One of the privileges of travelling on business class is definitely enjoying free access to airport lounges. And while these lounges can be found in every airport, the Turkish Airlines flagship CIP Lounge in its home country is simply impressive.
With only several hours to spare before my connecting flight to Zagreb in Croatia - and on my way back to Jakarta - I managed to explore some of the lounge's facilities at Istanbul Ataturk Airport and, of course, tasted the food on offer.
The two-story lounge showcases remarkable Turkish design, with its incredibly high ceiling and a spiraling staircase encased by a spherical structure that lends a feeling of grandeur.
"The Ottoman and Seljuk architecture and design roots complete the lounge experience, unique to Turkish Airlines," explained Turkish Airlines regional commercial manager Nevin Ekiz Bolat.
The lounge, she said, has been expanded and refurbished to provide guests with a much more relaxing and comfortable travel experience. "The expanded lounge can host over 1,000 guests at one time," she says.
The 5,900-square-meter lounge definitely goes beyond other airport lounges outfitted with regular amenities like complimentary Wi-Fi, computers, snacks, drinks and basic entertaintment.
In fact, the airline tries to meet its passengers' different needs by paying attention to the details, like prividing lockers for those who want to store their carry-on bags or electronic devices while charging.
For long layovers, the lounge has luxurious showers for passengers to freshen up, a massage area where the house massage therapists take the weight off your shoulders, and comfortable suites to rest up before the next flight.
The exclusive amenities go on and on: from musicians playing a grand piano on each level for your listening pleasure; a library with great titles in its collection; a cinema (with a popcorn machine); and a spacious prayer room.
The airline also understands the need of those traveling with children, and provides a kid's corner with plenty of toys to play with.
There are also plenty of leisure options to kill the time, from a billiard table to Playstation with the latest games.
Two entertainment options that are possibly found only here are the slot car racecourse, where players race around Istanbul (rather than the airport), and the Foresight Sports virtual golf simulator for golf lovers, which provides two full sets of clubs that allow you to play an 18-hole, anywhere in the world.
Food was again a true winner. The lounge has plenty to offer, from Turkish specialties (the coffee and tea are the best), a Chinese kitchen (try the sweet-and-sour chicken rice) and to Western food (one of the stalls serves burgers).
The food is not served cold in a buffet, but in an open kitchen concept that allows you to talk to the chefs and watch your order being prepared.
One delightful moment was sampling the baklava, a rich, sweet dessert made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. The sweetness lingers on, even after coming home, just like the trip's memorable experiences.
JP/Stevie Emilia
With only several hours to spare before my connecting flight to Zagreb in Croatia - and on my way back to Jakarta - I managed to explore some of the lounge's facilities at Istanbul Ataturk Airport and, of course, tasted the food on offer.
The two-story lounge showcases remarkable Turkish design, with its incredibly high ceiling and a spiraling staircase encased by a spherical structure that lends a feeling of grandeur.
"The Ottoman and Seljuk architecture and design roots complete the lounge experience, unique to Turkish Airlines," explained Turkish Airlines regional commercial manager Nevin Ekiz Bolat.
The lounge, she said, has been expanded and refurbished to provide guests with a much more relaxing and comfortable travel experience. "The expanded lounge can host over 1,000 guests at one time," she says.
The 5,900-square-meter lounge definitely goes beyond other airport lounges outfitted with regular amenities like complimentary Wi-Fi, computers, snacks, drinks and basic entertaintment.
In fact, the airline tries to meet its passengers' different needs by paying attention to the details, like prividing lockers for those who want to store their carry-on bags or electronic devices while charging.
For long layovers, the lounge has luxurious showers for passengers to freshen up, a massage area where the house massage therapists take the weight off your shoulders, and comfortable suites to rest up before the next flight.
The exclusive amenities go on and on: from musicians playing a grand piano on each level for your listening pleasure; a library with great titles in its collection; a cinema (with a popcorn machine); and a spacious prayer room.
The airline also understands the need of those traveling with children, and provides a kid's corner with plenty of toys to play with.
There are also plenty of leisure options to kill the time, from a billiard table to Playstation with the latest games.
Two entertainment options that are possibly found only here are the slot car racecourse, where players race around Istanbul (rather than the airport), and the Foresight Sports virtual golf simulator for golf lovers, which provides two full sets of clubs that allow you to play an 18-hole, anywhere in the world.
Food was again a true winner. The lounge has plenty to offer, from Turkish specialties (the coffee and tea are the best), a Chinese kitchen (try the sweet-and-sour chicken rice) and to Western food (one of the stalls serves burgers).
The food is not served cold in a buffet, but in an open kitchen concept that allows you to talk to the chefs and watch your order being prepared.
One delightful moment was sampling the baklava, a rich, sweet dessert made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. The sweetness lingers on, even after coming home, just like the trip's memorable experiences.
JP/Stevie Emilia
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