This luxury Istanbul hotel is located in the spectacular historic building of Maçka Palas. Constructed in 1922 by the Italian architect Giulio Mongeri, who was inspired by the elegant Palazzos of Milan. Originally designed to serve as the residence for Italian diplomats. He also designed the Italian Embassy across the Maçka Palas and the largest cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in Istanbul, St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral.

It’s the second joint venture hotel in Turkey from Hyatt chain of hotels and Doğuş Group. Park Hyatt Istanbul - Maçka Palas is ideally located in the fashionable Nisantasi residential and shopping district, uniquely combines the historic architecture of an Art Deco building with innovative interior design.

Housing the existing Emporio Armani and Gucci boutiques on the ground floor, the hotel is within walking distance of many other upscale designer fashion houses as well as ultra-trendy bars and restaurants in Nisantasi.

Tashi Takang, general manager of Park Hyatt Istanbul, said the hotel is built around an environmentally-friendly concept that prefers to use local products.

“We are emphasising environmentally-friendly thinking, for example, by having placed special taps in each room which offer drinking water. We are saving some 10,000 plastic bottles every year,” he said. “Furthermore, in terms of the food on offer we are preferring organic products from Turkey.”

Park Hyatt Istanbul’s concept also focuses on using the best of local products, Takang said. The scent in the rooms is developed by perfume designer Blaise Mautin, from the roses of Isparta. The hotel ordered the music played in the hotel from Turkish artist Mercan Dede who tailored Park Hyatt a collection of Sufi music. In addition, the hotel has ordered its own Turkish delight from Cafer Erol, whose family has been producing the delicacy since 1807. “We are thus combining many of the best products of Turkey,” Takang said.

Park Hyatt Istanbul - Maçka Palas, at the Nişantaşı district, consists of 90 rooms including 10 suites and 25 spa rooms, Rooms start at 320 euros per night.

This stylish blend of history and luxury houses 90 generously sized deluxe rooms, including 10 suites and 25 spa rooms. Each guestroom is equipped with the latest technology, as well as ergonomic work areas that cater to the needs of the global business traveler. An outstanding feature of the rooms is the sumptuous five-fixture bathroom, which comprise fully one-third of the guestroom area, and includes a rain shower, a fresh water fountain and a deep soaking tub.

Spa rooms additionally feature a steam room and facilities a traditional Turkish “Hammam” body scrub. For further pampering, the hotel’s Spa is available exclusively to hotel guests, offering separate male and female sections, two steam baths and a relaxation area, as well as three luxurious rooms with a broad treatment menu and a fitness area.

The hotel also provides exclusive food and beverage facilities, including The Prime, the hotel’s signature restaurant, which specializes in prime cuts and seafood prepared to perfection and cooked tover a charcoal grill.

Palas Lounge an all-day dining area which will feature a wine lounge with a wide selection of champagnes and imported wines, is destined to become one of the leading upscale lounges in Nisantasi.

Address:
Park Hyatt Istanbul - Maçka Palas
Bronz Sokak 35
34367 Tesvikiye
Istanbul - Turkey

Tel: + 90 212 368 1234
Fax: + 90 212 368 1000

For more information visit their website http://istanbul.park.hyatt.com

On the day voices across the globe shout out in joy for the successful election of Barack Obama as U.S. president, we are saying goodbye to an old friend, the Turkish Daily News.

The last notice on their website to the readers writes:

As of Monday, Nov. 3, the Turkish Daily News is operating under a new name and brand: Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review. There are a host of changes in the newspaper and more are planned. Dramatic change will also come to our web site. At the moment, we are continuing to operate under the old URL, www.turkishdailynews.com.tr

They have been covering news in Turkey for almost 50 years and I really enjoyed reading the TDN website and paper. We will miss their great stories and feature articles about Turkey’s daily news.

The paper has now folded into Hürriyet as the Hürriyet Daily News. Hürriyet is the most popular newspaper in Turkey. The new website of the Hürriyet Daily News looks nice and clean and I will check their news from now on, but I will miss the old Turkish Daily News.

Which Turkish news papers and sites do you read for your daily Turkish news in english?

The Istanbul Archaeology Museum actually consists of three museums. Those are the main Archeology Museum, the Old Eastern Works Museum and the Enameled Kiosk Museum. It houses over one million objects that represent almost all of the eras and civilizations in world history. The extremely ornate Alexander Sarcophagus, once believed to be prepared for Alexander the Great, is among the most famous pieces of ancient art in the museum

The museum excels, however, in its rich chronological collection of locally found artifacts that shed light on the origins and history of the city.

Right now The Istanbul Archaeology Museum has the overall responsibility for the largest active archaeological dig in the world. Excavations for a major transportation hub in Yenikapi Istanbul revealed the remains of a Byzantine harbor. More than 30 boats from that period have already been found. Various universities are deeply involved in excavating and conserving the majority of the boats.

It’s really cool that you can view many of the new findings in the museum already.

Location
Topkapi Palace (to the right of and behind St. Irene).
tel 0212/520-7740.

Admission 5.50YTL ($4); includes the Museum of the Ancient Orient and the Çinili Kösk.
Open on Tues-Sun 9am-5pm.

For more information visit their website http://www.kultur.gov.tr

In addition to the models on exhibition in the open-air museum, Miniaturk also has different places where the visitors can enjoy themselves. These places include a 400-seat amphitheater, a gift shop that sells souvenirs of Miniaturk, a playground to attract the interest of younger visitors, a life size chess board and a labyrinth.

Address
Miniaturk
İmrahor Caddesi Borsa Durağı Mevkii Sütlüce 34445
Beyoğlu / İstanbul
Phone 0212 222 28 82

For more information visit their website http://www.miniaturk.com.tr/

santral Istanbul is located in an old power plant which has been fully preserved.
The Silahtaraga power plant was the first urban-scale power plant of the Ottoman Empire. Founded in the Golden Horn district which is the oldest industrial zone in Istanbul. It provided Istanbul electricity from 1911 until 1983. Santral istanbul was opened on 8th September 2007.

UK’s UnitedVisualArtists, known for their Massive Attack concert visuals, provided the opening night light and sound at Santra Istanbul.

The Museum of Energy is located in the preserved engine rooms, Santralistanbul incorporates spaces for contemporary artistic and cultural activities, a public library, open air recreation areas, international artists residencies and educational units.

The exhibitions and the Museum of Energy at santral Istanbul are open between 10 am - 8 pm everyday except Mondays.

Entrance to santral Istanbul (including the exhibitions and the museum) is free of charge.

Santral Istanbul is located at Silahtar, at the upper end of the Golden Horn.

There are free shuttles every 20 minutes from Taksim AKM (Ataturk Cultural Centre).

Address
santralistanbul
Eski Silahtaraga Elektrik Santrali
Kazim Karabekir Cad. No:1
Eyup 34060 Istanbul - Turkey

tel. 0212 311 7809

Visit their website for more information.

www.santralistanbul.org

27 year old Christina came together with husband and Max, her 9 months old son. She was escorted with 20 bodyguards to her hotel at Ciragan Palace, along with 30 luggage’s, where she is staying in the 25.000 dollar Sultan Suit with a great Bosporus view. Christina is not asking any money for her visit and only wants her expenses to be paid.

This is Christina’s first visit in Istanbul and Acun will take her after the show for sightseeing tour in Istanbul. Unfortunately she will not give a concert in Istanbul.

She below the intro for the TV show “Var mısın Yok musun”

Meanwhile Paris Hilton is currently very busy with her bid for the US Presidency - by offering solutions to the nation’s financial and energy crisis.

The professional party girl, 27, entered the presidential race in August after Republican nominee John McCain compared his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama to “superficial” celebrities such as Hilton and Britney Spears.

Make more of the city on two continents and meet new people in Istanbul. We make it really easy to connect with other like minded professionals, explore Istanbul nightlife and events, meet friends in Istanbul who are into the same things and break out of your usual Istanbul social networks - and we’re free to join and try out! Get started by signing up now!

The exhibition entitled; “A Surrealist in Istanbul: Salvador Dali,” is on display at the Sabancı Art Museum, with an opening ceremony attended by President Abdullah Gül.

Nearly 270 of the artist’s pieces have been brought to Istanbul for the exhibition. The exhibition is considered to be the biggest art investment made in Turkey up to date and is a comprehensive retrospective of Salvador Dali art.

The Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation was established in 1983 by Dali to promote and protect his heritage. It keeps nearly 4,000 of his works in a collection unequalled in the world.

The Sakıp Sabancı museum, founded in 2002 by one of Turkey’s largest business groups, Sabanci, has already held exhibitions of Pablo Picasso’s paintings in 2005 and sculptures by Auguste Rodin a year later.

The museum’s Picasso exhibition in 2005-2006 attracted the largest number of visitors so far in Turkey — 258,000 people — a record they hope to surpass with the Salvador Dali Paintings.

The exhibition can be viewed between 20 September 2008 untill 20 January 2009.

More information visit Sakıp Sabancı museum website.