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The aptly-named Orient
Express Hotel is
right on the Bağcılar-Kabataş
tram line, between the Gülhane and Sirkeci tram
stops.
It’s
a very convenient location
(map),
only a few minutes’ walk
to the Sirkeci
train station and Eminönü
ferries, and just a 10-minute uphill
walk to Old
Istanbul and the Topkapı
Palace,
Archeological
Museums, Blue
Mosque and
Aya
Sofya.
This is a delightful small 4-star
hotel whose 54 immaculate guest rooms
are decorated in a cheerful, simple
but appealing style with plenty of
natural wood and soothing colors. They
come with comfortable beds, televisions
with foreign-language channels,
minibars, free coffee- and tea-making
equipment, free Wifi Internet, and plenty
of space to sit and ponder
the day’s
sightseeing. Some rooms are
set aside for non-smokers.
The private bathrooms all
have bathtubs (some
of them mini-tubs) with showers, hairdryers,
bath amenities, telephones, and that
most thoughtful of hotel appliances,
a pull-out string line for drying clothing
items you've washed in the sink.
An open-buffet breakfast with
plentiful choices is served in the
basement breakfast room where guests
also receive complimentary copies of
the hotel’s own Sirkeci Daily
Express full of sightseeing tips
and other useful information.
The rooftop Imbat Restaurant offers
a great view out over the Bosphorus towards
the Galata
Tower in one direction
and towards the Topkapı
Palace in the
other. It serves mainly Mediterranean
cuisine, including seafood, interspersed
with some traditional Turkish choices.
There’s
a good choice of wines as
well. (The Imbat is
among the best value-for-money seafood
restaurants in Istanbul, and guests
at the hotel receive a 10%
discount on their bill here.)
Here's a delightful surprise: in
the basement is a small swimming
pool, a great place
to wind down after a hot day’s
sightseeing.
The reception area is
decorated with posters which recall
the glory days of the eponymous Orient
Express trains that
used to steam into Sirkeci
station nearby.
Also, don't fail to enjoy the artwork with
which the hotel's walls are decorated:
pages from illuminated books, tile
panels, original paintings.... The
hotel's owner, Mr Faruk Boyaci, has
a good eye for interesting art.
The ground floor features the pleasant
Wagon Bar which has
been designed to imitate the interior
of one of Istanbul’s
famous and much-loved ferryboats – they
still leave from the Eminönü
docks not far from
the hotel.
BONUSES for TTP users:
if you make your reservation directly
with the hotel (click
here!), stay at least three
nights, and mention
TTP, you are entitled
to these valuable bonuses:
1. Free airport transfer (one-way)
from Atatürk
Airport to Sirkeci Konak.
2. 11% discount on your room
bill if you pay
in cash upon arrival. (Hotel
rates are quoted in euros, but you
may pay in euros, US dollars, GB
pounds, or Turkish
liras.)
3. Family Card: ask
for it upon arrival. It entitles you
to a 10% discount at all of the Sirkeci
Group restaurants, one of
which—the İmbat (Mediterranean
cuisine)—is on the top floor of the
Orient Express Hotel, all of which
are within walking distance from the
hotel.
4. Stay six nights, and your seventh night
is free.
The Orient
Express is
a hotel which prides itself on its service and attention
to detail. Forgot your multi-fit
bath plug? Never fear, reception
can provide one for you. Need guidance
on what
to see? Ditto. A Guest
Relations Manager is available
in the public areas to answer questions
and help you to make any travel arrangements
you may need.
The Orient
Express Hotel is
part of the Sirkeci
Group Hotels,
owned by Mr Faruk Boyacı, which includes
the nearby Hotel
Erboy, Hotel
İlkay,
Neorion
Hotel, and Sirkeci
Konak Hotel. It’s
a good choice if you’re after
comfort without too steep a price tag.
Click
here to check rates
and availability at the Orient Express Hotel. When you
make a reservation, please
mention
TTP. Here’s why.
Orient Express Hotel
Hüdavendigâr Caddesi No.
34 (map)
34110 Sirkeci, Istanbul, Turkey
Tel +90 (212) 520 7161
Fax +90 (212) 526 8446
info@orientexpresshotel.com
www.orientexpresshotel.com
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