Hi, my husband and I will be in Istanbul for 3 days in Feb. I was initially a little unsure about the visit due to the time of year (cold!) and the conditions there but now that the plan has been finalized, I am excited!
Looking for help with picking a hotel. The major chains seem quite expensive so I have narrowed it down to the Dersaadet Hotel and the Yasmak Sultan. They are in slightly different areas though both seem close to the major sights. Is there any advantage of one area over the other? Any thoughts on the hotels themselves? I am looking at the larger corner rooms in both hotels, the Dersaadet is more expensive. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

Or I could go with a standard room at the Amira...

We liked Tash Konak, just around the corner from Dersaadet. They had airport pick up and great breakfast. We also got a 10% discount for cash. Reasonable. clean, quiet, and well located, good fron desk staff.. Check it out. You can handle the "cold" if you have layers that you can add or subtract. Take a shawl, pashima size. Should you need a comfy blanket around your shoulders at night or whenever!

We stayed at the Dersaadet in September-nice hotel and good location. If you stay three days or more they will pick you up from the airport and they also give a discount for paying with cash. They have a great terrace for breakfast or drinks in the evening. Wonderful views.

It is so confusing because all the above hotels have good reviews! Any preference for one area over the other? (Sirkeci v/s Sultanahmet)

If this is your first time in Istanbul, you will want to see all the sights in Sultanahmet, so I'd stay there. But Sirkeci is pretty close too. We stayed at the Dersaadet and were very happy with it.

I'm not sure what counts as Sirkeci and what counts as Sultanahmet. I stayed in an area identified as Sultanahmet that was quite close to the Sirkeci station (at the Hotel Sapphire). I could easily walk to the main sights of Sultanahmet (e.g., the Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sophia) or I could easily walk to the Galata Bridge or Spice Market or I could easily take a tram in either direction.

http://www.emzoe.com/

I'd stay there again. It was in the heart of Sultanhamet, a block from the Four Seasons Sultanhamet.

Happy Travels!

Thanks, anyone familiar with the Yasmak Sultan? Reviews are quite good. I have booked a corner room which is supposed to be more spacious and price is reasonable as compared to the Dersaadet or Sultania...

Hi, we ended up staying at the Yasmak Sultan and it was fine, very well located, clean and the service was excellent. Did experience some street noise in the room but not a big deal.

Thanks for reporting back, for all future visitors.