Hot Hotel Openings: The Pera Palace Gets a Makeover in Istanbul
December 15, 2009 By: Mary Winston Nicklin
To say that the Pera Palace reopening has been eagerly awaited is an understatement. Built in 1892 to host passengers of the Orient-Express, the historic hotel was one of the most luxurious of its era, welcoming famous guests like Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (the founder of the Turkish Republic), King George V of England, Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, Czar Nicholas II of Russia, Greta Garbo, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock and Sarah Bernhardt. Legend has it that Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express here, and so room No. 411 has been preserved as the "Agatha Christie Room."
For the last two years, the hotel has undergone a $30 million renovation project to restore its prominent position among luxury hotels in Istanbul. The goal is preserve all the historic features (including many belle époque furnishings and a wood paneled elevator), while updating the property with state-of-the-art amenities. We hear that Suite 101 is like a museum honoring Atatürk. Opening is slated for spring 2010.
