond Rumeli Hisari is the newer of the two suspension bridges that span the Bosphorus, a useful intercontinental link for trucks and cars but which is off limits to pedestrians. Yet private enterprise is flourishing on both continents, and I was soon directed towards the waterfront and a local boatman. I clambered into his small craft, quickly followed by a family of eight. Together we chugged across the water from Europe to Asia, groaning occasionally as we were buffeted by wash from larger vessels.

The boat skirted past Anadolu Hisari, the Asian counterpart of the European fortress, and moored at the tiny landing stage at Kanlica. A cat lay sleeping on a bench. An elderly man was selling bread rolls from a stall near the ferry stop, and a small market was doing a brisk trade in hats and cheap jewellery.

On the road beyond I found a bus heading north. Beside the water were family groups enjoying a weekend barbecue, but as the bus turned inland through dense pine forest, soldiers on patrol behind walls of sandbags provided a stark reminder that the shore is fiercely guarded territory.

At the end of the road is Yoros Castle, a striking structure built in alternating horizontal stripes of stone and brick, a typical Byzantine design. Despite the presence of the military around the headland, this is the perfect spot to find peace and quiet. The silence is broken by a couple of donkeys braying in the distance. The view is of the open sea merging gently into the horizon.

In the past, chains stretched across the mouth of the Bosphorus where it met the Black Sea. Imposing fortifications on both sides of the water would have made sailing south a hazardous affair. Now, all it takes is a pleasant afternoon cruise.

Below Yoros Castle is the picturesque village of Anadolu Kavagi, with its popular fish restaurants overlooking the water. I headed downhill to wait for the ferry that would take me back to Istanbul. The trip afforded me a different perspective, and a sense of just how close Europe and Asia are at the narrowest point in the strait. And although I’d crossed from one continent to the other on my journey north, it was good to experience the Bosphorus as so many visitors – from Phoenicians to 21st-century tourists – have done: from the water.

Travel essentials: Istanbul

Getting there

* The main airport, Ataturk, is served by Turkish Airlines (020-7471 6666; turkishairlines.com) from Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester and BA (0844 493 0787; ba.com) from Heathrow. Sabiha Gokcen Airport is served by Turkish Airlines and Pegasus (0845 084 8980; flypgs.com) from Stansted, and by easyJet (0905 821 0905; easyjet.com) from Luton and Gatwick.

Staying there

* The writer travelled as a guest of Hilton Hotels and stayed at the Hilton Istanbul (00 90 212 315 6000; hilton.co.uk), on the European side of the Bosphorus at Cumhuriyet Caddesi Harbiye. Doubles start at €260 including breakfast.

More information

* Britons must pay £10 (in cash) for a visa on arrival.

* Tourist Office: 020-7839 7778; gototurkey.co.uk.

June 25, 2011
From Byzantium to Constantinople to Istanbul

They don’t make magic carpets anymore, and if they did you’d probably have to pay a fee for each suitcase and extra legroom. It’s a long flight from San Francisco to Istanbul, but it worth every minute of stale air and leg cramps. We left SFO on Monday afternoon, changed planes in Munich, and landed at Istanbul Airport on Tuesday night; our driver from the Sultanhan Hotel met us outside baggage pick-up. We had arrived on time and with all our bags, quite proud of ourselves and grateful to our travel agent, Anji Grainger of Panorama Travel.

The Sultanhan Hotel sits at the corner of Pierre Loti Square, in the Old Town section of Istanbul, within walking distance to the main drag. Shown to our room, we thought it was a bit small and asked if there was a larger room available. “I will ask my friend,” said the bellman, “please wait here.” Off he went and came back with a new room key. “Let us see if you like this room better, then if you do, I will bring your bags.” Room 206 at the Sultanhan was perfect: spacious, airy, with French doors and a balcony overlooking a new plaza. We were in bed and asleep by midnight, Turkish time. The leafy trees just outside our balcony danced with the sun in the morning and guaranteed our privacy.

The Old Town section is called Sultanhamet. Its streets are cobblestoned and narrow, the stone or wood buildings lean in toward you, or rest comfortably against each other. Small cafes and bufes materialize when you are hungry, or a man with a cart full of warm sesame sprinkled simet approaches. For one Turkish Lira you get a crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside cross between a bagel and a soft pretzel, and a smile from the vendor. Every experience we had in Sultanhamet was enchanting, near magical. But then of course, we had on our “visitors’ goggles.”

via Tri-City Voice Newspaper – Whats Happening – Fremont, Union City, Newark, California.

June 25, 2011
Istanbul: Where Europe and Asia collide

By George Webster for CNN

This month, MainSail reports on the Extreme Series Grand Prix Video in Istanbul. Here we present a waterfront guide to this timeless, vibrant city.

(CNN) — With its jumble of Byzantine cathedrals, Ottoman mosques and contemporary tower blocks, Istanbul is one of the world’s most historic cities as well as a clamorous modern metropolis.

Straddling both Europe and Asia – making it the only city in the world to sit across two continents – Istanbul buzzes with a collision of cultures.

However, with its myriad of historic buildings, museums and colorful eateries, it’s also extremely popular with tourists, particularly at this time of year.

If you’re keen to avoid the hustle and bustle then Istanbul, set on a peninsula against the gleaming waters of the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus Strait, is perhaps most enjoyably experienced with the aid of a sail boat.

Here, with the help of Lonely Planet travel editor Tom Hall, is MainSail’s guide to some of Istanbul’s best waterside attractions.

How much do you know about Turkey?

Hagia Sophia

“Sit on a sunny day with a cup of sweet tea in one of the cafes at Seraglio Point, where old Constantinople meets the Sea of Marmara and you’ll feel like you’re at the center of the world,” enthuses Hall.

From here, within easy walking distance, there’s a cluster of impressive cultural treats. First up, on the southern edge of the Istanbul peninsula, the Hagia Sophia, a “great basilica, turned mosque, turned museum,” says Hall.

Basilica Cistern

After taking in the magnificent dome — which is a full 30 meters across — enjoy some shelter from the sun in the Basilica Cistern, as traversed by Sean Connery in the 1963 James Bond film “From Russia With Love” and described by Hall as a “subterranean wonderland complete with salvaged Roman columns.”

Topkapi Palace

For over 400 years Topkapi Palace was the opulent epicenter of the Ottoman Empire. Explore the lavishly decorated courtyards, kitchens and ceremonial chambers, and imagine what life would have been like for a sultan and his harem.

Istanbul Modern

If the weight of history is all getting a bit much, make your way down to the Istanbul Modern, the first private museum showing modern and contemporary art exhibitions in Turkey, which Hall says is the city’s “stand-out new cultural attraction.” Occupying a former warehouse on the shores of the Bosphorus, it displays work from its permanent collection as well as organizing temporary exhibitions.

Food is an obsession in Istanbul and there’s something new to try everywhere.

–Tom Hall, Lonely Planet travel editor

Maiden’s Tower

The ancient beacon, first built by Athenians in 408 BC, sits on a small islet in the Bosphorus just off the coast of Uskudar.

Legend tells that a Byzantine princess was once confined to the tower by her father, Emperor Constantine, after soothsayers predicted an early death by snakebite. Sadly, the serpent still made it through in a basket of grapes and the princess duly perished, according to the fable.

Since then, it has been transformed into an upmarket cafe and restaurant — a favorite among young lovers and a regular source of income for the competing water taxis.

Restaurant Rami

“Food is an obsession in Istanbul and there’s something new to try everywhere. Most shopping strips have a lokanta, a cafe serving a variety of hot, traditional dishes in a buffet style,” says Hall.

Top of the list is Rami, a traditional Ottoman outfit serving meze, kebabs and fish. The preparations are simple but delicious. For special occasions, bag yourself a terrace table, from which you have a panoramic view of the Blue Mosque

Baklava and a Bosphorus fish

You can’t possibly travel to Istanbul without sampling the sickly sweet but impossibly more-ish Baklava. Look out also for patisserie-style bakers selling it fresh along with Turkish Delight — which they’ll happily box up for you to take home — and cafes who’ll serve cheap fill-ups of tea and coffee. “If you ask for the latter, expect the thick, Turkish variety which can have quite a kick,” warns Hall.

And for those who fancy a snack on their yacht without having to return to the mainland? Hall has the answer:

“Stop for a Bosphorus fish served simply in a sandwich with a squeeze of lemon, served from a boat rolling on the waves.”

via Istanbul: Where Europe and Asia collide – CNN.com.

June 25, 2011
Pera Palace Hotel: Historic Istanbul Landmark

By: Rana Babac, brandcritique.com | Posted: Jun. 23rd, 2011

Photo Courtesy of Pera Palace Hotel

King Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Franz Joseph, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Sarah Bernhardt, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis have strolled through the halls of this iconic hotel. Being the prominent symbol of Istanbul’s urban culture for over a century, Pera Palace has always been the heart of cosmopolitan Istanbul, bringing together neo-classical, art nouveau and oriental styles in an elegant mix.

In fact there is more to Pera Palace than meets the eye. The hotel was the first building in Istanbul to have electricity, an electric lift and the only running hot water. In addition to its magnificent original nineteenth-century features, such as precious white Carrara marble and exquisite Murano glass chandeliers, Pera Palace of 2011 also features hi-tech services that guarantee the luxury and comfort it always has.

After the recent 23-million-euro ($33 million U.S) restoration project, the hotel reopened in September 2010 as a museum-hotel where impeccable service blends seamlessly with the style of the historic building to create a unique and nostalgic experience for its high profile guests. The roll-call of iconic guests over the years were paid homage to in the naming of its lavish rooms and suites.

Want a complete Travel Quote including airfare, special hotel rates and FREE upgrades? Contact our Travel Specialist today! Many of these tastefully decorated, charming suites boast individual French balconies and are adorned with original paintings, antique furniture and rich fabrics. While room 411, where Agatha Christie had written her classic novel Murder on the Orient Express, bears the name of the legendary novelist, the hotel also features five Ernest Hemingway Corner Suites after the great writer who stayed at the Pera Palace Hotel as a young war reporter in 1922. Finally two presidential suites with splendid Golden Horn views are named for King Edward VIII and Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria-Hungary, who were among the notable guests of this landmark hotel.

Opened in 1892, Pera Palace Hotel was primarily to serve Orient Express clientele. The 115 nostalgic guest rooms, 16 suites, historical Patisserie de Pera, Orient Bar, Agatha Restaurant and spa sit cozily in lively Beyoglu district – Istanbul’s cultural and social center are 12 miles from the Atatürk International Airport and three miles to the Old City. The unique location of Pera Palace makes it possible to experience Istanbul on foot and enables its guests to enjoy extravagant views of the old city and the famous Golden Horn sunsets. Visit PeraPalace.com to learn more.

via Pera Palace Hotel: Historic Istanbul Landmark.

June 24, 2011

STR Global posts May 2011 results for Europe

LONDON—The European hotel industry posted positive results in year-over-year metrics when reported in U.S. dollars, euros and British pounds for May 2011, according to data compiled by STR Global.

Year-over-year, May 2011 figures for Europe (U.S. dollars, euros and British pounds):

Europe	% change
Occupancy	71.4%	+5.3%
ADR (U.S. dollars)	$150.73	+26.0%
ADR (euros)	€105.54	+8.3%
ADR (British pounds)	£91.51	+10.5%
RevPAR (U.S. dollars)	$107.69	+32.7%
RevPAR (euros)	€75.40	+14.0%
RevPAR (British pounds)	£65.38	+16.3%

Source: STR Global

“European hotels continue to bring in good results across the regions”, said Elizabeth Randall, managing director of STR Global. “Occupancy and average room rate grew 5 percent and 8 percent respectively for May. Supply growth remains subdued across Europe at 1.1 percent for the first five months coupled with demand improving 5.3 percent, which helps hoteliers to build revenue per available room. The year-to-date RevPAR of €61 is greater than the year-to-date results of the past two years, but still €6 below the YTD RevPAR achieved in 2008. We expect that, given economic conditions do not change for the worse, the recent solid recovery in occupancy and average room rates continues over coming months.

“Düsseldorf is the star performer this month, with high increases in occupancy and average room rates”, Randall said. “Düsseldorf hosted the Eurovision Song Contest and Interpack trade fair which boosted the city’s results”.

Highlights from key market performers for May 2011 include (year-over-year comparisons, all currency in euros):

• Düsseldorf, Germany, achieved the largest occupancy increase, rising 34.1 percent to 72.6 percent, followed by Gothenburg, Sweden, with an 18.6-percent increase to 77.5 percent.
• Birmingham, United Kingdom, fell 12.1 percent in occupancy to 65.7 percent, reporting the largest decrease in that metric, followed by Istanbul, Turkey with a 6.8-percent decrease to 76.5 percent.
• Three markets posted ADR increases of more than 30 percent: Düsseldorf (+67.5 percent to EUR146.86); Istanbul, Turkey (+32.6 percent to EUR207.84); and Gothenburg (+31.4 percent to EUR125.02).
• Birmingham (-24.9 percent to EUR66.37) and Madrid, Spain (-11.8 percent to EUR92.77), reported the largest ADR decreases.
• Düsseldorf jumped 124.6 percent in RevPAR to EUR106.60, reporting the largest increase in that metric. Four other markets achieved RevPAR increases of more than 35 percent: Gothenburg (+55.8 percent to EUR96.85); Munich, Germany (+40.1 percent to EUR90.13); Cologne, Germany (+38.8 percent to EUR88.04); and Zurich, Switzerland (+36.9 percent to EUR163.84).
• Birmingham fell 34.0 percent in RevPAR to EUR43.62, reporting the largest decrease in that metric.

Performances of key countries in May (all monetary units in local currency):

Country	Occupancy	% change	ADR	% change	RevPAR	% change
Germany	72.6%	+10.3%	EUR98.80	+11.7%	EUR71.74	+23.2%
Italy	68.8%	+6.3%	EUR130.12	+5.7%	EUR89.52	+12.3%
Russia	59.9%	+5.5%	RUB5370.62	+10.8%	RUB3216.64	+17.0%
Spain	66.7%	+3.9%	EUR81.68	+0.9%	EUR54.50	+4.8%
United Kingdom	76.2%	+0.8%	GBP81.21	+7.6%	GBP61.84	+8.5%

*percentages are increases/decreases for May 2011 vs. May 2010

View Global hotel review for May 2011.

About STR Global:

STR Global provides clients—including hotel operators, developers, financiers, analysts and suppliers to the hotel industry—access to hotel research with regular and custom reports covering Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and South America. STR Global provides a single source of global hotel data covering daily and monthly performance data, forecasts, annual profitability, pipeline and census information. STR Global is part of the STR family of companies and is proudly associated with STR, RRC Associates, STR Analytics, and HotelNewsNow.com. For more information, please visit www.strglobal.com.

Media contacts:
Konstanze Auernheimer
Director of Marketing & Analysis
STR Global
KAuernheimer@strglobal.com
+44 (0)207 922 1961

Jeff Higley
VP, Digital Media & Communications
jeff@str.com
+1 (615) 824-8664 ext. 3318

Rachael Spann Urie
Communications Coordinator
rurie@str.com
+1 (615) 824-8664 ext. 3305

June 23, 2011

Category: Travel

Exclusive: What’s New at Swissotel?

Trail of the unexpected: Along the Bosphorus

From Byzantium to Constantinople to Istanbul

Istanbul: Where Europe and Asia collide

Pera Palace Hotel: Historic Istanbul Landmark

STR Global posts May 2011 results for Europe