Luxurious Raffles Istanbul Hotel to Open on 1 September 2014

Raffles will open its first hotel in Turkey on 1 September 2014, Raffles Istanbul. The luxurious Istanbul hotel will be at the heart of the Zorlu Center, a large shopping mall where fashion, fine food and the arts converge on the European shore in Beşiktaş. Raffles Istanbul Hotel overlooks the Bosphorus, the Prince Islands and the historic peninsula – a stunning vantage point above Istanbul.

The hotels location near Istanbul's business district, Levent, will make it an ideal hotel for business travelers to Istanbul. Raffles Istanbul offers 132 guestrooms and 49 suites. Floor to ceiling windows lead to furnished private terraces and balconies, for lofty views over the Bosphorus and the city. The hotel features a spa, two restaurants, two bars and lounges and a patisserie.

“The spirit of Raffles fits perfectly into this extraordinary capital city at such an exciting time. Our philosophy is to create oases where people come together, then continue on, refreshed. And it is this tradition of bringing people together that is an essential feature of the story of Raffles in Istanbul,” said Peter French President of Raffles Hotels & Resorts. “For centuries Istanbul has been the meeting place between East and West, Asia and Europe, where great civilizations and cultures have left their mark and where people have exchanged ideas, told stories and set out again. Turkey is a rising star in the global economy and, in this youngest member of the Raffles family, we have created the perfect expression of the ‘new’ Istanbul: vibrant, full of energy and innovation, but utterly in touch with the city in which it stands and its rich heritage.”

Rooms at Raffles Istanbul start from €600 per night.

Turkey’s First Apple Store opens in Istanbul Zorlu Center

When the first Apple Store On February 4th 2014, opens its doors in Istanbul Zorlu Center, Turkey will join 14 countries which have Apple Store. The huge Istanbul Apple Store will span across 2,000 meter squares and sell Apple products like Mac PCs, Apple Software, Apple TV, iPods, iPads and iPhones as well as 3rd party products like accessories. The Apple Store in Istanbul will feature cubical glass ceiling architecture which is currently used in only 2 stores in USA.

Istanbul Apple Store will also offer personalization services for purchased Apple products. For example, customers will be able to write their names behind iPad tablets using lazer or select the specifications of Mac computers before they purchase them. Like all Apple Stores, Apple Store in Zorlu Center will also feature Apple repair services.

Turkey is one of the focus areas of Apple and it is reported in Turkish media that Apple’s CEO Tim Cook will be in Istanbul for the opening of the Apple Store. Apple eventually plans to open 4 Apple Retail Stores in Turkey.

Zorlu Center in Istanbul will be home to Turkey’s first Apple Store which is scheduled to open in Feb 2014.

Tim Cook will also visit Ankara and meet Turkish President Abdullah Gul to discuss Fatih Project. This educational project involves 10.6 million tablets and Apple has given proposal for the project, which is not concluded yet, in June 2013.

Apple has opened its iTunes Turkey last year.

Currently Apple has 420 stores in 14 countries including United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, China, Hong Kong, Japan, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzeland. The largest Apple Store in the world is currently located in Amsterdam’s Leidseplein Square.

Zorlu Center is composed of three residential towers, a 184 room Raffles İstanbul Zorlu Center hotel, a 2,300 seat Zorlu Center for Performing Arts Center and a large shopping mall. The Zorlu Center Shopping Mall is home to 200 shops ranging from Turkish luxury department store Beymen to international names such as Valentino, Stella McCartney and Pucci. On the European side of Istanbul near city’s business and finance center in Levent, it is also easily accessible from Asian side through Bosphorus Bridge.