Rotana, a hotel management company in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey has opened two new hotels in Istanbul, in partnership with Mar Yapi, a Turkish real estate development company.

Situated between Europe and western Asia, Turkey is a country rich with ancient monuments, scenic landscapes and a culture that has been influenced by a parade of conquerors throughout history. And although it has had its fair share of political turmoil, the nation is getting back on track and becoming a popular global destination.

Turkey’s tourism sector is expecting a strong rebound this year. According to the Turkish Investors Association head, Oya Narin: “2018 will be the period of transition and rising. If we can surpass 40 million it will be a new record.”

With the positive outlook, Rotana has made its foray into Istanbul with two new properties, located at the heart of it all – the popular Basin Express road on the Güneşli neighbourhood of Istanbul – the economic, cultural and historic capital of Turkey.

“Our smart and stylish Centro brand provides an affordable lifestyle hotel concept, whereas WestSide Arjaan by Rotana offers guests a home away from home”

Nasser Al Nowais, chairman of Rotana, said: “We are delighted to open these two new properties, which join our two existing hotels in Istanbul to double Rotana’s Turkish presence and increase our global room count to 16,466. Our smart and stylish Centro brand provides an affordable lifestyle hotel concept, whereas WestSide Arjaan by Rotana offers guests a home away from home with its elegant and comfortable hotel serviced apartments.”

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Now a landmark in the Basin Express road, Centro WestSide is designed as a triangle-shaped building. Its striking appearance was designed by Suyabatmaz Demirel, an architecture firm which claimed the Future Project Award in 2013 for the building.

The Centro WestSide features 152 rooms and suites, catering to the needs of modern-day travellers, from individuals visiting Istanbul on business to budget-conscious families. While the modern WestSide Arjaan offers 153 fully-furnished one and two-bedroom serviced hotel apartments.

“We have worked on the development of the area to become a destination of its own”

Münir Özkök, chairman of Mar Yapı, said: “Basin Express has quickly emerged as the newest destination with investors and project managers eyeing it. Mar Yapi has recognised this fact, hence, we have worked on the development of the area to become a destination of its own.”

Turkey has become a destination of choice for travellers from around the world with its expanding tourism sector. In the first two months of 2018 alone, the country welcomed three million foreign visitors and is projected to receive a record of 40 million tourists and over $30 billion in tourism revenue this year.