Fresh-flavored Turkish delight
Wanda Vista Istanbul is all set to open its doors to global guests next month
The Belt and Road Initiative has once again brought places along the ancient Silk Road trade routes to the attention of Chinese travelers. And the rich and fascinating history of Istanbul, which was a meeting place for East and West in olden days, has made it a destination with growing popularity for Chinese tourists.
Before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the two countries were cooperating in a bid to increase the number of visitors to 1 million a year, with a growing number of direct flights to the Turkish capital from various Chinese cities.
With hopes high that international business and leisure travel will quickly pick up as more people are vaccinated, Wanda Hotels & Resorts is opening its first internationally managed hotel — Wanda Vista Istanbul — this October in Turkey, an important milestone in the group’s expansion into offshore management projects in the global market.
The first project to bring the Chinese Wanda Hotels & Resorts brand overseas, it was jointly developed and built with Mar Yapi Turizm A. S., a leading Turkish real estate developer. The project was officially signed in 2017 and both parties have made substantial progress since, including the global marketing and promotion of 320 Wanda Vista Residences, of which over 80 percent have been sold and are now in trial operation. The hotel’s 127 guestrooms are all set to open their doors next month.
Displaying its strong execution and project management capabilities, Wanda Hotels & Resorts overcame numerous difficulties and challenges together with Mar Yapi Turizm to ensure the hotel and apartments could be put into operation on schedule despite the pandemic.
“We’re very pleased to introduce the Wanda Vista brand from China to Istanbul, a city that combines historical glory with modernity. With its elegant architecture and design, meticulous and thoughtful service and delicious catering, the hotel is destined to become a new landmark of the city,” says Munir Ozkok, chairman of Mar Yapi Turizm.
Jesper Dong, vice-president of Wanda Hotels & Resorts, also expressed his delight at the opening: “We are very proud to jointly open our first managed hotel with an international partner in Istanbul, where we look forward to earning an international reputation for a Chinese hotel brand.”
The building was designed by the renowned Philippe Starck design firm, with Wanda Hotels & Resorts responsible for the interior design and management of the hotel.
The hotel has a unique triangular column structure that maximizes the use of daylight, and Wanda Hotel Design Institute has combined the traditional Chinese philosophies of “following the rules of nature” and extended the simple lines of the building exterior to the interior to present its “Pure Oriental Delight” concept to guests.
Wanda Vista Istanbul’s spa and fitness facilities covering an area of 2,000 square meters are another highlight of the hotel, consisting of a fully-equipped fitness center, yoga room, spa center, outdoor pool and heated indoor pool. The spa center has a Turkish bath where guests can experience authentic local bathing. There is also a dedicated Kids Center for those traveling with children.
Located in Bagcilar, a rapidly developing part of Istanbul whose name has its roots in the “green vineyards” that it was known for, Wanda Vista Istanbul is only 35 kilometers from the Istanbul Airport. The advantageous location allows guests to travel conveniently to famous attractions including the Bosphorus Strait, Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque.
Wanda Hotels & Resorts is a “onestop solution” hotel company. Founded in 1996, it endeavors to be recognized as one of the world’s most valuable asset management companies through the realization of its corporate ethos of “Practical, Innovative, Rooted in China.”
With the innovative China-proposed Belt & Road Initiative, encouraging and enabling cooperation and trade exchanges between Asia, Europe and Africa, Istanbul is once again a key interface between different civilizations and cultures.
“We hope that Wanda Vista Istanbul can become a brand-new envoy along the contemporary Silk Road, to showcase Chinese aesthetics and hospitality services to guests from all over the world,” says Munir Ozkok.