FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - IC Ceylan Istanbul Master Thread [merged]
Old Jun 28, 2025 | 8:41 am
  #244  
HadesNL
20 Nights
40 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AMS+IAH
Programs: LH: Lifetime SEN *G|| IHG: Dia+RA InnerC
Posts: 5,633
I've experienced the garden and lounge outside the fixed presentation hours.
I've been to afternoon tea, i'm attempting to pop out to happy hour at 18.00 when S/O's done with the business upkeep.
An analysis will follow soon. But impressions till now.....
It's a different bird of a feather;
- the lounge hosts are excellent and competent
- i get it that the owner (via QR menu per table) sways folks to order off the restaurant menu, provides better ROI, balances the annual lounge pass holders turning lounge from profit into cost center
- i get it that (hot)beverages by waiterservice is a way to control the flow, some would say rather very chique personal service, i rather prefer pressing a button for instant hot water for my tea
- i get it that providing the basic hospitality needs of ŕ volonté of waters, nuts, cookies and crisps is what most folks want as inbetween service
- there is a touch of hotelschool trainees at work, they are the same age as my kids
- finding a powerplug to juice up the electronics seems neigh impossible, it's like seeking the scarlet pimpernel!
Photos coming after experiencing the happy hour can i even type coherent after unlimited raki ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakı

PS:
- lunch tomorrow at the Grand Hyatt's restaurant 34 (surprisingly twinbrother is in town for 1 day)
- dinner tomorrow at Saffron at IC IST (he's the nosey type, i'll be subject to running snob commentary)

Last edited by HadesNL; Jun 28, 2025 at 8:47 am
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