ISTANBUL - THE BIENNIAL AND BECOMING
Curators, Charles Esche, director of the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, and Vasif Kortun, director of Platform Gallery in Istanbul, took a new direction in the structure of 2005's Istanbul Biennial in Turkey. Their approach in choosing the venues, artists and subject matter being more socio-politically oriented than ever before.
In previous years the historical peninsula that houses famous monuments such as the Aga Sophia, Blue Mosque and Cistern was the core location of the Biennial. This year however, the venues that were chosen spoke more of post-industrialism, modernity and consumer economy, making the Biennial more of an exploration into the politics of everyday living.
The title of the Biennial was Istanbul. Artists were invited to delve into the epistemology of this ancient city and to render forth works that expressed what it currently means to live in this metropolis of mixed ethnicities and belief systems.
The aim of the Biennial was to explore the city's history, the possibilities of its future and its current stance in the world. Esche and Kortun organized a residency program where selected foreign artists were hosted in Istanbul for a three-month period to produce their work while interacting with the public. Given Istanbul's rich history and current importance on today's world political platform, the Biennial opened a window on the importance of cities and how influential they are on the politics of nations as a whole.
'The bridge between the east and the west' is how many have referred to Istanbul for many years. Despite the fact that there actually is a bridge that connects Europe to Asia via the Bosphorus, this phrase is more political than it is geographical. The streets of Istanbul force you to question the political, historical and sociological dynamics of the city. Without question, the influence of western values on this Middle Eastern city has created a hybrid of what the east and west can truly form.
With the acceleration of global terrorism, the Palestine-Israel conflict, the Iraqi war and, as a consequence of all these, the increase in immigrants seeking refuge in Istanbul and other cities of Turkey, this year's Biennial was very politically charged. Add to this the probable EU membership of Turkey and it could be said that Turkey and, by extension, the city of Istanbul, is currently bound in the most complex and far-reaching political issues in the world.
It's a big statement, but the stakes being played for are bigger, just witness the countries who are currently trying to influence Turkish internal and foreign policy--Saudi Arabia, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Austria--and it becomes apparent quite quickly that Turkey is at a political crossroads that is as important as any in its dramatic history.
Stressing the importance of looking at all points of the compass, the curators invited artists from Eastern European, Middle Eastern and South East Asian countries. Among others, Pristine, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Tehran, Zagreb and Jakarta were represented. The artists of these cities often voiced discourses of resistance to their own country's governing politics. Whilst doing this, they often linked or compared such issues to movements, resistances and collaborations in Turkey's political landscape.
The pace of transformation that Istanbul has gone through over the past 100 years is astonishing and it seems that in the blink of an eye, new systems, good or bad, have evolved and round their place.
It has only been 82 years since the formation of the Turkish Republic and, as I read about current issues, it becomes apparent that what is currently being structured in this city are the extreme positions of religious fundamentalism from the far-right leaders of the government along with the more 'western' values of Western Europe and the U.S.A. I often ask myself how much of my surroundings in Istanbul are constructed from the results and habits of a population's everyday living and how much is manufactured to coerce said population into adopting religious and economic habits that support those who are currently politically and economically empowered.
Istanbul is a city that is beautiful and deceiving in equal measures. For instance when I see a woman wearing a head scarf, yet at the same rime wearing tight jeans, a sweater that displays an overtly feminine sexuality and a trademark handbag, I don't know whether she is a part of the population that covers her head because she is paid to do so by the religious parties or whether that is her own belief and she is a reflection of a truly cultural hybridization.
Cultural deception, simulation and confusion have become concerns to many, including artists, writers and directors. Illusory and deceptive scenes, looks and props are used by the media, politicians, the entertainment business, the police force and the military.
An early example of the use of such strategies occurred during World War II, when rubber tanks and canvas airplanes were designed by a movie studio so that the Nazis would be mislead as to where the Allied invasion would take place.
A number of artists at the Biennial reflected upon the issues of trickery, deception, fictional constructs and the sense of artifice that city lire, world politics and cultural differences bring about.
One of the most striking works was by Palestinian artist Khalil Rabah who produced Palestine before Palestine, a faux museum that investigated his land's anthropological history and the subsequent effects on natural systems.
The exhibition was dedicated to the 100-year anniversary of The Palestine Museum of Natural History and Humankind. Rabah's museum exhibited a collection of fossils, bones and other artifacts all crafted by him from every possible part of an olive tree.
The museum had displays and installations that explored the history of our planer, including a screening room that examined an enormous catastrophe on Earth explaining the remnants of the 'wall zone.' In addition, the museum had a café, a gift shop, an archival area and a research room. When you entered the exhibition you weren't sure whether this was a real museum and whether the videos and archives you watched were factual or fictional. This was a purposeful and effective work fabricated by Rabah that has many other references in contemporary art practices.
In spirit, Rabah's work has connections to a number Of other artists' strategies, of which the etoy and the KIT collectives are pertinent. In 1999, KIT set themselves up on the Internet and on the site of the LeBretton Flats in Canada as a housing-development company called Borderline Developments who were constructing a new site called Greylands.
Company merchandise such as mouse pads and pens were produced, as were billboards and on-site porta-cabins. 'The aim of the company was to design structures; architectures that could be built in polluted sites around the world's cities via online/on-site projects' (2) Borderline Development was so convincing because it covered every detail of producing an artificial company and sold it to the public, whilst also questioning the ecological and political climate.
Another reference, also very different in aims and process yet similar in its strategies of deception is the collective known as 'etoy,' a group of artists who set themselves up online as a corporation in 1994. They use the corporate structure to maximize cultural value.
For etoy, the problems of globalization, global markets and economic exchange that drive companies, culture, individuals and politics are solved by sharing risk, resources and seeking to explore social, cultural and financial value. (3) Etoy offer jobs, internships, company shares and many other characteristics that a real corporation would offer. It is a good example of how online artists' projects have aimed to create a difficulty in differentiating between what is factual and what is not. And, although Rabah's work is made for the 'physical,' it is equally as deceptive.
Yaron Lesham, from Jerusalem, had a similar concept in mind with the above-mentioned works as he also created a 'faked environment' for his biennial project. He presented a light-box image of an army-training village that was constructed by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in order to prepare soldiers to fight in Palestinian villages.
The image, named The Village, looks like a real photograph, but when one looks closer, you notice that it is a collage of 50 pictures Lesham took of other villages. As a result, the light-box image becomes a prototype of an Arab village that does not exist, a nonidentifiable place akin to the faux villages constructed by the Israeli military for training their soldiers in combat against the Palestinians.
Accompanying the The Village was Yaron's CNN project, a series of mock reports from Iraq during the second Gulf War. In one of the CNN reports, the fake houses and streets from the The Village appear as if an incident had just taken place.
By combining supposed war scenes from different countries, making the urban points of friction interchangeable, and through the use of fictional streets in nonexistent towns and villages, Lesham proposes that the filmed locations and issues are only as real as the media networks allow them to be.
Lesham's biennial project reminds one of the 1998 film The Truman Show, a story that talks about the 20th and 21st century media-driven society. In the film, Jim Carrey grows up and lives in a fake town full of actors and only after reaching his 30s dues he realize that his lire is a fabricated TV show in which he is the unknowing protagonist.
The landscape Carrey lives in can be seen as a very direct metaphor of our own media-saturated landscape where news and advertising is often duplicitous and deceptive. More than ever before, due to advances in media technologies, we find it difficult to distinguish the real and the simulated.
Reconstructing the real is not a new concept in contemporary culture : Witness still, the legions of Elvis look-alikes along with the wax museums that exhibit replicas of famous faces and bodies.
Hunt for the Unabomber, by Swedish artist Ola Pehrson, utilized a strategy of fictional reconstruction. In his documentary film about the famous bomber Theodore John Kaczynski, Pehrson constructed his own interpretation of Kaczynski's lire by creating 120 3-D and 2-D objects. He selected a series of stills from the original documentary and then modelled them into clay, drawings and paper cut-outs.
The handmade recreations were then integrated back into the original documentary, generating a new work. While some of Pehrson's creations were his own interpretation of Kaczynski's life, some of the models were very precise look-alikes, rendering the viewing process a confusing and ambiguous one.
Given that western culture has a strong bias towards the illusive--adverts, special effects and animation in films--3-D and photoshopping models for magazine covers produce a psychological economy where people trade in the technical virtuosity of their deception.
What matters now is how well people can fake things and how good their techniques are. Pehrson in his low-budget intervention into the documentary, plays with out notions of the deception by making it an overt act. A successful metaphor for the way simulations are being used to manipulate the public is represented in the book The Futurological Congress by Stanislaw Lem, a Polish science-fiction writer.
Lem created a future society where humanity sees an illusory world directly through its own manipulated experience. A pharmacological dictatorship sprays drugs into the air that cause everyone to hallucinate a world of luxury and modern convenience when, in fact, the environment and people's actual physical integrity are in a state of collapse.
When we look into the origins of deception and stimulation and illusory environments, we see it in our natural habitats. Many deceptive appearances are present in insect and mammal lives and have a strong base of camouflage for survival reasons.
Fish transform themselves into rocks, and insects can look like branches and leaves. Humans have also been using camouflage and deceptive techniques for survival reasons, from protecting crops by creating scarecrows to having soldiers wear leaves to disappear into the natural habitat so they are not seen by the enemy.
As technology advances, the techniques of deception improve and get more sophisticated. As we well know by now, the 'real' is no longer a viable term, and 'the authentic' became au outmoded modernist fossil a long time ago. So where do we locate our dreams and desires, our perspectives and projections?
With the changes brought around by technology, we have had to learn how to navigate new landscapes, of which we are not sure, more quickly than ever before. Istanbul is now at a point in time and space where it is having to speed up its reactions to such changing landscapes as more western technology and attitudes influence relationships and cultural dynamics that were once governed by tradition, family and religion.
The Istanbul Biennal, rather than championing the coming together of cultures, raised an acute awareness about the illusory nature of what it means to become hybrid, of what it means to come together, especially when one partner is at a very different stage of industrial, technological and economic development.
CITY AT THE CROSSROADS
As Turkey knocks on the European Union's door, economic reforms and a bold global outlook are helping to make Istanbul a dynamic business and leisure destination. It may be steeped in unique history, but this is one Oriental city with a thoroughly modern European attitude. (ISTANBUL).
Under leaden grey clouds, our yellow cab moves freely along the edge of the Bosphorus, its inky black waters delivering dozens of fishing boats back to the harbour at Besiktas.
Minarets stretch lazily into a brooding sky, while amateur anglers, collars pulled up against the early morning breeze, dangle bait over the bridges across the city's Golden Horn. Istanbul may be a city of 14 million souls, but at 6.30am on a cool autumnal morning, there's not many of them around. A few hours later, it's a completely different story.
"Isn't it something?" smiles Murat Duran, as we peer out over a view that would take the breath away from even the roomiest of lungs. "It's our Times Square, our Piccadilly Circus."
We're 18 floors up and the Ceylan InterContinental's Director of Sales and Marketing is gesturing in the direction of Istanbul's Taksim Square, where it seems all of Istanbul's citizens are trying to cross the road at the same time.
From our elevated vantage point, the city's famed landmarks vie for attention. From the Blue Mosque, Aya Sophia and Topkapi Palace in the distance to Taksim Square below our feet, and the busy Istikal Cadesi thoroughfare taking visitors down to the banks of the Golden Horn, it's almost as if this patchwork of history has been spread out in anticipation of culture-hungry travellers--something Turkey has worked hard to attract over the past decade.
After years of under-achievement, the Turkish government initiated a process of integrating the Turkish economy into the world market system through radical economic reforms that included the promotion of direct foreign capital investments.
State-funded ventures have given way to a new culture of private enterprise and, with economic growth and unprecedented levels of foreign investment, Turkey is fast becoming a major force in the global economy.
Turkey's recent all-round progress looks set to continue. The country is going through strong economic growth that has strengthened the currency and reduced inflation from 90 per cent to just 7 per cent. It is one of the last countries in Europe not oversubscribed with products and services, which, in turn, leads many companies to enter a market that was considered highly restrictive until 10 years ago.
Dubai-based Emaar Properties, for example, has entered into a $700 million real estate joint venture with Atasay--Turkey's largest gold jewellery exporter--with the initial investment to be followed by a further $5-10 billion over the next few years. The European Investment Bank, the EU's financing institution, is also set to open a representative office in Turkey, allowing it to organise its activities in neighbouring countries from there.
This economic boom has led to many infrastructural improvements across Istanbul, including the construction of a new metro line, an improvement in the road network, and the appearance of impressive new retail outlets, such as the newly opened Kanyon Mall. The mall recently welcomed a 791-square-metre Harvey Nichols store. The brand is making its Turkish debut and joins other fashion houses such as Lacoste, Thomas Pink and Calvin Klein in hot-footing it to Istanbul.
While all this economic development has certainly been welcomed, it has to be said that Turkey has never truly been short of tourists. In 2005, 21.2 million foreign tourists visited the country; while tourism revenue last year of nearly $18 billion was credited to both overseas and domestic visitors.
Turkey has the immense advantage of being able to count on two complementary categories of foreign visitors--mass tourism interested in the coastal resorts and cultural tourism with visits to the historic sites--and in Istanbul it also has a city now among the world's most exciting conference destinations. It has already been a busy year for the city: during the first six months of 2006 Ataturk Airport saw the total number of passengers and aircraft increase by 10 per cent compared to the same period last year.
"It's a common saying, but Istanbul is where Asia meets Europe--it's that simple," says Eylem Findik, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Radisson SAS Conference & Airport Hotel. "It's easy to reach, has a fast growing business and industrial area, and a great historical heritage with a taste of modern life."
Situated just a short walk from Taksim Square, the area known as Conference Valley features leading international and Turkish hotels within walking distance of the city's top venues, such as the Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC), the Istanbul Hilton Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Military Museum Cultural Centre and the Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall.
"We're talking about a huge congress city within walking distance of the major hotels," adds the InterContinental's Duran. In the heart of Conference Valley and with 382 rooms (including 55 suites and 71 exclusive club rooms that boast a 60 per cent return rate) and 11 meeting rooms, the Ceylan InterContinental is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
With so many flights from the Middle East into Istanbul--Emirates and Turkish Airlines operate a daily service from Dubai, while the Turkish city is also well served by other regional carriers, (see Getting There box)--visitors from the Arab world continue to be attracted by the warmth, history and location of Istanbul.
Duran elaborates: "We're definitely seeing an increase in the number of Middle East customers, with around 10 per cent of our visitors coming from the Gulf region. We aim to give all our guests a real feel for the country. You know, they say it's easy to find a hotel in Istanbul--our aim is for you to find Istanbul in the hotel."
There are a total of seven five-star hotels within walking distance of Conference Valley, as well as dozens of three and four-star hotels for a combined total of more than 10,000 rooms. Among them is the glass tower Ritz Carlton which, with a choice of 244 guest rooms, including 23 suites and 57 Ritz Carlton club level rooms, also offers stunning views of the Bosphorus Strait and the Dolmabahce Palace, a compelling symbol of the magnificence and decadence of the 19th-century Ottoman Empire.
"Istanbul's main competition is not from Middle Eastern destinations such as Doha and Dubai, but from other European destinations like Rome, Prague, and Barcelona," says Declan Hurley, Regional Director of Marketing and Sales for Europe and the Middle East at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
Competition among the five-star hotels appears healthy. The 360-room Hyatt Regency is, like the rest of the luxury properties in Congress Valley, just 100 metres from the metro and two kilometres from the shopping district. Two floors of exclusive Regency Club accommodation comprise 79 rooms and suites, while for those who simply want to get away from it all, the beautiful gardens and spa provide a diversion from the vibrant metropolis just a few metres away.
Next year will bring even more choice for those travelling on business to Istanbul: Kempinski Hotels will add the two-tower Kempinski Residences Istanbul to its existing portfolio. Situated in the main business and commercial district of Esentepe, the two towers will have 108 residences in their upper storeys, available for sale to investors, while the lower storeys will feature 34 exclusive long-stay residences for rental in the first tower, and 28 spacious offices in the second.
Also coming up in late 2007, W Hotels, operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts, will launch the 130-room hotel W Istanbul as the centrepiece of the redevelopment of the landmark Akaretler Row Houses in the Besiktas area. The historical Row was constructed by Sultan Adbulaziz in the 1870s to house workers of the Dolmabahce Palace.
One of Istanbul's major selling points is as a gateway city. Not only does this former capital of three empires--Roman, Ottoman and Byzantine--straddle both Europe and Asia, it is also a favourite with cruise operators. Ships and cruisers glide silently into Istanbul ready to ferry thousands of high-end tourists to some of the most luxurious properties in the region.
"There is a great deal of visitors combining a visit to Istanbul with a cruise out of the city," says Patrick Mossu, Manager of Turkey's most prestigious hotel address, the Ciragan Palace Kempinski, owned by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Being the Turkish government's hotel of choice is an honour the Ciragan enjoys almost as much as its tradition and fabulous location.
Dipping its elegant toes into the cool waters of the Bosphorus not far from the city centre, the hotel features 315 spacious rooms including 31 suites, 11 of which are in the restored Ottoman Palace. No wonder six Prime Ministers or Heads of State have had their luggage pass through the hotel's immaculate hallways in the past three months alone.
With the palace part of the property about to undergo a three-month renovation programme, closely monitored by the government--"We are an antiquity after all," smiles Mossu--it is obvious that Istanbul is looking to maintain its heritage as much as embrace modernity.
"Istanbul wants to be a modern European city," adds Mossu. "It's a city with culture and tradition, as well as a host for the F1 Grand Prix in Turkey. But we still need to do more to educate people as to what is available. I think we need more international marketing of the destination. Once people get here, they see for themselves that Istanbul is a real eye opener."
GETTING THERE
Emirates offers one daily flight to Istanbul from Dubai. The business class return fare is $1,310.81. Turkish Airlines also operates one daily flight to Istanbul from Dubai, with a business class fare of $1,029.72. In addition, it offers flights from the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, on Mondays and Fridays for the same fare. Qatar Airways flies from Doha to Istanbul on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with a business class return fare of $1,837.83. From Bahrain Gulf Air flies to Istanbul on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and offers a business class return fare of $1,081.08. Kuwait Airways offers flights from Kuwait City to Istanbul on Tuesdays and Fridays and its business class return fare is $1,540.54. All the above prices are inclusive of taxes.
EXOTIC ISTANBUL
Topkapi Palace is the home of the Ottoman Empire, from where the sultans ruled their vast domains. Comprising a walled array of turrets and domes over some 173 acres that includes fountains and gardens, the palace is home to a wealth of treasures such as art, armoury and jewels.
The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia--these two breathtaking structures are just a few metres apart, making a visit to both a must. The Hagia Sophia is renowned as the greatest work of Byzantine architecture, while the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque) features stunning interiors and, of course, the sapphire blue tiles from which it gets its name.
No trip to Istanbul would be complete without a voyage through the tunnels of the Grand Bazaar. This sprawling labyrinth of streets and alleys is home to more than 4,000 shops selling items from clothing and furniture to jewellery and antiques.
The Bosphorus is an intrinsic part of the city, so take the chance to enjoy the strait between Europe and Asia. Boat trips are regularly available and provide the prefect way to admire the city and waterfront palaces and mansions.
Get your flat shoes on and explore the streets of Taksim where bars, cinemas, shops, markets and restaurants dominate the cultural hub of the city. A word of warning though--the streets have their share of touts eager to be your friend and introduce you to certain stores or restaurants.
There are few better nights out than eating and clubbing in Istanbul. Be cool in the 'Bul and check out the multiple award-winning 360, a glass-walled rooftop extravaganza with a popular bar and a circular view of the metropolis. Or head off (in the summer months) to the world-class, multi-level nightclub Reina, open until the early hours.
ISTANBUL HOTELS
ISTANBUL CEYLAN HOTELS INTERCONTINENTAL
This five-star luxury hotel has impressive views of the Bosphorus. Elegance, comfort and perfect service are its hallmarks.
Approx 30 mins from the airport. Many of the city' cultural attractions and shopping districts are within walking distance.
382 guest rooms, including 55 sumptuous suites & 71exclusive club rooms. In-room safe, multi-line telephones with voice mail, high-speed and wireless internet access, network dataport, plus fabulous views.
Open: 24 hours, it offers computer, printer and fax hook-ups, secretarial support service, meeting room and courier service.
Tel: 90 - 212 - 368 - 4444.
RESTAURANTS & RECREATION
Safran restaurant serves Ottoman/Turkish cuisine, the Brasserie Restaurant offers international flavours, The Terrace serves the finest Mediterranean cuisine, Garden Grill offers Middle East cuisine. There is a hairdresser, outdoor pool, Turkish bath, Swedish sauna, roof bar, shopping arcade and a health club.
CIRAGAN PLACE KEMPINSKI
Once the residence of the Ottoman sultans, it has been restored to its former glory
and is the only luxury hotel on the European shores of the Bosphorus.
Located on the shores of the Bosphorus, in the city centre, close to Yildiz Park and the Ortakoy, 30 minutes from the airport.
315 rooms, including 11 suites in the upper storey of the original palace & 20 suites in the hotel section.
Wireless internet access, two telephone lines, one fax line, voice mail, satellite TV, air conditioning, mini-
bar, safety box, hairdryer, balcony, seating area, a working desk, sliding windows, pay TV.
Integrated business centre with secretarial and translation services, plus computers, fax, printers, photocopying, high-speed internet and free wireless internet connection.
RESTAURANTS & RECREATION
The Tugra Restaurant serves traditional Ottoman and Turkish dishes, Laledan Restaurant features international cuisine and the Gazebo lobby lounge offers afternoon tea. The Ciragan gar is a traditional English-style bar; in summer, there is a barbecue in the Rose Garden.
Prices: $645 for a superior Bosphorous view room and $1,500 for a one-bed suite. Rates exclude VATand breakfast.
Tel: 90 - 212 - 326 - 4646.
HYATT REGENCY
Ideally situated for both business and leisure travellers as it is in the hub of Istanbul. It reflects the city's spirit and culture.
Located in the heart of Istanbul's business district, near Taksim Square, Conference Valley, and five minutes from the Bosphorus.
360 rooms, including 24 Regency suites, three Regency executive suites and one presidential suite.
Broadband internet access, tech smart desks, multi-line phone, multi-channel satellite TV, electronic safes and minibars, glass-enclosed rain showers and separate bathtubs, kettle with complimentary tea/coffee.
Full office facilities, including an information library, workstations and secretarial support. The hotel also has 13 meetings rooms including a ballroom, large pre-function space and five boardrooms.
RESTAURANTS & RECREATION
Enjoy Italian cuisine at Spazio restaurant and Turkish food at Agora; Mezzanine specialises in afternoon tea; The Library Bar has fine cognac and cigars; Gossip nightclub has live entertainment. As well as a gym and spa, there's and outdoor pool and a floodlit tennis court.
Prices: Regency suites from $362.54; $187.523 for a single king room; $206.27 for a single deluxe king room.
Tel: 90 - 212 - 368 - 1234.
RADISSION SAS CONFERENCE & AIRPORT HOTEL
This is the closest five-star hotel to the international airport in Istanbul. Ideal for business and leisure travellers alike.
Conveniently located near the airport and close to the city's main exhibition centres. There is a free city centre shuttle stopping by the old town.
246 rooms, including superior class, business class, suites and three rooms for the disabled. All rooms have free wireless internet connection, free tea/coffee-making facilities, Nespresso machine in business class rooms & suites, minibar, direct phone line, pay TV, blackout curtains, safe.
RESTAURANTS & RECREATION
Decorated with warm and bright colours, Olivos Restaurant offers Mediterranean cuisine in smart but casual and comfortable surroundings. Open all day, Olivos serves the renowned Radisson SAS super breakfast
Prices: Standard rooms are from $130, inclusive of open buffet super breakfast, exclusive of VAT
Open: 24 hours, offering computers, printer, fax and copying services.
Tel: 90 - 212 - 425 - 7373.
THE RITZ-CARLTON
The Ottoman-inspired Splendour that defines the hotel's striking contemporary exterior is woven throughout the interior spaces, making for a sense of relaxing opulence. Overlooking the stunning Dolmabahce Palace and the romantic waters of the Bosphorus.
244 rooms, including 57 clubrooms, 23 executive suites and The Ritz-Carlton suite. Turkish-inspired style and decor, electronic in-room safe, computer and fax hook-ups, broadband internet access and wi-fi connectivity in club rooms, direct dial multi-line telephone with voice mail.
Open: 24 hours, the business centre is equipped with computers, printer, copier & fax. Broadband internet access is available and secretarial and courier services are offered.
RESTAURANTS & RECREATION
Cintemani Restaurant offers contemporary Mediterranean cuisine; RC Bar boasts Istanbul's largest collection of fine single malt whiskies. The Lobby Lounge is ideal for afternoon tea or evening cocktails. Goney Park Terrace has live music and Turkish-inspired grilled dishes and cocktails.
Prices: $244 for a park view room, $688 for a Bosphorus view suite, exclusive of VAT
Tel: 90 - 212 - 334 - 4444. |
