Istanbul and Cappadocia
I started off at London Gatwick flying to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. Having never flown Turkish Airlines before I was totally amazed at the standard of service of the crew, the freshly prepared food and the in seat TV with on demand channels was a bonus too.
On arrival into Istanbul I was picked up and taken to the Kent Hotel in the Old Town of Istanbul. The hotel was clean, tidy and again the staff were very attentive. The Kent hotel is located just a short walk away from the main sights and even closer to the Grand Bazaar.
The next morning I was taken to Sultanahmet Square and given a tour of the sights. First we visited the Hagia Sophia Museum. The Hagia Sophia dates back to before the Ottoman Empire where it was a church, then became a mosque and now a museum.
Across the square is the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque is still an active mosque and a dress code applies for you to visit but don’t worry if you’re not adequately dressed, they will provide you with anything you need and also a plastic bag to carry your shoes in! The mosque is open daily but closes for 90 minute periods around the five prayer times in the day. It is not a problem if you turn up during prayer times as there is plenty to see in this area.
The next on the list was the Basilica Cistern. This is an underground cistern that was used as water storage. Inside you can see and learn of the history around it and the many uses it has had over the years. Can you find the two Medusa heads carved into the pillars? If anyone is a James Bond fan then “From Russia With Love” was filmed here.
After lunch it was time to visit some hotels where I got see three hotels all very located to Sultanahmet Square. The first was the Hagia Sophia Hotel Old City. A recently refurbished and modern boutique hotel. Then a short walk to the Hotel Celal Sultan. The hotel was more traditional, although clean and modern in décor. On the fifth floor there is a terrace and restaurant that overlooks the wonderful Blue Mosque. The next hotel again conveniently located to Sultanahmet Square was the Four Seasons Sultanahmet. This beautiful hotel is a mix of traditional and modern. Dating back this hotel was a prison and some of the original walls are still in place today. All 65 rooms have been brought into the 21st Century without disturbing the original character of the building.
Dinner this evening was served at the Ritz Carlton Istanbul. What a fab hotel this was. A very spacious, light and modern hotel located in the new city. As you would expect all rooms have a good view of either the old city, the new city or the Bosporus Sea. They are building a new football stadium where some rooms will have an amazing view of the game when construction is complete.
The next day I visited the Topaki Palace, this was the principle residence of the Ottoman Sultans, set in large gardens this palace is now a museum and has collections of jewellery and clothing form the 15th to 19th Century. After I continued to the Istanbul’s second biggest market. The Egyptian Spice Bazaar. A great place to look around and take in the pungent and savoury aroma of the different stalls selling different spices, fruit, nuts and traditional sweets.
Next was one of the highlights of the trip and this was a cruise along Bosporus. A strategically placed stretch of water. It forms a boundary between the European and Asian parts of Turkey. On this cruise I got to see some of the wonderful sights that can only be seen by water. The beautiful mosques, palaces and residences and mansions. Passing some of the cruise ships that come and visit Istanbul on regular basis.
I got to look around a few more hotels, this time in the New City. These hotels are more modern than the old city and you could actually come and stay at any of them and not have to leave. The Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Four Seasons at the Bosporus are both resort type hotels. With amazing views over the sea, swimming pools and both are great location for weddings. The Kempinski having more grandeur and the Four Seasons having been extended to be in keeping. Again both hotels live up to their reputation.
That evening I visited the Shangri-La hotel. This hotel was so beautiful, again a great wedding venue with its magnificent Ballroom. The hotel was at 99% occupancy that night and I wasn’t able to see many of the rooms. The room I did see was a deluxe rooms and was very spacious with modern fixtures and fittings. The traditional Turkish meal was amazing! It was time to move on to Cappadocia. Off to the airport to sample Turkish Airlines’ domestic lounge, a small lounge with dedicated check in desks and transport to the gate. A short flight of an hour and we were in Kayseri and then an hours transfer to the heart of Cappadocia.
This area has some of the most inspiring sights I have ever seen. With natural rock formations created by air and water. In the foothills of extinct volcanoes, the majority of hotels here are built into caves or are renovated buildings. I stayed in the Alfinia Cave Hotel. This hotel, as the name suggests, had cave rooms. Some were quite small and very warm. The service I received again was good but the breakfast was very restrictive. I visited many other hotels in this area with Argos in Cappadocia being my favourite. This hotel was set in renovated buildings with each room separated from others. Depending on the rooms type you could have an indoor private swimming pool, wine cave or a view over the hills. Two other hotels in this area, the Museum and CCR Hotels were of a similar standard but more attached to the reception and communal areas of the hotel. Any of these three hotels are a perfect place to just arrive, relax and stay put.
There are some amazing sights to be seen in this area. The open air museum in Goreme, the underground city in Kaymakli are all sights well worth seeing.
Unfortunately by now it was time to head home. After the flight to Istanbul I sampled the massive Turkish Airlines Business Class lounge. With food freshly prepared for you, a games area for the children – big or small. Free Wi-Fi and computers for you to use to catch up on work before your flight. On the flight I was in business class and with a Chef on board the freshly prepared food was completely different to anything I had had before on a flight in business or economy.