Pera Palace Hotel is Turkey's first hotel built to European standards. Construction began in 1892, and the hotel opened in 1895 with a special ball. It was the first building in Istanbul, outside the Ottoman palaces, to have electricity, the first electric elevator, and hot water.

When the Orient Express began its Paris-Istanbul trips in 1888, there was no hotel in Istanbul that could offer the high standards that Orient Express passengers were accustomed to. This gap was filled by the construction of Pera Palace Hotel. Opened in 1895 with a special ball, the hotel became one of Istanbul's most magnificent structures. Pera Palace Hotel has 115 rooms, 16 of which are suites. Most rooms offer a unique view of the Golden Horn, and the SPA, added during restoration, provides comprehensive wellness services. The hotel also has a fitness room, indoor swimming pool, sauna, and steam room available to both hotel guests and outside visitors. The hotel's historic halls, with high ceilings and natural light, host events, weddings, and meetings.

The first art exhibition, the first New Year's Eve ball... Pera Palace Hotel has hosted many firsts in Istanbul throughout its history.

Pera Palace Hotel is a museum-hotel due to its rooms filled with memories of its famous guests.

Location

Overlooking the Golden Horn, with views stretching from Galata to Eyüp and Tepebaşı, Pera Palace Hotel is located in the Pera area of Taksim-Beyoğlu, once known as the "Little Europe" of Istanbul. Historical Pera and the dynamic modern-day Beyoğlu are at the historical, cultural, and social center of Istanbul. The hotel is within walking distance of Taksim Square and 5 km from the historical peninsula.

Special Features

Historic Elevator The famous English writer Daniel Farson described Turkey's first electric elevator as follows: "It is the most beautiful elevator made of cast iron and wood. This elevator rises like a lady making a curtsy. Tourists can't take their eyes off this amazingly charming and aristocratic elevator." We accompany our guests to their rooms with Turkey's 124-year-old first elevator.

Agatha Restaurant Named after one of Pera Palace Hotel's famous regulars, Agatha Christie, the main restaurant, Agatha, combines cuisines from the most important stops on the Orient Express route: Paris, Venice, and Istanbul. Offering French, Italian, and Turkish flavors in an elegant atmosphere, Agatha is open from breakfast throughout the day. The restaurant's show kitchen, where guests can chat with chefs, and the rich wine cellar at its entrance make Agatha Restaurant stand out.

Orient Bar For years, Orient Bar has been the meeting point for Istanbul's intellectuals, hosting long conversations. The real joy of a bar, which has begun to be forgotten, comes back to life in Orient Bar, with its rich wine and drink menu and unique cocktails, and a terrace open in the summer months.

Patisserie de Pera An Istanbul classic for years, Patisserie de Pera offers special French pastries, croissants, macarons, and handmade chocolates. This very special French-style patisserie, with seating for 24, has lace curtains, silver sugar bowls, and exquisite porcelain sets, making guests feel they are in a truly special place.

Hall with Domes With its high-ceilinged architecture, domes, and parquet floors that evoke the splendor of the past, the Hall with Domes hosts afternoon teas accompanied by live piano music every day of the week in this enchanting atmosphere.

Legendary Guests

Agatha Christie

One of the world's most famous crime novelists, Agatha Christie, stayed at Pera Palace Hotel many times between 1926 and 1932. It is said that she wrote one of her most famous novels, "Murder on the Orient Express," in room 411 during one of her visits.

There is a very famous key story that connects Agatha Christie with Pera Palace Hotel.

The famous writer disappeared for 11 days in 1926. According to claims, she stayed at the villa of the then-owner of the hotel in Yeniköy during this period. After the writer's death, a famous medium named Tamara Rand suggested that details about this mysterious disappearance were hidden in Christie's room at Pera Palace Hotel. Following this, a key that could unlock the mystery of the 11 lost days was found in the room where the medium had indicated. However, due to back-and-forth negotiations between the hotel management and Warner Bros, who wanted to dramatize the mystery, the secret was never revealed, and the key was shelved.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk stayed at Pera Palace Hotel many times from 1917 onwards and hosted high-level guests there.

Room 101, where Atatürk made important decisions for the country after returning from the front and hosted his guests, was turned into a museum room on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Room 101 has been renewed in Atatürk's favorite colors of sunrise and dawn pink and enriched with his personal belongings.

During one of Atatürk's visits to Pera Palace Hotel in the days of Istanbul's occupation, some of the occupation commanders were also present at the hotel. When they noticed Atatürk entering the hall, they wanted to invite him to their table. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in response, said these unforgettable words: "Although it seems that they are the current owners of Istanbul, they will soon leave. Therefore, they are the guests here. We always host guests. So if they wish, they are welcome at my table."

It was a great feeling to be in the room where Atatürk stayed, even if only for a short time.

Sources:
https://blog.perapalace.com/peranin-hi%CC%87kayesi%CC%87/pera-palace-hotel-hakkinda-ilginc-14-bilgi/
https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pera_Palas