Landing past midnight

I opted to take the last flight out at the best rate out of Antalya to the tune of  119TL. Flight time was 75 minutes. Took the first taxi outside arrivals to the hotel, train lines could of have been running but I was more interested in getting some sleep asap before the busy day laying ahead. Taxi charges were 40 TL. (Train map and times are added at the bottom of post.)

Istanbul is a big old city with so much of amazing history and sights to see.

The Hotel

The 5 star Crown Plaza Old City is situated in the main road of Ordu Cd where the tram lines run.

The IHG Platinum dedicated check-in counter is adjoined and red carpeted.

Above: Pictures of a standard room. My upgrade to a suite wasn’t available until after 7am due to my midnight arrival booking mis-hap.

View from the room.

The lobby’s in the hotel are really something else.

The Club Lounge

Standard room + IHG Platinum card = free Club lounge access for all day eats, drinks and snacks.

As I Mentioned in previous trips, you could live out of a club lounge and not spend any money on food and drinks during your tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Club Lounge also offered a A la carte breakfast option.

The Club Lounge service and food was of the best I’ve ever seen and tasted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The spa has a luminous blue heated pool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditional Turkish Bath, locally called Hamam. Hamam is tamam.

Out and about in the city

There is a Double Tree Hilton directly opposite the Crowne Plaza in the main road, both within walking distances of Istanbul’s main attractions.

The bulk of the world famous brands of hotel’s lies in a distance across Bosphorus River.

One of the many side streets filed with designer branded goods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grand Bazaar has been around for more than 550 years, it covers 60 blocks, and has over 5,000 shops. On a daily basis it attracts somewhere between 250,000 to 400,000 visitors. Its filled with heads moving everywhere you look. Getting lost inside here is a normality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some sort of a local delicacy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spanish vs Iranian saffron ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Swords

Other Relics

Topkapi Palace houses a huge amount of relics of Egyptian, Arabian, Greek, Trojan, Messapotanian and just about every old culture.