Framed newspaper clippings on the wall that speak of the 'mysteries of the key', black flowers embossed on red drapes, and a solemn deep red and black bedspread – these hauntingly striking visuals from room 411 belong to one of the first luxury hotels in Istanbul, the Pera Palace. Stories suggest that renowned British crime novelist Agatha Christie was a frequent visitor at the Pera Palace and often stayed in room 411. As a tribute to the evergreen Queen of Crime, the luxury hotel dedicated a shrine that is room 411, to honour the late author.
Popular belief suggests that it was in this very room that the famed author wrote part of her acclaimed crime novel – Murder on the Orient Express, a bone-chilling murder mystery aboard one of the most luxurious trains of that time. Its journey commenced in Paris and culminated in the East. The hotel hosted passengers of the Orient Express who wanted to stopover at a spot that was vibrant and elegant.
As the story goes, in 1979, after the release of the movie Agatha, a search for Christie's secret diary began. Sources at the hotel claim American entertainment company Warner Bros played a major role in this search. They even brought in the famous psychic Tamara Rand to organise a seance to call upon the soul of the late author. The session revealed the location of a hidden key in Pera Palace's room 411, which would lead to the discovery of her secret diary. The diary was said to contain the details of Christie's whereabouts in the 11 days that she went missing following the discovery of her husband's affair. A key was found in the room, but the hotel's owner Hasan Süzer declared the key as Pera Palace's property and asked those seeking it to pay $2 million. The search for the secret diary soon died down and today the key lies in a bank vault – its exact location unknown. It is perhaps this mysterious set-up of the room that draws hundreds of guests to the Pera Palace who wind up paying a princely sum of around €280 per night.
Nestled in one corner of the fourth floor, the Agatha Christie room features antique furnishings with a dressing table containing two side draws as found in the Victorian epoch, vintage bedside lamps with ornate stems, and a gold coated imitation of Venetian ornamental headboards. The decor and theme of Christie's room reflects the darkness and intrigue often found in her novels. The extensive use of red, uncommon in other rooms of the hotel, hints at the blood spilled in her works. Across the bed, on a semi-circular table lies a replica of the author's Underwood typewriter along with a stack of Christie's best works. Guests are also invited to read a unique collection of hardcover Agatha Christie books in English as well as Turkish, German and Japanese, placed in a glass walled-cabinet alongside a few of the author's pictures.
Agatha Christie restaurant
Alexander Vallaury, a French-Turkish architect living in the city designed the Pera Palace in a blend of Neoclassical, Art Nouveau and oriental styles. Royals, including founder of Republic of Turkey – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, have stayed here. The 126-year-old-establishment with a centenarian charm that extends to its Agatha Christie restaurant pays homage to three major points where the former Orient Express would stop – Paris, Venice and Istanbul.
The menu reflects a modern bridging of culinary cultures that bring a fusion of tastes to the local palate. Open for all three meals of the day, patrons can even watch chefs at work in the open show kitchen.
