We were on the return leg of our sojourn into the famous Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, already laden…read morewith bags, when we stumbled upon a side street in the bazaar with old wooden architecture that must date back to Ottoman times. On the shop walls, amidst the thousands of carpets, were newspaper postings of famous customers who've frequented Şişli Osman Carpet & Kilim over its commendable history. The lovely family who run this lovely shop have global recognition, from Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands and Hillary Clinton to Rick Steves of US travel documentary fame. The lattermost endorsement helped seal the deal in terms of credibility. Their carpets are painstakingly handwoven, dyed with natural products, including pomegranate and indigo plants, and come with certificates of authenticity from a business dealing in this same area of the Grand Bazaar since 1894. This long-running family business is run by true gentlemen. Thank you for the lovely handwoven nomadic style rug, originating from master craftspeople in central Turkey, and for a wonderful buying experience.

Rick Steve's guide says this shop is the best in the city and if all the famous people photographed…read moreat this place is a testimony to that, it must be true. It's a little off the beaten path but once there, they'll show you hundreds of beautiful Turkish carpets. They'll offer you tea as they show you their goods. We didn't buy any as it is super expensive, but still cheaper than what you'd get in the USA.

Nice tiny shop in Hak Pasaji, Nisantasi, full of interesting old books, toy soldiers, engravings,…read morepaintings and objects.

I wish I could say better things about this place. I had looked it up prior to my visit and it's…read morelocated in the Fener Balat historical Jewish neighborhood. The photos online show a vibrant and well laid out store. When I arrived, the sign was faded and falling apart and the interior was junky. Normally, I wouldn't mind. I love to dig and the thrill of the hunt, but since I was in vacation I didn't have the time to spend.

Rare find for well made works of art…read more We bought 2 bags both about $300 USD. The craftsmenship is impeccable and detailed. They use old (30-90 yo) turkish rugs, or "kilims," in all of their work. NO pressure and hastling on price; this place makes WORKS OF ART....!! I usually dont buy much traveling as I travel a ton. I only will purchase something that reflects the culture and is high quality and something that i can pass down in 20-30 yrs as an heirloom....

Simply a fantastic contemporary 3rd generation rug maker located in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul…read more He weaved tradition into his more modern creations. They are hand made and use natural dyes. The use of natural dyes makes each rug a unique item as the color can vary. The owner and creator, Memet Gureli, was friendly and personable. For us we literally have more rugs that we have square footage in our Eichler so we did not buy one, but if you are in the market this would be fantastic place to stop

Musa was very helpful and handled the shipping of several rugs expertly to San Francisco. Awhile…read morelater I emailed him some dimensions and he sent photos of options, we selected one and dis the transaction on-line. Received as shown and no hiccups. Great service, great personality and great experience. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

I stayed at my favorite place in Istanbul for my 2nd trip to Turkey (Cheers Hostel) and this was a…read moreshop that I would pass by on my way to somewhere. I realized that their prices were so much better than in the Grand Bazaar! Try to find this shop when you're in Istanbul! The owner is super nice and will definitely give you a great price.

This experience was better than anywhere we went to in Istanbul or Cappadocia. Ask to work with Jim…read more- he is from Istanbul, but splits his time between Istanbul and the Bay area, where he does interior design. He took us up to a private room, where he walked us through the history of carpets in Turkey, differences in style, and nuances to look for quality/patterns/colors. He will also explain which region each rug and give you to time to look around (also with Turkish tea). This was also a very educational and non-pressured experience. We bought a handmade rug, though they do have a small selection of machine-made carpets as well.

I purchased my first rugs from Onur with Sami in 2005 and recently with Cihan (Jim) Ulkem in 2018 &…read more2019. Beautiful handmade one of a kind pieces, Cihan is very knowledgeable about the rugs' history and will take his time to explain the many varieties he has in stock. If you are looking for a special color or size Cihan will help you. There is no pressure to buy, go in , meet Cihan have a tea and enjoy the rug lesson. He will ship your items for free. We enjoy looking at our rugs, recalling it's history, but walking barefooted is by far the Best! My rugs are one of my best memories of my travels, Istanbul an unforgettable city. Go meet Cihan and get ready to have tea, take your shoes off, and walk upon history.

We had a great experience at Carpet Inn at Turkey's Grand Bazaar. Anyone who has been to Turkey in…read moresearch of a rug knows the salespeople are relentless in trying to make a sale. When we walked in, the owner made us feel comfortable and asked questions to ensure we were shown items we might be interested in. His team brought out a number of nice looking pieces and within 10 minutes, we had made our choice. I had gone to some other shops and was overwhelmed (mainly because the salespeople kept bringing us carpets we weren't interested in). I think the owner's name might be Aman. He was professional, asked the right questions, made us feel comfortable, didn't force the sale and gave us exactly what we were looking for at exactly the price we were looking to pay. There are many carpet shops in the Grand Bazaar, save yourself some time and head straight to Carpet Inn.