Pera Palace Hotel

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"An enduring Belle Époque beauty, this grand hotel has held court from the fall of the Ottoman Empire to the rise of the New Turkish Republic, and it’s famously where guests like Agatha Christie checked in after arriving by rail on the opulent Orient Express from Paris." - Lane Nieset, Liam Hess

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"For jazz-age glamour Pera Palace is to Istanbul what The Savoy is to London—a grande dame of the Belle Epoque, favored haunt of old Hollywood, royals and literati whose high heels and polished correspondents have clicked, clacked, and Charlestoned across its checkerboard marble floors ever since it opened in 1895. Queen Elizabeth II, Greta Garbo, Jackie Onassis, and Mata Hari have all stayed, along with various emperors, kings, and shahs—and, it goes without saying, Ernest Hemingway. Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express in Room 411—and indeed the hotel was built to accommodate passengers of the iconic train at the end of their journey. Rooms are trad, polished, and much-beswagged, with views of the Golden Horn or of Pera, once known as Little Europe. Afternoon tea in the sugar-pink patisserie is more English than the Savoy itself."

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"A city-center hotel used as a convenient base during a whirlwind 24-hour Istanbul stay, providing easy access to major sights and allowing quick transitions between landmark tours and the city's bustling markets." - Kristin Braswell

"Pera Palace Hotel One of the world’s most iconic hotels, the Pera Palace first swung open its doors in 1892 and has been a meeting point for travelers in the city for more than 100 years. Ernest Hemingway and Agatha Christie clicked at their typewriters in the guest rooms, Greta Garbo once wafted through the sumptuous lounge, and Alfred Hitchcock drew inspiration for his films while staying here. The neo-Baroque interior was created by legendary French-Ottoman architect Alexander Vallaury, and luscious jewel-toned Turkish carpets and grand chandeliers immerse guests in the glamour of a bygone age as soon as they step through the front door. The original antique elevator still trundles guests to their rooms, where Old World furniture, classically inspired burgundy textiles, and decadent roll-top baths provide oodles of 19th-century elegance. The Pera Palace is a timeless grande dame of the golden age of travel and is as much a part of the fabric of Istanbul ’s history as the city’s monuments."

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"Housed in a historic 1892 building, Pera Palace delivers timeless luxury with an opulent interior mixing Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, and Oriental styles, a grand lobby with soaring ceilings and marble floors, and amenities including an indoor pool, Turkish spa, fitness center, and several eateries (including one with a huge Turkish breakfast)—it’s my top pick for history lovers seeking luxury." - Matthew Kepnes