TRAVELIFE MAGAZINE: Holiday on High

TRAVELIFE MAGAZINE

CHECK-IN ISTANBUL

Holiday on High

CHRISTINE CUNANAN enjoys a relaxing 48 hours at the SWISSOTEL BOSPHORUS

When I opened the door, there was a butler, ready to wheel in a tray of spirits and hors d’oeuvres.

“This is our James Bond welcome,” he said. Minutes later, martini in hand, this was exactly the moment that I felt my holiday begin.

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verywhere at the Swissotel, The Bosphorus Istanbul is lovely, as it is a newly renovated hotel designed by one of the most famous architects in the world. But my favorite here is the spa, and in particular its private warm saltwater pool. This pool takes up an entire room, enabling you to float in complete and tranquil privacy.

I booked this for an hour for each day of my stay, and on my last afternoon in Turkey, it was the perfect way to prepare for a long flight back to Asia.

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Not that I needed any de-stressing, mind you, as my stay here was as relaxing as I could wish from the first few minutes of arrival. I had just checked into a lovely room with a view of the Dolmabahce Palace and the Bosphorus Straits from panoramic floor-to-ceiling glass walls, you see, when there was a knock on my door.

PERFECT COINCIDENCES

I was surprised to find a butler at my door, ready to wheel in a tray laden with spirits, hors d’oeuvres and martini glasses.

I’d actually began reading this book prior to departing for Turkey but I hadn’t finished it; so it was extremely propitious to find a copy in my hotel room, along with cocktails and a very comfortable sofa by the wall with a view.

“This is our James Bond welcome,” he said, also whipping out a cocktail shaker with a flourish. Minutes later, martini in hand, this was exactly the moment that I felt my holiday begin.

Exploring my home for the weekend a little further, I found on my desk a copy of 2006 Nobel prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk’s book “Istanbul,” which is basically his memoirs of growing up in nearby Nisantasi, a ten-minute stroll from the hotel.

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R&R in Istanbul

The Purovel Spa & Sport offers a sauna, steamroom and a traditional Turkish hammam, as well as tropical showers, a bio sauna, and a relaxation room with heated water beds. There are 14 rooms for classic and holistic spa treatments, plus a saltwater pool and a hydrotherapy room. It also has facilities for swimming pool biking and a state-of-the-art gym.

TRAVELIFE MAGAZINE

CHECK-IN ISTANBUL

This was obviously a sign that it was time to stop the hectic sightseeing and just relax, continue reading about Istanbul, and enjoy the moment. It’s not often one is at such a vantage point in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

THE ULTIMATE SETTING The Swissotel Bosphorus is a massive five-star hotel with nearly 500 rooms spread over 65 acres of gardens on the European side of Istanbul. Size definitely matters, in this case, as there is no calmer oasis in this oftentimes chaotic but beautiful city than this estate, so near all the major attractions and yet a world away from it in feeling.

THE SWISS BRUNCH Swissotel has just launched a Sunday brunch at its café, complete with Turkish specialties, a sushi counter, an ice cream teppanyaki bar, and even a Swiss food station serving raclette and sausages.

Its multi-storey beige-and-gold lobby is perhaps the grandest in Istanbul, with spacious seating and glass walls that look out onto the sea. And, with its 4000-square meter Purovel spa, which has some of the most extensive spa facilities in the city, it’s really more a resort than a hotel.

Talk about having the best of both worlds in Istanbul, living a #Travelife. n

SWISSOTEL, THE BOSPHORUS ISTANBUL www.swissotel.com

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