Exciting news from Istanbul: Brussels-based hotel management company The Rezidor Hotel Group is developing its third hotel in in the ancient Turkish city: Radisson Blu Istanbul Asia. The 194-room hotel is scheduled to open in late 2011.
Radisson Blu Istanbul Asia will be a new-build project situated on the Asian side of the city. Located in Istanbul's Atasehir district, the hotel will be situated among upscale residences and several international companies, including the Turkish Central Bank, which plans to relocate to Atasehir shortly.
In addition to 194 guestrooms, the hotel will offer an all-day dining restaurant, two bars, 10 function rooms including a 4,000-square-foot ballroom, and a large health and fitness center.
Radisson Blu Istanbul Asia joins four existing Radisson Blu properties in Turkey, including the new Radisson Blu Resort Spa Cesme, the Radisson Blu Bosphorus Istanbul, and hotels in Ankara and at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport.
Named a European Capital of Culture by the EU in 2010, Istanbul is Turkey's largest city and the only metropolis in the world located on two continents. History buffs should make a point of visiting: Istanbul's history includes architectural and cultural heritage dating back to the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman Empires. (For a taste of Turkey's history, check out the Cappadocia region.) Istanbul also recently saw the reopening of the Pera Palace Hotel, which dates back to 1892.