Does anyone know the web address for Angel's Home hotel in Istabbul (if they have a website)?

For me it is now a toss up between Nena and Angel's Home. Any advice is welcome.

Thanks

Would this be the hotel's website you're referring to?

http://www.hotelangelshome.com/

Yes! thanks so much - I did many searches on Google, Yahho and couldn't come up with this! Thanks again.

You're welcome! Have a nice visit to Istanbul.

I don't recommend this hotel. Two of my closest friends stayed here last year. They said the hotel was noisy and full of cats wandering around (the owner's pets). They also stated that while the hotel was clean and "cheery," there were very few amenities in the bath. It is well situated in Sultanahmet, however.

I just booked this hotel for Easter weekend based on very favorable reviews on Trip Advisor. It's their #2 ranked hotel for Istanbul. The owners were prompt (responded within a 1/2 hour) and friendly to my requests. It's a small hotel, so I would never go expecting much in the way of bathroom amenities. I look forward to checking it out for myself.

We stayed at the Angel's Home last year and would return. Some observations -

The location is fine, down the hill from the Blue Mosque and around a 10 min. walk from the Ayasofia etc.

The hotel's decor is a bit over the top - but you can see that from the website photos. I don't know if all the rooms are as pink and flowery as ours was, but ours sure was. The first night there was a strong odor of disinfectant throughout the hotel, but it dissapated - no idea of the source; could have been from next door for all I know.

Note the stairs to the rooms and rooftop are quite steep and the stairway rather dark. Coming in from the terrace or breakfast room it takes a bit for your eyes to adjust, wise before tackling the stairs.

The bed was fine, the bathroom also fine. I don't recall the brand of cosmetics or shampoos provided but I still have my hair. Oh... wait...

The two brothers that run the hotel are great guys - ask to be picked up or dropped off at the airport in their '55 Chevy - way cool.

Breakfast was good but not remarkable. I do wish hotels would put out real juice rather than faux Tang. But that's a personal peeve. Predictably, the coffee was good.

There are a ton of similarly-sized mom and pop hotels in converted old buildings throughout the Sultanahmet. From the outside at least the Angel's Home looks fairly typical.

The price is right, location good, service excellent, so what's to complain? Certainly no angels wept while we were there.

Thanks for the information, especially about the Angel's Home Hotel.

I do know that both the Nena (#4 on Tripadvisor) and Angel's Home (#2) are family-run, small hotels, and do not expect the same kind of amenities one would expect from a Westin or Sheraton. On the other hand, the rates are reasonable.

So I guess in the end I can't go wrong with either the Nena or the Angel's Home.

I just got off the phone with my friend who stayed at Angel's Home. He said he would never go back. From what he stated, the stairs are not carpeted and made of marble. Therefore, you can hear everyone going up and down the staircase all night long. He also told me that the hotel employees would congregate on the front terrace to smoke cigarettes and talk at night. The noise kept him awake. For this reason, he suggests getting a room at the back of the hotel. He also told me to let you know that the chair cushions on the rooftop get soaked after a rainstorm. Beware when you go to sit down for breakfast, as breakfast is served on the roof.

Also, I have seen the photos myself, and the decor is red with a cherub-and-heart motif. It is very "girly."

My friend did not like the owner, but did like his younger brother very much. My friend wanted me to make sure you understand the situation, as he and his boyfriend had a horrid time at Angel's Home.

Cheers.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that the owner, Harkan, doesn't like to accept credit cards as payment. My friend was given a hard time because he used his credit card to pay his bill. It seems that Harkan only likes to accept cash.

When my husband, mother and I were in Istanbul--we stayed at the Ritz-Carlton--we also noted that there were several restaurants in Sultanahmet that did not accept credit cards. I think this is to avoid paying taxes.

Thanks Balenciaga.

Indeed I have sent a reservation request to Nena. They have discount for early booking, plus additional discount when you pay cash. I was planning to pay "cash" anyways, but have to confirm with the hotel whether "cash" really means "cash". Considering how inexpensive the hotel is, I don't mind carrying a couple hundred euros in my wallet.

John

PS Something is fishy if Angel's Home is the #2 hotel in Istanbul according to Tripadvisor.com. That just doesn't make any sense in a city with a Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Divan, Inter-Continental, Hyatt and a Hilton. I can testify that the Yesil Ev, which isn't even in the top ten Istanbul hotels listed on Tripadvisor.com, is far superior to Angel's home.

The ranking in Tripadvisor, I believe, is purely based on the same of postive/negative reviews, and anyone can post a review.

I guess when one goes to a new city, the hotel choice very often is based on recommendation and reviews, and I only know about Tripadvisor and Virtualtourist as the 2 places I often look up, with a grain of salt of course. A Westin or a St Regis may not get to the top ten because some readers may decide that they are not getting the best value even though these hotels may have the best views, best rooms and services.

Just my 2-cents observation.

I did look up the Yesul Ev hotel - it looks great, but twice the cost of Nena. Although it is still "cheap" if you look at how much hotel cost in US, at this time I think I'll stick to Nena unless I hear something really bad about the Nena Hotel.

John