From golf simulators to a cinema hall and from suites to a kid’s playroom, the Turkish Airlines CIP lounge is a township in itself, discovers Pooja Patel on her recent trip to Istanbul
Business class lounges are designed to pamper and give you the best, but phenomenal would be an understatement if I had to describe the Turkish Airlines CIP Lounge at Istanbul’s Atatürk International Airport. Designed to cater to 1,030 passengers a day, this 6, 000 sq m lounge was teeming with passengers and abuzz with activity.
Dining at the lounge
With a host of amenities, including locked cabinets for checked-in bags, shower cubicles, a cinema hall (with pop corn), meeting rooms, a media wall (where a wide range of newspapers and magazines are available), a prayer room, suite rooms and a playroom, this two-storey lounge is a haven of comfort for all. So, pick a book from the wide range in the library and settle down in a quiet corner to read, or catch up on work at their well-equipped business centre. If you fancy a game with your friends, there’s a golf simulator and billiards table too.
The relaxation room
In case you didn't catch up on your beauty sleep during your previous flight, there’s a relaxation room. And if you're hungry, scrumptious food counters are accessible every few metres. The lounge caters to every food fancy be it hot or cold dishes and beverages, nuts, fruits, authentic Turkish food such as Turkish tea with simit (a traditional Turkish sesame seed bagel), or continental food. Their vegetarian pizza, dripping with cheese and the freshly baked bread was totally worth the calories. Authentic Turkish food such as mezze, baba ghanoush with pita bread and pide was something worth trying. But what I really couldn't have enough of was the green olives—plain and pickled—available at every counter.
The two-storey lounge
After much walking around and ‘exploring’ this mammoth-sized lounge, the spa service was all I needed!
Fine Dine while you fly
Chef Yigit Ulas Kelav
Turkish Airlines’ ‘flying chef’ services provide an amazing in-flight food experience as the chef on board offers some delectable dishes. Step on board to not only be greeted by a smiling Chef, but by aromas of different delicacies. Kasar (Cheese Omelette), Turkish regional cheese, Turkish-style cheese pastry, Jalebi, samosa, hot chocolate, tomato juice, Indian Chana Cholaw were the few finger-licking meals and drinks offered by Chef Yigit Ulas Kelav (the chef on board while I was travelling). A definite must try is the freshly squeezed Raspberry juice and home-made lemonade with mint.
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