GuideToTurkey.com in the press...

GuideToTurkey.com in the press

As soon as our Turkish Airlines flight left Heathrow on the three and a half-hour journey to Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport, we got the feeling that efficiency and the personal touch would be keynotes of the trip. Our group leader was UK-based Janice Grant, European Sales & Marketing Director for Omar's Destination Services (ODS), our ground handlers in Istanbul.

After a short coach ride we arrived at the first stop of this hectic weekend. Moored on the European side of the Bosphorus was a boat, ready to take us on a cruise. This is something I would recommend to anyone wishing to find their bearings on a first visit to Istanbul. It also gave us the chance to sample the local cuisine of fresh fish, succulent meats and wonderfully aromatic salads. The ODS team offered us exotic cocktails and we also soaked up the views. We saw the Golden Horn, the Sea of Marmara and some of Istanbul's exquisite architecture.

Along the shores of the Bosphorus there is a delightful mixture of the past and present. Modern hotels (Swissotel, Ritz-Carlton, Inter-Continental and Conrad) are juxtaposed with 'yali' , beautiful old wooden villas and palaces of mar-ble. A particularly eye-catching building is the Maiden's Tower, a lighthouse close to Scutari, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. No longer a warning to travellers, it welcomes them. The name derives from the story that an Emperor once placed his daughter there for safe-keeping after a threat to poison her. Sadly, the threat was carried out when a snake was hidden in a gift of a basket of fruit. The Tower houses a restaurant and club which can serve as a great venue for an imaginative night out.

The Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICEC) is central to the business district with many of the deluxe hotels in close proximity. It is aptly known as 'Conference Valley'. With multiple levels, the ICEC houses 21 meeting rooms, including a 2000-chair auditorium which is complemented by 3000 sqm of exhibition space. The Centre has a fully equipped business centre and a top class restaurant with adjoining terraces to serve refreshments for up to 1500 delegates.

Istanbul is constantly evolving and growing. This year new developments include the Ritz-Carlton with its contemporary design soaring toward the sky. There will be 244 guestrooms, including 21 executive suites and two floors of club rooms. The Grand Ballroom (8,234 sq ft)and five separate meeting rooms have embraced Ottoman and Byzantine styles, creating a lavish setting for events but still in keeping with the Ritz-Carlton brand. State-of-the-art amenities for the business traveller will include high-speed internet access and the services of a technology butler.

The city constantly changes, and so do its facilities. At the Conrad International, one of the city's first 5-star hotels, the executive floors and business facilities are being fully refurbished. When completed this month, the hotel will offer the mostmeeting space -30 meeting rooms and boardrooms, totalling 28,828 sq ft.

Another hotel extensively equipped to support business travellers is The Hyatt Regency Istanbul. The Regency Club, termed 'a hotel within a hotel' comprises two floors totalling 71 suites with private elevator access and check-in. Business facilities include two boardrooms, a business centre, the Grand Ballroom and versatile meeting space.

I spent my first evening at Spasso, a wonderfully appointed restaurant with superb Italian food courtesy of its Milanese chef. This hotel also caters well for leisure time. The Turkish bath and courtyard garden with outdoor pool provide a perfect escape from the busy city, or groups can relax late into the night at Harry's Jazz bar.

Istanbul has an endless variety of visitor attractions unforgettable museums, ancient churches, palaces, great mosques, bustling bazaars, not forgetting the Istanbul Bogazi (the Bosphorus) .

ODS struck an excellent balance of things to do and experience. On the second and final day we were greeted in one of the Hyatt Regency boardrooms by men in fantastic Ottoman costumes. Deniz Ustertuna, the ODS Manager for Groups & Incentives, made an entrance dressed as the Sultan. We were split into two teams and given a 'Mission' -to range through the city finding a series of clues. These were to lead us to famous attractions, such as the Blue Mosque, its interior illuminated by beautiful tiles, and St Sophia. Both are excellent examples of Turkish architecture and ingenuity, with fantastic domes and minarets.

We followed the clues to the Spice Bazaar, an ancient formation of covered staJls, each selling exotic scents and spices in vibrant colours. Tucked away above the entrance was Pandeli's, a small restaurant and a welcome retreat from the bustling crowds and stifling heat. A member of our group commented on how much the central areas had changed since his visit ten years before. In particular he noticed cleaner streets, less beggars and an ever-improving infrastructure.

Our biggest challenge was set in the Grand Bazaar. We each had to find traditional Turkish dress to wear for our evening meal. We set off in our teams, each with a small amount of money to barter with the stall amount holders. The Grand Bazaar is a superb location for team activities. There are some 4000 stalls selling a wondrous variety of textiles, jewellery and leatherwear.

A brief respite was given at the Ceylan Inter-Continental Istanbul. Situated close to Taksim Park in the heart of the city, the 390-room hotel offers its guests panoramic views of the sprawling east and west districts of the city. Excellent facilities for both exercising and relaxing can be found at this hotel, such as the Turkish bath and massage and a fully-equipped athletics club.

Raucous laughter and strange looks greeted us that evening as we met in the lobby -our costumes were magnificent, ranging from belly dancers to gypsies, noblemen and at least one Sultan. The hotel Ciragan Palace Kempinski, linked by arcades to the 19thC palace where the last sultans of the Ottoman Empire lived, was a fitting place to dine on our last night. It is undoubtedly one of the most magical venues in Istanbul, Europe even, not only for its location, where the waters of the Bosphorus lap, but also for its excellent service and breathtaking interiors.

During a superb dinner, an audience with a Sultan and traditional Turkish music and dancing, we had a moment to reflect collectively on Istanbul as a meeting and incentive destination. The overwhelming response was a big thumbs-up. For many of us this was our first visit to Istanbul and we were all pleasantly surprised by the efficiency and courtesy extended to us. The ODS team introduced so much within a limited time, their approach was both fun and creative.

This year Istanbul has suffered from unsympathetic media attention. However, with so much diversity, both in its culture and its facilities, it is a city that should not, and will not be ignored.