My original booking for this property for early June 2014 was at the 50K two night redemption for Club Carlson credit card holders. The more I read, the more I liked the idea of springing for the 75K Business Class room redemption. It includes a larger room and includes the breakfast buffet. It might have been possible to have been upgraded at check in, but I didn't want to take my chances. As it turns out, we were given an amazing room facing right on the Bosphorus. The room was not particularly special, really, except that it had this killer view. Like the best view ever. It is mesmerizing to sit and watch the traffic on the Bosphorus and you are so close. We checked in the room and just sat and drank wine and ate our complimentary nuts and snacks looking at the water, for hours. It was that cool. We probably should have explored Ortakoy more. We figured that out later, as it is a fun part of the city to be in. But..there was this view.
There is a nice cocktail lounge with an outdoor patio. Eventually we moved there and it also has that view. There is a very hip Japanese restaurant on the property called Zuma. We eventually made it there. It is pricey, but very good. The breakfast buffet is in the Starboard restaurant and we were glad it was included in our award rate. We really were happy we chose this property. It is one we will never forget and it is hard to put a price tag on that. For us, it was a highlight to be on the water even though the property didn't have all the usual bells and whistles. Sometimes one thing trumps the rest. This was one of those times.
There is a nice cocktail lounge with an outdoor patio. Eventually we moved there and it also has that view. There is a very hip Japanese restaurant on the property called Zuma. We eventually made it there. It is pricey, but very good. The breakfast buffet is in the Starboard restaurant and we were glad it was included in our award rate. We really were happy we chose this property. It is one we will never forget and it is hard to put a price tag on that. For us, it was a highlight to be on the water even though the property didn't have all the usual bells and whistles. Sometimes one thing trumps the rest. This was one of those times.