We have been to Istanbul a number of times. During our last trip there (summer 2023), we discovered The Zeynep Sultan Hotel. It is a little gem in the Old Section of the city, just a block or two from the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and so many other historic sites. We highly recommend it for those who want to be near "everything" but who don't want to spend a fortune. There are other hotels in the area, fancier and more expensive, but this place offered everything we needed for a better price. The rooms we stayed in were clean and cozy (not oversized), and air-conditioned; there was ample hot water in the shower and a water kettle for tea in the rooms. One needs to be able to walk up a flight of stairs to get to some of the rooms (we don't recall an elevator for guests, but the hotel's staff was always there to assist with luggage, and there may have been rooms on the ground floors, but ours were up one level). Also, one should note that the street where the hotel is located is historic (ancient!), beautiful, narrow, hilly, cobblestoned, and therefore not the easiest for large vans or buses to get to (so we recommend you leave a little extra time for transportation matters). The staff we interacted with all spoke fluent English. In the mornings, we enjoyed an ample buffet breakfast on their rooftop patio, which overlooks the city (we enjoyed watching a variety of beautiful birds gather on the adjacent rooftop to take advantage of the breadcrumbs and small food scraps [nothing messy] which the staff lovingly fed them – no wasting of food, which we appreciated seeing). And after each day exploring the city, it was wonderful to return to the hotel for their afternoon tea-time, which offered complimentary tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cookies, and other treats. Honestly, and without exaggeration, our stay was perfect – historic and beautiful, and at a price we could afford. Thank you to the hotel and its staff for their kind hospitality and generous spirits. We highly recommend the Zeynep Sultan Hotel and hope to be able to again book rooms there during our next stay in Istanbul.
自動翻訳