If you still need some Christmas cheer in Istanbul, I�d recommend heading down to the Pera Palace Hotel.
We popped into this historic hotel, located in the former Pera neighborhood, to show off the impressive multi-million renovation to our visiting friend earlier this month. A stunning Christmas tree greets you in the lobby as soon as you pass the hotel doormen.
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| As you enter the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul. |
Who wouldn�t want to see where the likes of Agatha Christie and Ernest Hemingway once hung out in Istanbul in the early 1900s? I would love to have seen this city through their eyes!
We happened to drop by during the hotel�s afternoon English tea time, which is every day from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Kubbeli Saloon Tea Lounge.We saw a gorgeous spread of sweet petit fours, cookies, sandwiches and even a festive gingerbread house. A gentleman was playing soothing classical music on a piano while I was hoping to hear a Christmas song or two.
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| A peak inside the Kubbeli Saloon Tea Lounge at the Pera Palace Hotel. |
The afternoon tea also includes Turkish tea or other kinds of tea as well of coffee and fresh juices. I think the cost is around 50 tl per person, but you�d be best to double check.
If you�re looking to indulge in this unique afternoon tea experience, the Pera Palace Hotel certainly offers a historic, elegant and Christmas-y surroundings.
Reservations are recommended.
Phone: 0212 377 4000
Email: jppinfo@jumeirah.com
Phone: 0212 377 4000
Email: jppinfo@jumeirah.com
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| The hotel's historic elevator (no longer functioning) was Turkey's first elevator in 1892. |
