Talking Turkiye - choosing a quality hotel in Istanbul: go modest and save

Visiting any of the world’s major cities can be quite a task, especially when making your own bookings and arrangements, roving correspondent Roderick Eime reports.

So, when travelling pal Bill and I planned a few days sightseeing in Istanbul, we wanted to cover as much territory as possible while still being frugal, as we still had a couple of cities to go on our little European odyssey.

Ortaköy Mosque and 15 July Martyrs Bridge seen from Üsküdar (RE)

Our first mistake: three days is too short a time for a city as vast and culturally rich as Istanbul.

Our best choice - and I’m happy to take credit for this - was staying at the Akgün Istanbul Hotel at Topkapi, although in honesty, it was a recommendation from an industry colleague with considerably more hotel experience than I have in this region.

From our base, just a couple of metro stops from the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town with all its well-known sites, we were able to complete a satisfying coverage of the city using the comprehensive public transport system, supplemented by the occasional Uber/taxi.

Istiklal Caddesi - Independence Avenue (RE)

Our tick list of sights included a public ferry cruise on the Bosporus, an examination of the old Walls of Constantinople (literally around the corner from our hotel), the mandatory Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, as well as the signature shopping district at Taksim on the Asian side. 

We even sacrificed a day for a full-day excursion to Gallipoli.

Preserved section of The Theodosian Walls near Topkapi, Istanbul (RE)

While the Akgün Istanbul Hotel is billed as a 5-star hotel, it may not meet 5-star standards elsewhere in Europe, but that did not bother us at all. 

The rooms were more than adequate with quality bedding, and our most useful feature was the copious breakfast that sustained us throughout the day. We were most appreciative of the attentive staff at all levels. 

While we were exhausted after our 20,000-step days, we still had time for a crisp lager on the excellent rooftop bar with views all the way to the Blue Mosque. And, apart from all that, room rates were less than $200 per night, leaving us lots of change to blow in the Grand Bazaar.

Akgün Istanbul Hotel (supplied)

Sometimes it pays to set aside your precious poseur persona and embrace your practical, pragmatic self.

Akgün Istanbul Hotel provides services including restaurants, bars, Starbucks café, sauna, Turkish bath, Finnish bath (steam bath), gym, spa, massage, 24/7 room service, business centre, indoor-outdoor parking, valet service, baby care, laundry services, outdoor pool, male/female hairdresser, photo lab and pharmacy.

The Akgün Istanbul Hotel is a member of WorldHotels™ Elite collection, a part of the global Best Western Hotels. You can book directly or through any major online booking service, such as Luxury Escapes.

So you fancy a wine tasting on a luxe Florida island?

So you really like your wine? And you don't mind a little bit of island luxury?

An ultra-luxe trip promising wines representing “the pinnacle of Napa Valley” will be held on a private island in Florida next month for couples with US$35,000 to spare.

The wine event is due to take place between February 5-8 on the private Little Palm Island in Florida.

So if you are willing to risk a trip to the US, braving airport interrogations and masked thugs on the streets then this might be up your alley.

Accessible only by boat or sea plane, the island is located close to the Florida Keys and is named after the many palm trees that line its shores.

As high-end wine producers increasingly up their experience-led offerings, Little Palm will play host to the ‘Vintners Voyage’, a three-night wine getaway that promises “Michelin-calibre cuisine, boutique wines and direct interaction with industry masters, all unfolding across an entire private island.”

Hmm. Private islands have not enjoyed good press recently.

Forbes magazine reports the extravagant wine weekend is described by master sommelier Desmond Echavarrie from the Scale Wine Group as “an insider experience, one that remains inaccessible, even in Napa itself.”

Echavarrie says that “The wines featured in this journey represent not only the pinnacle of Napa Valley quality, but rare, family-owned estates that open their cellars only to close friends.”

Echavarrie will walk guests through a series of private wine tastings and masterclasses, while Michelin-starred chef Julien Lefebvre (ex Château Cordeillan-Bages and now from the L’Âtre restaurant in Honfleur, Normandy) will host interactive French cooking classes, where visitors can try his signature dishes such as truffle-stuffed poultry ballotine and roasted lobster with a pinot noir reduction.

Guests will also enjoy a private show by Grace Potter, a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter.