Looking at several hotels in this area (Sirkeci Konak,Sultanhan,Ottoman Hotel Imperial)...although the Sirkeci got good reviews,one poster said surrounding streets
were not that desirable and hotel was in bad section of Sultanhamet. Has anyone been to this hotel or know of this area. Any opinion on the other 2 hotels???

Sirkeci is not a section of Sultanahmet, although it is close.

I would not recommend Sirkeci hotels, or for that matter Sultanahmet hotels in the winter and early spring, if you like to walk outside to look for restaurants, bars and clubs or even cafes. Both areas will get deserted after 8PM because they are not residential areas.

In the Summer, the place is chock full of tourists and will not get deserted before 10PM.

So, if you are visiting up to 15April, stay at Taksim/Cihangir area, wher you can find hotels and flats in a similar price range, but can also join the locals to go out until 3AM at night.

If staying out until 3 a.m. isn't your thing, I'd say Sultanhamet area is fine. We were there at Christmas a couple of years ago and enjoyed the area in the evening. We stayed at the Ottoman Imperial and liked it as well. In fact, I'd recommend it.

thanks for your replies. Julievikmanis its funny I was all ready to make my reservations at Ottoman Imperial until I ran across these other 2 hotels. Otherchelbi thanks for all your wonderful help throughout this forum you have been so helpful to so many of us.I'm sure I'm not the only one who appreciates all the time you have put in with all your wonderful advice and insights. If this were my second visit to Istanbul I believe I would stay outside the Sultanhamet area;however as I am doing all the touristy sites I feel this area would be best for me. I don't know why the Sirkeci Konak hotel says they are located in the Sultanhamet neighborhood if they aren't. Thanks again to you both.

otherchelbi I"m interested in why you wouldn't stay at any of the Sirkeci hotels? I looked up this hotel and it looks so nice that now i'm contemplating whether I should stay here. But Karamia writes that she read where someone didn't like where it was located. Does anyone know where it is located or what type of surroundings it has. The web site , including trip advisor did have it in the Sultanhamet section if memory serves me right. Has anyone seen this hotel?

When we travel we usually avoid staying in the tourist arweas but we are constantly reading that traffic is terrible in Istanbul and you can waste a lot of time going back and forth if you do not stay in Sultanhamet. We are planning on an October trip.

Mo, please do not misread my post. I said "i would not stay in sirkeci and even in sultanahmet in the Winter or Spring""

Sultanahmet is touristy. Sirkeci is partially touristy, mostly due to the endeavors of Mr. Faruk, owner of the Sirkeci Konak and three other hotels in the area. The area used to have low quality hotels for small businesmen coming from small towns and rural areas, soldiers, semi-vagrants and shops which sold mostly agricultural machinery and equipment.
Now, some of the shops are still there with the narrow side streets which get deserted after working hours.

Sirkeci is on the tram line, between Sultanahmet and the train station. The area starts just after the gates of Gulhane Park, and there is no vehicular traffic.

In non-touristy season and especially in rainy weather, the area can become rather dismal and depressing.

The Sirkeci group hotels are reasonably good value, Konak has been the top Trip Advisor hotel for two years, but i do not like depressive areas, especially at night. If there is no life at night, i would wish for a broader line of site and a nice view from my room.

Again, this perspective is for the Winter and, let's say, early Spring.

regarding traffic, you can take one of the funiculars down to the tram line either from Taksim or Tunel and get the tram to the Historic areas without getting stuck in any traffic.
However, the crowds, the movement of people at all hours of the night is some thing not many people are used to. You do not get this in Piccadilly or oxford Street, or Fifth, sixth seventh avenues and 40-50th streets, except until theatres close. In taksim, the fast food shops stay open almost 24 hours. many book and music stores on Istiklal stay open till midnight. If it is not raining, people will be sipping teas or guzzling beers at sidewalk cafes even in freezing weather, sometimes playing backgammon until very late hours.

In Sultanahmet and Sirkeci, on winter nights, there will be a few tourists walking hurriedly to their hotels, street cleaners, and not much else.

otherchelbi you are so knowledgeable you've really helped me plan my trip. Thank you so much. I know what you mean about touristy areas and I agree you learn much more about a country when you stay away from that type of hotel however I have now narrowed my choices to maybe the Ottoman Imperial as someone else suggested or the sirkeci konak. I now know what one poster meant about the area thanks to you but I am now worried about how far it is away from all the tourists site in that area. If you know where is it in relatiionship to the ottoman Imperial hotel, there loction is right behind the Aya Sofia so just minutes to walk. HOw long would it take me to walk to this site from the Sirkeci Konak . I promise my next trip to Istanbul I will take your recommendation and stay far from the tourists. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge with all of us

To solve this problem, I think it might be worth looking into the many lodging options in Beyoglu. It's just a 5 USD cab ride from the monuments and has much more to offer in terms of dining, nightlife (less saturated by tourism) and cultural life. There are top end hotels (Maramra Pera), historic boutique (Buyuk Londra) and even private flats (manzara-istanbul.com) places to stay. Art galleries are popping up everyday, new cafes and restaurants with breathtaking views of the Bosporus and Old City are always on offer.
Honestly, I don't know why people choose to stay in Sultanahmet with all of the hassle that it includes. Do you really want to be hassled on every corner to buy some crap trinket or enter some restaurant? this is the reality of Sultanahmet. It is a shark tank. The tourism industry in Istanbul is not very pleasant. Best to avoid those profiting from it as much as possible.
It is so easy to pop down to the old city and see the sights and retreat to a nearby district that has many more local options to offer, like Beyoglu.

An easy walk of about 15 minutes from sirkeci Konak to Aya Sofya. You could also walk just a few minutes to sirkeci tram station and take the tram to Sultanahmet.

You will be quite close to the Archeological Museum and the Ancient Orient Museum, if you enter the park gates and take the rightmost fork immediately after the gates. Both are higly recommended. This will also be a fast route to the Topkapi Palace, instead of climbing up to Aya Sofya and Sultanahmet.

Another interesting short trip during working hours, from sirkeci konak is to the old Main Post Office "Buyuk Postahane".

Go to Sirkeci square, turn left at traffic lights, take first street right. It is on yor left. Go inside to a 19th century atmosphere, with the employees also possibly from the 19th century. You can buy the newly issued collection stamps from one of the windows on your left at the far wall directly.
Get some first day covers to put your letter or cards to send to close friends and family. It will be nice. In fact, mail one to yourself. Who knows, it may become very valuable one day.

Otherchelebi, thanks once again for all your advice.