Only 10 minutes' walk from Istanbul's main tourist sites, the Armada offers spacious, comfortable accommodations with marble-lined bathrooms, lace curtains, and walls painted a soothing shade of green. Most rooms look out either to the sea or over the old city, although one of the best views is at night from the hotel's rooftop Teras Restaurant, from where you can see Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque. Despite its large size and four-star billing, the hotel has a friendly, even quirky, feel—how many high-end hotels have a pool full of turtles in the middle of the lobby? Pros: amazing views of the water; professional service; in quiet area. Cons: somewhat steep uphill walk from hotel to the sights of Sultanahmet.
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