Room was small and stairway was narrow. That's pretty much the only things I could criticize, and…read moremaybe that adds to the charm. Staff was welcoming and helpful, location was ideal to get acclimated for our first day in Istanbul (easy stroll to Sultanahmet Square, Hagia Sofia and much more), and the breakfast buffet and breakfast room view were outstanding. Airport transfers were reliable and reasonably priced.

We stayed here for our last night is Turkey. The hotel is very modern in decoration, think Ikea…read more The room is not huge, but comfy. The breakfast very great. Lots of selection. Our taxi driver had a hard time finding the hotel and finally pulled over and the staff came out to meet us and lead us to the hotel a few blocks away.

One of the dirtiest places I've ever seen. To be honest, this isn't a hotel,it's more like a poorly…read moremaintained, low-budget hostel. There was no air conditioning, and the smell of sewage was unbearable throughout the property. The towels were left on the bathroom floor, and everything felt dirty and neglected. The entire place smelled awful. I couldn't stay there and decided to leave immediately. The positive reviews don't reflect my experience at all. Don't fall into this trap,save yourself the disappointment and book somewhere else.

This was a great little hotel. It was clean, had wi-fi, the staff was knowledgeable, very helpful…read moreand spoke English! The owners would come down during breakfast time and were really, really nice people (they gave my 2 year old son a little stuffed bear, because they liked him!). Hotellino is right in the heart of everything in the old town and tourist section. It was also close to all the transportation options, tram (Gulhane Station), and trains. You could walk to Hagia Sophia, Tokapi Palace, Blue Mosque, and the Cistern. The rooms were on the small side, but organized real well. The only thing was construction taking place next door on one side of the hotel, but that was for the tunnel project and that should end soon. We asked to be on the other side, away from the construction, and it didn't bother us. Great place to start a tour of Istanbul or Turkey.

We really enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Sultan's Inn! We brought a group of Stanford undergraduates…read morehere as part of an archaeological field school, and the rooms were quite nice! The showers were hot and had good water pressure, the tv's had quite a few channels. The air conditioning was a bit hard to work, but certainly present. And you can't beat the location-- or the amazing, amazing view at breakfast. My only complaint would just be the quality of the internet; my room required me to sit against the door; this was the only place I got a signal. But other rooms didn't have that problem (I think mine was #20? Hard to remember!)

We recommend Sultan"s Inn very highly. The people here are all very friendly and helpful. The price…read moreis quite low. The location in the old city is very close to the interesting attractions. The only negative was that the rooms are quite small -- big enough for only a bed, a closet, a mini-refrigerator, and a small bathroom. There's virtually no room to work, but you can always go down to the lobby. The room does have wi-fi. I'm writing this review on my phone from the room. An example of the service: last night my wife and I went to the lobby to arrange our day's pictures. She accidentally left her scarf there. (Of course we didn't notice at the time.) Today we couldn't remember where she might have lost it. This evening when we returned from dinner the scarf was waiting for us at the front desk with our name on it. All in all, a very positive experience.

Stayed for a Turkish Airlines layover…read more Location: Right in the middle of tourist attractions. You can easily walk to the Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, etc. in 10 to 20 minutes, depending on your fitness level. The only downside is that it's on a hill. It isn't bad, especially since it means downhill one way. The nearest tram stop is Sultanment, so technically, you can take the Havist bus, transfer to the tram & walk. I only recommend this in daylight, or perhaps once you know your logistics. Streets are not really labeled. I took a taxi & the most affordable way is to download the Bitaksi app where the price is given upfront. Istanbul is notorious for ripping you off for a cab ride. It should cost about $35. $45 if you get a shuttle. Havist Bus is about $11. Food: Tons of cute restaurants in the area. Safe to walk around at night.The featured pictured main course is typically kababs that only run $10. Free breakfast at the hotel. No scrambled or fried eggs, but there are boiled eggs, toast with cheese, bread, cereal & a great coffee machine for cappuccino & lattes. Also salad, fruits & lots of olives. Service: 2 gentlemen at the front desk were helpful. Especially the one with grayish hair. Room: Decent & clean, not 5 star. Free 2 bottled water daily. Soap & shampoo isn't premium but was alright for me & I tend to get dry skin easily. Overall: Great pick if you are flying Turkish airlines & get a free layover stay.

We stayed here through the Tourist Istanbul program . The hotel is just like any 3 star hotel . The…read morebreakfast was decent . The biggest plus point is that it is near old town and all the sites are at walking distance or can go by quick tram . That saves lot of time and energy . The staff was very nice and cordial

I stayed there few years ago . Clean , good location and price. What I like the best was the staff…read morethere very helpful and respectful

Very nicely run hotel, with friendly staff. Huge rooms, but try to get a room on a lower floor,…read moresince no elevators. Not a big fan of their breakfast, but coffee was excellent. Room had King bed, decent bathroom, AC, and a great view of the Bosporus!

We stayed here (husband, wife and two 17 year olds) June 2019 for about eight nights…read more Location: perfect for exploring the Sultanahmet district, which is the main historic zone in Istanbul (Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Cisterns, Grand Bazaar, Topaki Palace, etc.). A short walk to the tram station which will take you most anywhere else. Lots of cafes and restaurants nearby, from very inexpensive to the Four Seasons Hotel. Rooms: clean. small but very comfortable, with AC. Not ok if you have physical disability preventing you from using stairs. But staff is extremely helpful with luggage (they carried it all to our room). Staff: very friendly and accommodating. Concierge staff helped us book tours and restaurants, called taxis, and generally advised us in a sincere and friendly manner. Excellent English too. Breakfast: delicious buffet style, fresh Turkish style with breads, fruits, yoghurt, eggs, jams, coffee, juice, tea, etc. eating at the garden tables was fantastic. We will be back!

This is a cool small European-style hotel with one of the most unique locations in Istanbul…read more The lobby literally shares a wall with the old palace hamam (baths) ruin and the garden is bordered by its walls and domes. From the garden you can look through the windows into the ancient unrestored baths built in 1483. There are a variety of room types including a very romantic penthouse apartment. My mid-floor room was decorated in traditional Turkish style and had an able heating and air conditioning system. The bathroom and shower was made of full sheets of marble and the hotel makes its own olive oil soap. Every morning was a stunning Turkish-style breakfast buffet of house-made apricot preserve, yoghurt, simple bread, fruit, fresh tomato, feta, olives and more. You can carry your breakfast to a few tables adjacent or outside to an overgrown Mediterranean garden. This hotel has a peerless staff. They are full of advice, interesting, and when I stayed, someone was available, speaking English, 24x7. I enjoyed hours exchanging insights on our respective cultures with the desk staff. That exchange one-on-one is the finest of travel experiences. The hotel is part of a network of small independent hotels throughout Turkey. They can and did suggest and arrange booking for me at one those beautiful small hotels. There is no elevator and the stairs are very narrow. I carry my own bags, but their staff is glad to help with that. The hotel is adjacent to Istanbul's backpacker district and to the Four Seasons, so you have a variety of possibilities for dining and socializing nearby. I like to walk. From the Empress Zoe location, you can walk over the hill and across the bridge to Istanbul's Brooklyn- and Aoyama-like neighborhoods. If you are looking for an American-style business hotel, newly constructed, standard room setup, standard services, this is not the hotel for you. There are plenty of those available in Istanbul. This is a European-style hotel we need more of in America, bigger than a B&B, which America does well, and smaller than an Ace-Standard, also well done in the States. The Empress Zoe is a beautiful small romantic hotel with a peerless staff representing the finest Turkish hospitality and culture in a great Istanbul location.

A great, affordable place in the middle of Istanbul. The rooftop terrace features great views of…read morethe Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the water--needless to say, a perfect place to enjoy a chilled bottle of wine as day turns to night. Just a short walk to a bustling dining district, and about 30 minutes on foot to a new crop of truly excellent modern mezze restaurants. The rooms are simple but well-appointed and the beds were comfortable. We stayed here for nearly a week and enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere and exceptionally friendly staff. The breakfast buffet--included in the room--was tasty and varied, and the mumarra was delicious. If you're looking for 4-5 star amenities, the Hotel Spina is not your place, but if you like to travel comfortably and pay reasonable prices, I couldn't recommend this hotel more highly.

I selected it because it looked nice in the web site pictures, and because it looked like it was in…read morean excellent location, in the Sultanahmet district. It was a nice hotel: the proprietor and staff were friendly, breakfast was okay but with a great view (served on the roof), rooms were smallish but stylish and clean, bathroom was big, building was unique in the neighbourhood because it was wood not stone. The main selling point of this place is the location, though. It's literally moments away from the big sights of the Blue Mosque, the Aya Sofia, and Topkapı Palace. It's two streets above the backpacker hotel street, but close to the bars and travel agents that service that area. No hill-climbing, easy access to the tram. If a central location is your concern, this is a great place to stay.