Built for Orient Express passengers, the opulence of the Pera Palace – perched on a hill in the glamourous heart of Istanbul – is obvious. But there’s much more to the hotel beloved by queens, movie stars, and where Murder on the Orient Express was written.
Sitting in the expansive Ottoman-meets-Art-Nouveau grand salon at the Pera Palace below two enormous golden chandeliers, it’s easy to see why HRH Queen Elizabeth II was a fan of the historic Istanbul hotel. Sinking into a plush velvet sofa while drinking the creamiest and sweetest hot chocolate – each sip seeming to make stress melt away – as the fragrance of bright, rainbow-coloured bouquets of flowers wafts through the air, it’s no wonder that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Greta Garbo and even Mara Hari were devotees.
Then there’s Agatha Christie. She loved the Pera Palace so much, it’s where she wrote arguably her most famous work, Murder on the Orient Express (adapted into films multiple times). It’s possible to stay in the same abode (room 411) where she was inspired to write the book – and it’s been preserved to look much as it did during her time.
Yet, as vintage as the Pera Palace may be (another room has also been preserved as a museum to one of its frequent visitors, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey), it remains wonderfully luxuriant. This is true in both the common spaces like the light-filled, airy atrium – located above the grand salon, which itself is centred around a huge skylight – and in each of the 115 guest rooms and spacious suites the hotel has on offer.
More a suite than one room, the Agatha Christie Room’s main space is anchored by a buttery-soft king bed with a dark, hand-carved headboard. Atop the hardwood floor is a plush, deep, handmade rug. All around is antique furniture like a hardwood vanity and the kind of wardrobe that could be a portal to Narnia, a small library (stocked with a few of Christie’s mystery novels), and even an old Underwood typewriter (though it’s just for decoration).
A hallway leads to the expansive bathroom. Among the highlights here is an antique, four-legged porcelain soaking tub. Out the windows of the room, the views are perfect for taking in Istanbul’s gilded sunsets, as the call to prayer echoes over the rooftops and through the pretty, narrow streets. Its easy to imagine being inspired to write a novel in these sort of rich surroundings. And they do make it tempting to never want to leave the room. Yet doing so would mean missing out on the hotel’s many other charms, which would be a fatal mistake.
Construction of the Pera Palace began in 1892 for passengers starting or ending their journey on the famously luxuriant Orient Express. But it also quickly became a gathering spot for Istanbul’s elite – particularly for afternoon tea parties. This tradition continues in the grand salon, known as the Kubbeli Lounge. With high, domed ceilings and behind latticed windows, dark bookcases and red curtains, it’s recommended by the prestigious Michelin Guide. English afternoon tea is offered with a selection of lovingly crafted sandwiches, cakes and scones – served on silver platters, of course. Serenaded by a live piano player (who also takes requests), there’s strong Turkish coffee, and maybe the Pera Palace’s most underrated culinary item: hot chocolate.
Perhaps it’s the stunning surroundings, perhaps it’s the richness of the ingredients, or maybe a combination of the two. Regardless, the hot chocolate warms the insides like a slowly pulsating wave, leaving a pleasant, tingling feeling long after the last sip.
While the Kubbeli Lounge is dark and dreamy, the Patisserie de Pera is its fun, pink-loving (if the décor’s anything to go by) sister. It’s the kind of place Barbie would go were she in Istanbul.
If she were to pop into Patisserie de Pera, she’d probably opt for the sweet, Parisian-style macarons, available in all the colours of the rainbow. Or she’d go for a slice of the many cakes on offer, which, like the macarons, are delicately whipped up in-house.
For a proper meal, however, Agatha’s is the place. Located at the hotel’s heart, the restaurant (astutely named after the famous author and guest) has a French, Italian and Turkish fusion menu that’s as sophisticated as the black-and-white, decidedly upscale décor. There are familiar flavours and dishes, like mushroom risotto, scallops linguine or seafood tagliolini with shrimp, squid and octopus. Other standouts include Istanbul icons, like beef shashlik (meat on skewers, similar to a shish kebab) and İmam bayıldı (aubergine stuffed with onion, garlic and tomatoes, simmered in olive oil). If you’re unsure of something, the staff are experts at walking you through the flavours – and recommending suitable appetisers or mains.
A respectable Turkish hotel requires a respectable hammam. Fortunately, the 400-square-metre spa’s menu is suitably sophisticated. While aromatic hot stones and Indian head massages are to be expected, where it really stands out are its more specialised treatments. An 80-minute jet lag fix proves both nourishing and revitalising, as does a body scrub and bubble wash, followed by a foot massage and dip in the traditional Turkish bath, capped with a lifting facial that restores the skin’s sparkle after a long journey or busy day exploring Istanbul’s winding streets and checking out sights like the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
On the subject of exploring: the heady scent of spices, jasmine and oud hangs in the air of this majestic city. So make sure to follow your nose to the Grand Bazaar’s twisting passages for some aromatic shopping. The venue is suitably busy – but the vaulted ceilings do wonders at keeping the chill out on what’s otherwise a rather cold spring day.
A crossroads between East and West for centuries, the Bazaar and its famed shopping are a feast for the eyes – but as evening nears and the call to prayer goes out, the warm, golden glow of the Pera Palace beckons. The sky first seems orange, then red, until it fades to lavender, deeper into violet, then black. As the stars come out and street lights flicker on, a peaceful energy sets in on the city.
Amid the pleasant twilight, the Pera Palace’s Art Nouveau façade appears almost as if it’s bathed in a soft-focus filter. Uniformed, white-gloved attendants hold the doors open like a warm embrace. It’s time to make a beeline to the Kubbeli Lounge, where another hot chocolate awaits.
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