Tag: pera palace

25 SEPTEMBER 2012

It’s East meets West in glamorous, exotic and stylish form. Turkey’s most famous hotel has just had a £20 million facelift – and it’s got to be seen to be believed. The Pera Palace, the first Western Hotel to be built in Turkey, has just completed a four-year renovation project. First opened in 1892 in the final decade of the Ottoman Empire – it’s now been restored to its former glory.

This legendary spot was an elegant hangout for famous faces of the early 20th century including King Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth II, Agatha Christie, Greta Garbo and Alfred Hitchcock. More recently Hollywood star Ben Affleck was spotted sipping drinks in the hotel’s Orient bar, the same spot where Ernest Hemmingway used to knock back whiskies in a former, more glamorous age.

Described for many years as having ‘faded grandeur’, there’s certainly nothing faded about it now. It’s buzzing and vibrant. Murano glass chandeliers, state-of-the-art technology, and hi-tech services guarantee the comfort of a luxury hotel, while all around you the exotic setting harkens back to an earlier age. White marble steps from the foyer lead to the Kubbeli Saloon, a soaring room at the heart of the hotel, with an elaborate parquet floor, marble columns and domes pierced with turquoise glass. A new glass roof sends the sunlight streaming in.

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Most famous perhaps for being the hotel in which Agatha Christie wrote ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ tourists can visit and even book to stay in her room – number 411 – where one of her typewriters is still prominently displayed. Many of the rooms offer stunning views from the Galata to the Golden Horn. A new basement level features a spa and Turkish bath, as well as the refined Agatha restaurant (named after Agatha Christie, the hotel’s most famous guest), where the menu has been designed to reflect the notable stops on the Orient-Express: Paris, Venice and Istanbul.

The first electric elevator in Istanbul ascends to the blissfully quiet deluxe rooms via a cast iron and red velvet remnant of the hotel’s glamorous past. The rooms, finished in dark, antique-looking woods and shades of cream and sage, are elegant and tasteful, with a hugely comfortable king bed dressed in fine white linens, with monogrammed shams and a feather duvet and pillows.

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In the heart of the city the cobbled streets are lined with inviting restaurants, tea houses and shops. The ever exciting Istiklal Caddesi (a bustling, wide avenue for shopping and meeting) that is reminiscent of New York City – it never sleeps – is just steps away. Istanbul is a wonderful city for walking as much as it is a slow boat trip along the Bosphorus past the yali – old wooden (and expensive) summer homes – or a visit to Topkapi Palace, with its plane-shaded courtyards and Sultan’s harem rooms.

For dining locals encourage the Sunset Grill and Bar – truly a stunning dining experience. Offering amazing views over the Bosphorus, the food must be sampled to be believed. A perfectly executed fusion of Oriental and European palates, Sunset Grill’s cuisine startles and soars. Try the mixture of Japanese delicacies, such as yellowtail sashimi and a delicious and creamy shrimp tempura, along with Mediterranean dishes such as a lobster linguini.

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For a fantastic cocktail head to Istanbul’s famous restaurant and bar, 360. This multi-award winning spot is set in a penthouse perched on a 19th century apartment building overlooking the old embassy row in Beyoglu. The view is breath-taking – 360 degrees all over the city and across the Bosphorus to the Hagia Sophia Mosque and out to the Sea of Marmara. The food and ambience is Istanbul at its best. On the weekends, it turns into Club360 with DJ’s and dancing.

The Pera Palace Hotel offers deluxe rooms from £315 in the high season, including breakfast and VAT or £220 in low season (typically after the summer rush).

For a more cost effective boutique try Hotel Ibrahim Pasha. This small, delightful hotel is just steps away from the historic Hippodrome where chariot races were run in Byzantine times.

Pegasus Airlines flies from London Stansted to Istanbul. Prices start from £250 return.

via Pera Palace: Istanbul’s Hot-spot hotel – hellomagazine.com.

https://www.hellomagazine.com/travel/201209259426/istanbul-pera-palace-hotel/

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.

Dating from the last years of the nineteenth century, when it served the elite passengers of the Orient Express, the Pera Palace in Istanbul has long been popular with la creme de la creme of Europe and the world.

Politicians, artists, writers and royalty have strolled through the halls of the magnificent hotel, a prominent symbol of Istanbul’s urban culture for over a hundred years. Pera was the heart of the cosmopolitan city of Istanbul, and at the heart of Pera was the Pera Palace Hotel, with its elegant mix of neo-classical, art nouveau and oriental styles, and its stunning views from Galata to the Golden Horn, from the slopes of Eyup to Tepebasi.

The hotel was practically the first building in the city to have electricity; it boasted the first electric lift and the only running hot water in the city, so it’s not surprising that today, alongside some of the magnificent original nineteenth-century features, including precious white Carrara marble and exquisite Murano glass chandeliers, there is state-of-the-art technology, and hi-tech services that guarantee the comfort of a luxury hotel.

The recent 23-million-euro restoration project – the hotel re-opened in September 2010 – has resulted in a museum-hotel where discrete and efficient service blends seamlessly with the style of the historic building to create a unique and nostalgic experience for guests.

King Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Franz Joseph, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Sarah Bernhardt, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis… the roll-call of iconic guests over the years is endless, and some of them are paid homage to in the naming of the sumptuous rooms and suites.

The generously appointed suites, many of which boast individual French balconies, are adorned with original paintings, antique furniture and rich fabrics, and exude an aura of charm and elegance. Six corner rooms that look out over the nostalgic district of the city are named after Greta Garbo, while room 411, where Agatha Christie is said to have written her classic novel Murder on the Orient Express, now bears the name of the legendary crime novelist. The five Ernest Hemingway Corner Suites pay tribute to the American writer, who stayed at the Pera Palace Hotel as a young war reporter in 1922.

Deluxe rooms that offer views of the Golden Horn allow guests to watch the mist gathering over mythical peak in the early morning or marvel at the glorious sunset. Also with Golden Horn views are the two Presidential Suites, named for King Edward VIII and Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria-Hungary. Generously sized at 115 square metres, and located on the fourth and fifth floors of the hotel, the living areas include dining room, living room and study, as well as dressing room and separate guest bathroom.

The 380-square-metre spa facilities offer steam bath, jacuzzi, sauna and a fully equipped gym, and are the perfect way to get set for the day ahead. Alternatively, the traditional Turkish bath evokes the slower pace of bygone days and is a marvellous way to relax at the end of the day.

The range of dining options is impressive, and all offer fine food and impeccable service. Paris, Venice and Istanbul, the three principle stops along the Orient Express rail line, are paid homage to in the Agatha Restaurant, where French, Italian and Turkish cuisine influences the modern blend of culinary cultures. The Patisserie de Pera is a delightfully nostalgic setting for breakfast, while afternoon tea at the Kubbeli Saloon has long been a tradition among the Istanbul elite, and the Orient Bar & Terrace is perfect for an evening drink and light snack.