DESTINATIONS — TURKEY
S
troll through the souks of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar
and you’re as likely to bump into bargain-hunters haggling over souvenirs as big-spenders splashing out on handwoven carpets or priceless antiques. Just as its most famous market
can cater for both ends of the budget scale, so can the city itself. Whether clients want to be lavished with luxury or sightsee on a shoestring, this thriving metropolis has something to suit.
l SAVE: TIME AND PLACE No-frills carriers and budget accommodation make the city as affordable as it is accessible. Visitors who aren’t afraid to
wrap up will find cheaper prices between November and March, and can cut down on costs and queues with pre-bookable tickets such as the Museum Pass, costing about £20 and covering key attractions including the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. The city boasts a range of
ISTANBUL THREE WAYS
save, spend, splurge Tailor Turkey’s most exciting city to
suit any budget, says Katie McGonagle
reasonably priced hotels. For proximity to the ancient mosques and palaces of the Old City, Sultanahmet, it’s hard to beat value options such as Art City Hotel and nearby Grand Yavuz Hotel.
The former is a small 16-room boutique, while the latter boasts 111 rooms plus a Turkish bath,
78 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 23 January 2014
Jacuzzi and sauna. Direct Traveller offers three- night packages over Valentine’s Day from £249
for each hotel, including flights,
transfers, and B&B accommodation. Shopaholics will have
easy access to the Grand
Bazaar from the Best Western Plus The President Hotel, with packages from £319 in March,
also with Direct Traveller. Sister property the Best Western Empire Palace Hotel combines character with location: set in a 17th-century Ottoman house in Sultanahmet, the 35-room property overlooks the Bosphorus from its top-floor terrace restaurant.
l SPEND: STAY IN CHARACTER Mid-range hotels with history are plentiful too. The restored 30-room Uyan Hotel, in an enviable spot behind the Hagia Sophia, was built in 1928 and boasts period fittings. Across the Golden Horn in
Galata, Adahan Hotel is a listed apartment building dating from 1874, now restored into a 40-room property with original frescoes, marble fittings and vaulted ceilings. It’s also just a 10-minute walk to the bars, restaurants and boutique shops along lively Istiklal Avenue. The former starts at £140 per night in May and the latter from £175, both self-catering, with Ilios Travel.
FAST FACT The 118-room
St Regis Istanbul will open this year,
overlooking Maçka Park and the Bosphorus
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