Where is a good location for a hotel in Istanbul Want to be near the sights but also not in a desolate area at nightime. Should we get a hotel by the water? and on which side of the Bosphorous -- East or West? Thanks.

Sultanamet (sp?) is the old historic area near the Blue Mosque, Aya Sophia, Topkopi Palace, nice public spaces, and a trolley stop. Very convienent area to be. I stayed at the Hotel Nomade in 2000 and enjoyed it. It had a great terrace view of the mosques mentioned above. They remodeled a few years ago; it's around $70 a night now.

West is where the tourist sites are, although we had fun one day taking hte ferry across to Asia and wandering around the communities there. Sultanhamet is the area for more atmospheric sights and cheaper hotels. We enjoyed Ibrahim Pasha two years ago. (We had the room that has the bay window over the street.) www.ibrahimpasha.com You probably won't want a hotel on the water if there is such a thing as the waterfront faces a busy highway (think FDR in New York or Lake Shore Drive in Chicago). If you want more like a modern business class hotel, those are in another district north of Sultanhamet with designer shopping, "mod" restaurants etc. Enjoy planning your trip!

In the Sultanahmet district on a street with some nice restaurants and other shops:

http://www.barutsmajestichotel.com/terrace.html

Great view of the Bosphorus from the rooftop lounge area.

We stayed at the Erguvan Hotel in Istanbul last fall and it was very nice. It was reasonably priced and it is just down the hill-a two minute walk- from the Sultanemat (sp)with a view of many mosques and the water. We felt close to sites but not like we were in the path of tourist traffic.
They sent an inexpensive cab to the airport for us a at 3 a.m., they gave us directions and advice about where to eat, and the room was perfect. We slept like babies in a huge bed. The bathroom had beautiful tiles and outstanding water pressure. It was very clean and quiet.
We got very nice continental breakfast on the roof each morning.
We did close our windows at night because the first morning they were open and we were awoken very early by the broadcast prayers (which was actually a very neat experience).
They have a website which includes reviews. Good luck. Istanbul is great.

I agree with the others that the Sultanahmet area is the place to stay. Taksim is on the other side of the Golden Horn and is modern hotels, althouth there are narrow streets with some great restaurants.

In Sultanahmet you can walk to the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Aya Sophia, the Hippodrome, the Cistern Basilica, and walk or take a trolley to the Spice Market.

The area has a lot of restored Ottoman townhouses which are now hotels.

We stayed at the Hotel Sumengen. It's on the web but I don't have the exact URL..you can google.

Dear Redlionny,

My vote is for Sultanahmet area as well. Here are two boutique hotels both of which are in the middle of everywhere. Only 5-10 minutes from all historic sites such as the Blue Mosque, St.Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, the Hippodrome, Cagaloglu Hamam, Grand Bazaar etc.

Enjoy your stay in Istanbul.

With all good wishes.

http://www.amisoshotel.com/
http://www.celalsultan.com/

Mavi Ev, a great spot and nice people !

I would like to add one more special hotel in the center of the oldcity just opposite of the Blue Mosque. Alzer Hotel is the only hotel located in the center of the oldcity.
http://www.alzerhotel.com
[email protected]

"the Sultanahmet district on a street with some nice restaurants and other shops"

There is no such place. As any guidebook will confirm Sultanahmet has virtually no decent restaurants. It is where the sights are but it is a tourist trap for everything else. If you stay there, be prepared to be constantly pestered by pitchmen trying to sell you carpets and other junk. It may be the best area to stay, but you should have no illusions as to what it will be like.

Look in Frommers or any guidebook. They all agree about the best places, none of which have been mentioned by any of the posters above.

Lastly, your geography is confused. You say east/west of the Bosphorous. That is Europe vs Asia. I'm sure you really mean which side of the Golden Horn, that separates old Istanbul from the more moder city. It's clear you haven't bother to do any reading or learned a thing about the place. You need to do that before you start asking questions.

Listen to me Redlionny, YOU DO NOT WANT TO STAY IN SULTANAHMET. Sultanahmet is VERY TOURISTY. It is not a real Istanbul neighborhood, but an area full of guest houses, backpacker cafes, carpet shops, and of course, the big sites like Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. You want to stay in Beyoglu, Taksim or Ortakoy. This is where you will experience the REAL Istanbul, rubbing shoulders with the citizens of the city. There is absolutely NO nightlife in Sultanahmet, unless you want to sit in a cafe restaurant smoking one of those water pipes or watching a whirling dervish show. All the top clubs are in Oratkoy or Beyoglu, as are the "trendy" restauants. You should stay in these areas and just take a cab (cabs are cheap) over to Sultanahmet to see the Topkapi, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar. My mother, husband, and friend stayed in both Sultanahmet and Taksim, and we overwhelming preferred Taksim because of its close proximity to Istiklal Caddesi and Ortakoy.

There are some gems in Sultanahmet, however, namely the Four Seasons Hotel, the Yesil Ev hotel (absolutely gorgeous outdoor restaurant), and Rami restaurant.

TG does know his stuff. But if you only have a couple of days, Sultanahmet is not bad at all. You can always cab it to Beyoglu at night for dining and nightlife. I thought that area of Sultanahmet aroound the Four Seasons Hotel (as opposed to along Divan Yolu..look at a map) was kind of charming with the old wooden houses. Yes, it is tourist central. But not in an awful, neon way at all.
There are a few decent places to eat..Sabahattin, for one. Desolate it is not. Here is the scoop: Decide if you want to stay near the sights or the nighttime activity. Either way you will have to use cabs: Do you want to cab it during the day to the sights, or at night to the places to eat?

Thank you, eskcrunchy. I guess one's decision on where to stay in Istanbul depends on one's point of view. Yes, Sultanahmet is slow and "charming." It is easy to navigate. Some people like that. I do not. I like to witness the hustle and bustle of real city. I liked to walk from the Ritz Carlton to Istiklal Caddesi, passing people near Taksim Square waiting for their bus. I liked going into coffee shops, sitting beside real Stamboulis having their lunch. I liked going into shops and not having to "bargain." In Sulthanahmet, if I sat at a cafe, a Swedish family would be eating next to me. When I walked into a shop, I was expected to bargain (very tiring), and the shops were filled with junk. I was also so tired of being chased down the street by carpet sellers.

Yes, Sultanahmet is atmospheric, but it is not the real Istanbul. Redlionny, if you do stay in Sultanahmet, were your worst clothes on the street. If any of the carpet sellers think you have money (Rolex watch, Louis Vuitton bag, Ferragamo shoes, a manicure) they will harass you to death. I literally had to take my watch off and put it into my pocket because it attracted carptet dealers the way red meat attracts a wolf. Take care.

I liked it, the new parts were like nearly every other large city, maybe I am just not sophisticated enough.