Istanbul: A City to See

Istanbul, a city of ten-thirteen million inhabitants is a city of unlimited range. It’s a diverse city that’s hard to define by one special district. The genuine differences noticed are among the European and Asian sides that are separated by the Bosphorus Strait. Magnificently spreading out from the Black Sea, spanning across the Bosphorus, embracing the Sea of Marmara, Istanbul is an infinite location of beauty and culture.
When visiting Istanbul tourist normally begin in Sultanahmet. Filled with a wealth of history, Sultanahmet is a tourist magnet. The dwelling place of Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia), Serayi (Yerebetan Basilica Cistern), the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque) and Topkapi Serayi (Topkapi Palace) it is over whelmed with restaurants, cafes, rug stores, bars, souvenir shops and hotels. There are other attractions such as beguiling museums, markets, historical sites and mosques. The main section, Divan Yolu, is the pulse of the area, with loads of small streets and alleyways to discover and reminisce about the old town. Near Beyazit Univeristy is the Kapalicarsi (Grand Bazaar) a labyrinth of different market stalls.
Sultanahmet is the major tourist area and you will find the business people fluent in every main European language. So, there’s no problem if your Turkish isn’t fluent.
Along with old time charm Istanbul is quite up-to-date with entertainment, food and gorgeous hotels. American entertainers like Macy Gray and stage musicals like Evita grace places such as the Istanbul Congress Centre. There are movie theatres, city tours and cruises along the sea. Mass transportation is the better way to move around the city. The traffic in Istanbul is quite congested, so it’s important to take a look at traffic conditions and know your destination before going out in the city. A variety of land, sea and rail transportation is available and can be used to your advantage if you plan in advance.
There are a range of Istanbul hotels from two to five stars, serving mouth watering dishes with special spices only they know the secret to. You’ll find fish and seafood, grilled Kebab and Italian cuisine among other things. In Turkey you are known as their “Misafir” or guest. Hospitality is not uncommon in Turkey and according to their tradition the minute you walk through their hotel doors you are swarmed with comfort and pleasure.

2012 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4MATIC

• Vehicle type: Four-door, five-passenger sport utility
• Chassis: Steel unibody
• Engine: 90-degree V6
• Valve arrangement
• Four valves per cylinder: Valvetrain
• Double overhead camshaft, duplex chain-driven
• Displacement (cc): 3,498
• Bore (in.): 3.66/92.9
• Stroke (in.): 3.39/86.0
• Compression ratio: 10.7:1
• Horsepower @ rpm: 268 @ 6,000
• Torque (lb-ft.) @ rpm : 258 @ 2,400 - 5,000
• Intake system: Magnesium two-stage resonance intake manifold
• Max. engine speed (rpm): 6,500
• Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
• Shift controls: Touch Shift manual shift control
• Gear ratios: Automatic

Highly Personalised services, luxurious accommodation, hotel in dharamshala

There’s nothing quite like staying at an outstanding luxury hotel. The service is excellent, the facilities superb and the entire experience leaves you feeling relaxed, invigorated and utterly spoilt. Yet there are plenty of so called luxury hotels in Dharamshala out there who are not worthy of the title, who fall short in some critical area and leave their guests wanting more.

Every hotel is unique, and there is no checklist or official seal of approval that marks out a great hotel from a merely average one. But if you are staying at a hotel that claims to be one of the best, there are certain philosophies of excellence that you should expect to be followed. Whether you are staying at a tiny boutique hotel with only a dozen rooms or a massive 5 star resort hotel, here are some of the things you should look out for to really test the quality of your accommodation.

Highly personalised service
A truly great luxury hotel stands or falls on the quality of its staff. They should be polite, knowledgeable and helpful, but above all you should be treated like an individual, not as just another patron. If you have individual needs or desires, staff at a true luxury hotel will work hard to accommodate it. Not all will go as far as the staff at Hotel Asian Plaza in Dharamshala.

Luxurious accommodation
If you have paid luxury hotel prices, you should expect your room to be of the highest quality. To say the least, the room should be spotless when you arrive, but more than that, it should exude luxury and comfort from every corner.

How to indulge on a holiday to Puglia

Beautiful Puglia is one of Italy’s loveliest regions, located at the heel of the ‘boot’ - the Salento peninsula.

With long stretches of beautiful coastline, acres of olive groves, vineyards and superb food and wine, the area is an ideal holiday spot for those seeking a touch of luxury. Rather than simply booking a hotel, visitors can choose from a range of luxurious self-catering accommodation - from romantic beachfront villas and chic trulli to magnificent masserie, there is a wealth of indulgent, high-end options on offer.

Spending your holiday in your own private accommodation means you can relax in comfort and enjoy the freedom of privacy. But having your own ‘home away from home’ doesn’t mean you need to spend your time wandering the supermarket aisles, sweating in the kitchen or sitting behind the wheel of a car!

If you’re looking to treat yourself to lavish Italian holiday, in which you can relax and let others do the hard work for you, here are just a few examples of indulgent extras that can make a stay in a Puglia villa even more luxurious.

Dinners on request

A holiday is a time to truly step back from your usual day-to-day duties, so why not be waited on for once by hiring your very own ‘in villa’ cook? As you relax by the pool and soak up the sun, your cook will prepare authentic, mouth-watering Puglian dishes created from fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Whatever your requirements, whether a romantic dinner for two or feeding the whole family, you can have your meals created for you and even save yourself the chore of washing up.

A glass of the finest

Puglia is prolific in its production of wine, creating around 17% of Italy’s wine. It is famous for its Negroamaro (the ‘bitter black’) and Primitivo (Zinfandel) grapes, which are highly regarded internationally. This beautiful region is home to countless wineries for tasting and purchasing wines. If you can’t bear to drag yourself away from the pool, now may be the ideal time to arrange a delivery straight to your villa, so that you can indulge in these magnificent wines without having to leave your chair. Some villas in the area, such as the lavish Masseria Curti Vecchi, come with their own fully stocked wine cellars too, so you can be sure to stay well supplied for the entirety of your trip.

Indulgent cruising

Nothing oozes luxury like a private yacht and, with 800km of stunning coastline to explore, Puglia is a perfect location for taking to the waves. Enjoy snorkelling and swimming in the clear blue sea from your very own vessel as you float far from the hustle and bustle of towns and cities. If you prefer a speedier option, you can also hire private speedboats, so your day on the waves can be as fast-paced or relaxing as you choose.