Purchased by the MSN Construction of Turkey for US$38.9 million at a tender in August 2007, Çelik Palas has undergone an extensive US$55 million renovation that modernized the historical palace hotel.
Speaking at press conference of the hotel on Friday, CEO of MSN Construction; Mustafa Kircal said that Çelik Palas is the only hotel work of 1900s famous Italian architect; Giulio Mongeri who is one of the most successful students of the Brera Academy in Milan where he studied under Camillo Boito (1836-1914).
During the 1930s, there are only two palace hotels in Turkey that wealthy people stay. One is the Pera Palace in Istanbul and the other one is the Celik Palas (Palace) in Bursa. Hotel Celik Palas was built at the point Atatürk pointed with his walking stick; thermal water brought to the hotel area with pipes from 3 km away. The hotel, which was opened on 26 July 1935, located on 17.000 sqm land and had 36 rooms and 72 bed capacity. The hotel which has one room for Atatürk and Inönü, has also marked history as having the first elevator in the city.
General Manager of Hotel Çelik Palas; Birol Kaymas said that Hotel Çelik Palas has undergone US$55 million renovation and it has a total of 141 rooms; 120 of them are Premium and Superior rooms and 21 of them are suites. Located just next to the Hotel Çelik Palas; the small building used by Atatürk during his trips to the city, will be renamed as the Atatürk Palas after renovation that will be completed in May 2011. Atatürk Palas will be used as a mini hotel that will be operated with a special service concept; differentiating from the main hotel building. During the renovation, it is revealed that architect Guilio Mongeri used the ‘golden ratio’ at the columns of the building in 1930. The same method at these columns in Atatürk Palas is used by Frank Lloyd Wright’s S.C. Johnson & Son Administration Building that built during the same period. That method brought world’s most important architecture award to the building.
Atatürk Palas will have a total of 23 rooms and 8 of them are suites. Mr. Kaymas said that mostly wealthy guests will prefer to stay at the Atatürk Palas by reserving all rooms. He noted that all summer season is already booked mostly by foreign guests.
The restoration of both Çelik Palas and Atatürk Palas is done by MOB and almost all interior products are brought from abroad only curtains and textile products are made in Turkey for the hotel.
Hotel Çelik Palas has two restaurants; Panorama – fine dining restaurant and Steak House – a la carte restaurant. The Hotel Çelik Palas Convention Center has Bursa’s largest ball room with 750 sqm area without a column. The ball room has 1500 people capacity. The convention center has additionally 5 meeting rooms. The hotel features 3,000 sqm Thermal Spa &Health Center which has an historical hamam that built accordingly rules of Roman time. The spa center is offering Turkish bath, Thermal pool, sauna, massage service with 12 different massage techniques done by professionals and fitness center for its guests.
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