With Christmas approaching, many people will be reminded of a story of when there was no room at the inn. However, in Ankara there is a five star hotel that certainly has plenty of rooms, despite once actually being a mere inn. Visiting the Divan Çukurhan, it will be difficult to believe this was once the case. How could a hotel that is now a spectacular five-star establishment with magnificent facilities have once been such a basic hostelry located in the marketplace? The answer is that the original inn, which was built in the 16th and 17th centuries next to a horse market and the Ankara Citadel, served many functions down the years, later serving as a building full of shops and workplaces for trading and making foods including wool, fruit and grains.
The building suffered a fire in the 1950s and although it was repaired, its original shape had gone and it became derelict at the end of the 20th century, only to be bought up and restored by a government-affiliated company concerned with restoring historic buildings and monuments. Now restored to reflect much of its historic character, the building encompasses a mix of heritage and modern luxury. Thus there is a choice of some truly superb rooms with big beds, all the mod cons and delightful furnishings, while the interior is marked by varnished wood, big portraits and great mood lighting.
There is 24-hour room service, a concierge, a gym, airport transfers, a laundry and dry cleaning service, a doctor on call and much more – all the facilities, in fact of a top hotel. Such a combination makes the hotel a superb place to stay, not least because its location in the historic heart of the Turkish capital means so much is close at hand for business travellers and holidaymakers alike. The Rahmi M. Koç Museum is the nearest attraction, a mere 20 metres away, while the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is 100 metres away. Also within 2 km are the Ethnographical Museum, the Museum Of The War of Independence and the Roman Baths. With such fine heritage, great facilities and so many attractions nearby, this is one establishment where you will definitely want to find room.
