TRAVEL
where east MEETS WEST
NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD IS THERE A CITY QUITE LIKE IT, WITH A HERITAGE DATED AS FAR BACK AS 400,000 YEARS; A TAPESTRY OF ANTIQUITY AND CULTURE SO COLOURFUL AND DIVERSE; AND A POWERFUL COMBINATION OF OLD-WORLD CHARM AND NEW-WORLD HOSPITALITY. IT IS LITTLE WONDER THAT ISTANBUL IS SHOOTING UP THE CITY BREAK RANKS AT A RATE OF KNOTS THAT NOT EVEN THE OTTOMANS COULD HAVE COPED WITH. BY SAMANTHA G
gototurkey.co.uk
Grand Hyatt Istanbul
Cosily nestled along the banks of the Bosphorus lies Istanbul, capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empire. Turkey’s largest city is so uniquely positioned that it’s the only city in the world to straddle two continents, with one half nestled happily in Eastern European delight and the other wondrous in its Asian roots. With a history as rich as its coffee, it’s little wonder that Istanbul was named European City of Culture in 2010. From the moment you descend into Ataturk Airport you immediately begin to comprehend the vastness of this great city; glorious minarets protrude into the skyline catching the rays of the sun and cast a regal glow over the cityscape beyond. With a population of over 13 million people, it’s busy. Really busy. But it’s also somehow calm and enticing. Traf?c can be crazy – the beeping of car horns at times is only overshadowed by the call to prayers playing out from the imposing and beautiful mosques that surround you. Our base for the weekend was the impressively beautiful Grand Hyatt Istanbul, a short stroll from Taksim Square, at the corner of Gezi Park in the European side of the city. The Grand Hyatt offers 360 luxury hotel rooms and suites each with a spectacular views of either the city, the pool or the Bosphorus Strait in an excellent location. The Grand Hyatt itself was everything you would expect from a 5-star luxury hotel: ef?cient yet personal service, comfortable and well-appointed rooms and a real sense of Turkish welcome. What was unexpected was the sheer tranquillity that you experience the moment you arrive – not only in the double-height grand reception area and bedrooms, but also in the restaurant terrace and pool area.
It was easy to forget that you really were on the edge of a bustling metropolis, albeit one with a nostalgic charm. Another welcome wonder at this hotel is its new Restaurant, 34, offering buffet cuisine and a la carte dining. We were welcomed to dinner with a specially made house cocktail and were taken on a tour of the restaurant in order for us to make our choices for dinner from a vast selection of hot a ?B6??B?W?R??FRF??&FW"7F7FF???2?B?b6?W'6RF?RG&F?F????GW&??6?w&????vRvW&R??f?"G&VB?f?6?F??rGW&??r&?F??v??6??V?BF?BvRvW&R&?RF?6??RF?R?gF"??"'&V???rf7B?7V6??'VffWB?V?R?f?BF?'W'7F??rvRvW&RW6?W&VB??F?RF?&V7F????bF?RFW76W'B6V7F????F?&VRv???RF&?W2vV?v?VBF?v?v?F?v???R??7B?b7vVWBFV?FF???2????V?FR&??f???VvB?BGW&??6?FV?v?B6Bv?7FV???r???w6?FR7G&?W2?VFF??w2?B7'V?&?W3??WGFW"fV7Bf?"F?R6V?6W2?B??RF?B?VgBW2??&RF??6F?>??VBfV?GW&??r?WB??F?F?R6?G?6?6VV?FV?F??r&?7V7B?v???7BF?RG&?7?7FV??F?RF??&B??FW7B??F?Rv?&?B&V???B???F???B?Wr??&?????rF?R??BF?v??2&V?&?R?BV7?F??f?vFR?6??R?bF?R6???W"F?7G&?7G2&R???7B???76?&?RF?&V6?f?V&?2G&?7?'B?6?F?RF??27FF???VBBF?RV?G&?6RF?F?R??FV?&R?V6??VVFVB?Bw&VBv?F?vWB&?V?B?vRFV6?FVBF?BF?R&W7Bv?F?6VRF?R6?G?v2v?F?&Vv?7FW&VBF?W"wV?FR??B?"wW&??Fƒv2W&RFV?v?B??f??r7GVF?VBf?"????V'2F?v?&?2wV?FR?2?27F?F&B??GW&?W??2vV??2V?FW'F???r?F?W"7GVF?W2v?F??F?&????v?6??B6?6????v?6?F?V?W2?wW&??v2&?RF???G&?GV6RW2F?6??R?bF?R?W7G6VR6?v?G2?bF?R6?G??6??&????r??V'2?bW?W&?V?6Rv?F??V??W"?B?V7????W"F?B???vVBW2?W7BF?R&?v?B&??6R?b??f?&?F????F?&F????B?W"?v?6V?6R?bGfV?GW&R?f?'7B???W"vV?Fv2F?R7V?F???VB?"&?VR??7VR???6FVBB7V?F???WB7V&R??B?2F?R?????7VR??F?R6?G?v?F?b??&WG2?F?R????V?W&?GFVB??BFFW2&6?F?2?cb?v???7BF?RW?FW&??"V?VFW2v??FW"?F?R??FW&??"?2&VWF?gV?v?F?#???B???FVB??6?2F??W2??????rv?F?F?R&?6?&?VR??Gv?&??B7F??VBv?72v??F?w2F?7&VFRf?7V?7V7F7V?"??V?F??F?f?6?F?'2??R?W7B&V?V?&W"F?&W7V7B&V?v??W27W7F??26?fW&??r?VG2?6??V?FW'2?B??VW2?g&???W&R?Bv2F??RF??VBF?F?Rv??&??W2F????6R?F??2?V?V?B6?FR?2??7F?'?26???W&gV?2F?R??6?72?B?WvV?2F?B&VFV6??B?F?Rf?&?W"&W6?FV?6R?b?GF???7V?F?2??Bv2w&?FVBT?U44?v?&?B?W&?FvR6?FR7FGW2????R?B?2??r????'F?B?W6WV??B??7F?&?6?fV?VR2vV??2&V??rF?F?W&?7BGG&7F?????G2f?W"???6?W'G?&G2?B7W'&?V?F??r'V??F??w2?ffW"V??VRv??6R??F?F?R?GF???&V?v?2vV??27GV????rf?Ww27&?72F?RvFW"?g&???W&R?Bv26??'Bv?F??W"?W?BFW7F??F??????vWfW"vRvW&RF?7G&7FVB'?F?R&??6R?bF?R&W7B?VF&??2???7F?'V??B7F?VBf?"?V?6?B?GF?RV?77V??rVFW'??7V?F???WB??gFW6??wwr?7V?F???WF??gFW6??6?????6?FR?Bv2Wf?FV?BF?BvR?B7GV?&?VB???WB??F?W"?bF?R6?G?( ?2FV?v?G22?7GW&W2?bf??W2f6W2v???BF?V?6V?fW26??VBF?R6l:?7V?6??RF?&?VBF?Rv??2v???7B??R&6?WG2?b'&VB?B?FW2?b???r??BFV?6FV?7?6VB??gFRvW&R6W'fVBF?W2?gFW"?W"?V??vRfV?GW&VBF?F?R?VvV?F'?w&?B&?"?F??2&V???2??R?bF?R??FW7B6????r6V?G&W2v?F?G&F??r6?BF??fR6???V?6VB??Cc??B?2?7F?V?F??p??# ??wwr???6?FV?V?F?v???R?6??V???