L. Hamilton

My husband and I will be in Turkey in September and we plan to stay in Istanbul for about 3 nights. Any suggestions as to quaint/interesting/historic places to stay? Any price range. Thanks.

Arizona

You have picked a good time to visit Istanbul. Your best bet would be to locate somewhere in the Sultanahmet area, not far from the Blue Mosque and the University. Have you checked the Turkish National Tourist Office web site? It features lots of glitzy hotels, mostly in the Taksim area. That's not what you want. However, their list of hotels shows several refurbished mansions that are more like what you want. Come back to me via e-mail and maybe I can help you further. I ran off their list the other day, and I will dig it up if that would help.

Sue

Hi, my sister and I were in Istanbul a year ago. The first 8 days we were with a tour, two of those days we stayed at the Richmond, a large hotel, was about $100 dollars. Is located on a main street with lots of shops and restaurants, in the Beyoglu area. When our tour ended we stayed an additional 4 days at the Ayasofia Pansiyons, south of the Golden Horn, adorable, also about $100 a night. They have a darling white-trellised garden, where they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can walk to the Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, etc. Feel free to E-mail me if you have any questions.

Louis Dameson

Within a block or so of the blue Mosque and the haghia Sofia are 65 rooms in an old Turkish Prison. It is beautifuly done as a Four Seasons Hotel. It is one of the best luxury value in Istanbul. At around $280 for a double plus VAT it is about 1/2 the price of a similar room in New York, London, or Paris. The location is outstanding. Staying there is a lovely experience and well worth the price. You can see details at http://www.fshr.com/Istanbul/package.html or run a yahoo search for four seasons istanbul.

Paula Smith

Try the Pera Palais Otel at the end of the old
Orient Express. It is a piece of history itself. It features an ornate grilled elevator and the public bathrooms are denoted by works of art - Venus Rising
from the Sea. It was the hotel where Agatha Christie, the mystery writer, stayed. Her room can be visited and the staff will tell you of the mystery surrounding her stays there. Kemal Ataturk, the President of Turkey, also stayed here and his ornate room can also be seen. The staff
are most courteous and go out of the way to help.
The rooms run $70/night.

WILLIAM KANE

MOST ARE CORRECT ABOUT STAYING IN SULTANAHMET. 90%25 OF THE ATTRACTIONS ARE IN THIS AREA. IF YOU STAY HER YOU CAN WALK TO MOST ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

I SEE NO REASON TO PAY MORE THAN $70 PER NIGHT IN ISTANBUL. THE HOTEL NOMADE IS AROUND $55 FOR A DOUBLE ROOM AND IS RECENTLY REDONE. I'VE VACATIONED THERE BEFORE AND FOUND IT TO BE EXCELLENT!

I SLEPT TWO NIGHT IN THE HILTON IN TAKSIM SQUARE. ALTHOUGH THE ROOMS ARE QUITE SPACIOUS, IT'S JUST MORE THAN YOU NEED.

RINALDO TOMASELLI

Bonjour d'Istamboul !
Excusez-moi, mais je parle tres mal anglais, donc voici un message en français.
POUR UN BEL HÔTEL A ISTAMBOUL, JE VOUS CONSEILLE :
Le Grand Hôtel de Londres.
Cet hôtel se trouve dans le vieux quartier de Péra, ancienne rue des Petits-Champs.
Pour ceux qui veulent revivre les temps glorieux de l'Orient-Express, c'est l'occasion de loger dans ce vieux palace, qui a, bien sûr vécu, mais qui a su garder un charme fou. Dans le grand salon, vous trouverez non seulement une belle collection de postes de radio anciens, mais aussi un perroquet billingue, ( il sait insulter en turc et en français). La situation est absolument excellente. Pas de problemes pour se déplacer, car l'hôtel est a deux pas du métro le plus vieux du monde (1871) et aussi... le plus court ! (573 metres). La station sud débouche sur le fameux pont de Galata d'ou vous pourrez rejoindre les vieux quartiers touristiques.
Le soir, vous serez heureux de ne pas vous embêter a trouver des taxis pour rentrer, car vous serez dans le quartier ou le "Tout Istamboul" sort. Donc avec les meilleurs restaurants, cafés, etc. a deux pas. C'est décidément le centre culturel de la ville.

Si vous désirezséjourner dans ce fabuleux palace des temps passés, aderssez-vous a moi. Le prix des chambres est a porté de tous.

Avec mes voeux pour un agréable séjour dans notre pays.

Rinaldo Tomaselli - ISTAMBOUL INSOLITE - Visites guidées hors des sentiers battus.

Spécialiste des quartiers : Grecs, Arméniens, Juifs, Latins, des petites églises et petites mosquées.

Thomas Somlay

TRY HOTEL SARI KONAK,IN ISTANBUL'S HISTORIC SULTANAHMET DISTRICT.IT IS A DELIGHTFUL,FAMILY-RUN ESTABLISHMENT WITH 17 ROOMS.THE ATMOSPHERE IS WONDERFUL AND THE ROOMS ARE TASTEFULLY DECORATED AND EXTREMELY CLEAN.THE STAFF GOES OUT OF THEIR WAY TO BE HELPFUL TO GUESTS.A WONDERFUL BREAKFAST IS SERVED BUFFET STYLE EVERY MORNING IN THEIR CHARMING GARDEN.THE CHEAPEST DOUBLE WAS OFFICIALLY PRICED AT $70,BUT THEY OFFER A DISCOUNT OF $10,IF THE PAYMENT IS IN CASH. <BR>TEL.+90(212)638 62 58 <BR>FAX.+90(212)517 86 35 <BR>

Rae

Do stay in the Sultanahmet area. There is a small hotel called the Arena, only four blocks from the Hippodrome, which is newly opened()maintenence in Turkey is iffy) and charming. The dining room is overpriced but there are lots of restaurants in the Hippodrome area. <BR>

Denise

Just back from Turkey and Italy. We stayed at the Side Hotel/Pensiyon in Sultanahmet, about 30 metres from the Four Seasons (what an hotel) and found the people and the Hotel Side very pleasant and very reasonable. We had stayed our first night in another hotel for $180 AUSTRALIAN <BR>and the Side was just as good and in a much better area and closer to the attractions, in fact almost in the middle of it all. Denise <BR>