After years of reading about the history of this phenomenal place, we finally got to go this summer. I continue to be speechless over the hospitality of the Turkish people in general, but the kindness with which the wonderful staff at Pera Palace attended to us was nothing short of exemplary. From the housekeeping staff to the bartenders, and all the employees handling guest relations, it is truly the people that made our stay memorable. I want to thank Esma, who took us for an hour long tour when I told her it was my dream to come and stay here ever since I first read the Charles King book about the hotel. She even gifted me a copy of the Turkish translation of the book, and waited patiently as we went about marvelling at everything. Esma is one of the kindest people I've met in this business, and her ability to reciprocate curiosity about cultures outside of the ones more familiar to her (we are from India) is worth celebrating.
The food was nice, the cocktails spectacular, but it truly is the hospitality that has ensured everytime I am in Istanbul, I will try my hardest to stay here.
I hope I get to keep coming back over and over, if only to meet the excellent people who look after such a legendary place.
