Maçka Palas, one of the finest buildings in the city, is soon to become home to Park Hyatt Istanbul-Maçka Palas, following the hotel’s scheduled opening in summer 2008. Ideally located in the fashionable Nişantaşi residential and shopping district, the hotel uniquely combines the historic architecture of an Art Deco building with innovative interior design. Housing the existing Emporio Armani and Gucci boutiques, the hotel is also within walking distance to many other upscale designer fashion houses, as well as ultra-trendy cafes and restaurants. The hotel’s interior designer was the renowned Randy Gerner of Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel in New York City.
Maçka Palas was built in 1922 by the Italian architect Giulio Mongeri, who was inspired by the elegant Palazzos of Milan where he graduated from the Architectural Academy. Randy Gerner’s design intent was to mesh together the rich history of Art Deco buildings and the city with state-of-the-art amenities. The relationship between old and new is displayed throughout the hotel and fills the guest experience with what we call “unexpected pleasures”. Historic Turkish patterns and icons are represented in contemporary scale and composition, while fine architectural details have been painstakingly restored, complementing contemporary finishes and lighting. Classic walnut in varying finishes and anodised bronze runs throughout the hotel.
The Palas Lounge, designated for breakfast, will feature all-day dining, a lounge, as well as Park Afternoon High Desserts. The lounge is a candidate to become the ultimate spot to meet and relax after work, or for an afternoon pick-me-up while shopping or sightseeing.
The hotel will also house a real steakhouse, The Prime, with deeply cerused oak, mission-style furniture and floor-to-ceiling customised wine display walls. The Prime will specialise in prime cuts and seafood prepared on a char coal grill. Outdoors, guests will be able to luxuriate in a multi-level pool/terrace area, featuring wild bamboo, private cabanas and a meandering stream. At night, the yard will come alive with music and will be lit exclusively by candlelight.
The stylish hotel will house the most spacious rooms in town equipped with latest technology. There will be a total of 90 generously sized deluxe rooms with an average size of 59 sq m, including seven Park Suites, one Executive Suite, one Diplomatic Suite and a Presidential Suite. The residential top-floor suites will offer a private terrace and large rain sky showers. Each guestroom will be equipped with high-speed broadband Internet access, a digital telephone with voice mail messaging, a flat-screen television, a DVD player and JBL i-Pod stations. Ergonomic work areas cater to the needs of the global business traveller. Facilities will include an in-room safe to fit standard-size laptops, large closets and individual climate control. Tea & coffee services will be available in the rooms.
Each guestroom features an oversized wet room clad in local fossilised limestone offering five different bathing experiences and 25 of them include an authentic Turkish bath, complete with heated stone seat. The separate dressing and vanity area features a second sink with filtered hot and cold water, and 24 rooms offer a refrigerated cosmetics and medicine cabinet to keep important lotions and potions cool and refreshing. The guestroom floors are all distressed, reclaimed American walnut with a Tung-oil finish.
For additional pampering, the hotel spa will be available exclusively for hotel guests. Separate male and female sections will feature two steam baths, three luxurious treatment rooms and a relaxation room. Other recreational facilities will include a gymnasium and a fitness centre.
The hotel will have two boardroom-style meeting rooms ideal for private functions and small exclusive meetings. All meeting rooms will feature state-of-the-art technology.
Park Hyatt hotels are typically small and distinguished properties designed to meet the needs of discerning individual travellers, promising elegant and gracious service on a personal, intimate scale. Park Hyatt Istanbul-Maçka Palas represents a further step in Hyatt’s development in Europe and will strengthen the global network of the award-winning Park Hyatt brand.
