Choice to expand Clarion Hotels presence in Turkey

Choice Hotels International, known for the Comfort, Quality, Clarion and Ascend Hotel Collection brands in Europe, has expanded its Clarion Hotel portfolio with three new properties in Turkey, bringing the international chain’s number of properties in the country to four. 

Two of the new properties are located in Istanbul, and the third is located in the Southern Turkish city of Kahramanmaraş, known as Maras.

Clarion Hotel Golden Horn is a modern, newly built hotel situated centrally in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul on the banks of the Golden Horn.  It overlooks the Bosphorus Strait and is close to the Fener and Balat old-style neighbourhoods with its traditional wooden houses, Byzantine churches and ancient synagogues. The hotel is ten minutes away from the city’s old town, the famous Taksim Square and the business and financial district Levent.

Each of its well-equipped 185 rooms are furnished in a modern style, 106 of them are deluxe rooms and five are suites benefitting from panoramic views over the Golden Horn.

Twenty of the suites and deluxe rooms rooms also offer a private balcony. The hotel’s ballroom can be transformed into three functional meeting rooms, and its onsite restaurant serves international and Turkish cuisines.

Clarion Hotel Istanbul Mahmutbey is located in Istanbul’s vibrant district of Bagcilar and close to the international Atatürk Airport, providing guests with a free airport shuttle service. It offers 237 ultra-modern rooms and eight suites, a restaurant and lounge bar. Seven function rooms are available for meetings and conferences as well as a ballroom for large conventions and corporate events for up to 500 people. The hotel also offers an indoor swimming pool, sauna and fitness centre.

The third property, Clarion Hotel Kahramanmaraş opened in the Southern Turkish city of Kahramanmaraş which benefits from excellent air transport links to Istanbul and Ankara.  Located in the heart of this regional capital city, the hotel has 116 rooms and one suite, a restaurant and a bistro, and a large wellness centre with fitness room, swimming pool and a salt and steam bath. It also offers four conference rooms for private and corporate events.

Choice’s first property in Turkey, Clarion Hotel & Suites Istanbul Sisli, opened in 2014, and free WiFi is available throughout all the Turkish properties in Choice’s portfolio.

“We are thrilled to add to our Turkish hotel portfolio by opening two more hotels in vibrant and cosmopolitan Istanbul, as well as our first property in the south of the country. While less known internationally, we see great demand from domestic business travellers to provide good quality, well-priced hotel accommodations in Turkey’s secondary and regional cities,” said Mark Pearce, senior vice president, international division, for Choice Hotels.

Last month Choice Hotels announced the signing of a master development agreement to introduce and develop three of Choice’s most prominent brands, Clarion, Comfort and Quality, across the UAE and Saudi Arabia which is anticipated to deliver approximately 25 hotels and 8,000 hotel rooms for Choice’s portfolio in the UAE and Saudi Arabia by 2021.