istanbul hotels
 

looking for a medium priced hotel in conveniant area

Here's a website to check out. We stayed at the Ayasofya in 1997 and it is reasonable and convenient. We'll be returning this October.

OOOOPs forgot the link for the hotel. Here it is<BR>http://www.ayasofyahotel.com/english.htm

I just returned from Turkey and was in Antalya and Istanbul. Before leaving I had looked at a message here with regards to the Ayasofya hotel and their web site seemed nice. Upon reaching the hotel, I found it to be very different. I was charged US$ 85/night for their so called deluxe room. The bathroom had a broken shower door and no overhead shower. The room was very cramped and there was no place to really unpack and put your stuff away. It was far away from the grand baazar and the Egyptian Spice market. The front desk manager gave us an hour long talk about how he can get us really cheap carpets from a distant uncle he recently found out he had (and this was before he gave us the room keys). I would recommend that you stay at some hotels in the Taksim or Beyoglu area and then take a cab to the Sultanahmet area. Cabs are cheap, about $3 for a trip. I will never be going back to the Ayasofya again.

I just returned from 4 days in Istanbul and can highly, highly recommend the Hotel Nena. It was a super value for an extremely nice, centrally located and clean hotel, with excellent front desk and terrace service. Rooms are immaculate and bathrooms very large, air conditioning, totally modern and beautiful. The terrace view is not to be beat w/ Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia right in front of you, and Bosphorus behind them. You can't go wrong with this place. We went to a travel agency who said it was $80/nt. I bargained the front desk for $70 and got it right away. There were not many tourists there or really in Istanbul in general. I think they're really hurting for the dollar (euro). Also, don't make the mistake of wearing shorts (I'm female), ESPECIALLY in Taksim!! I was stared at beyond belief and ended up taking a taxi back to the hotel rather than walk -- I had heard this was the "modern" part of Turkey and even though there were young hippie-type looking people with guitars on their backs, etc., this clearly was not acceptable -- no matter how hot it is!!! (We went late June).<BR><BR>Dolmabahce Palace is also not to be missed, the room where Ataturk died was my favorite (bed covered with satin Turkish flag).

to:Jojo<BR><BR>I don't agree about the short with you as the turkish women wear short too but they wear chic (look like italian or spanish)But in Mediter. every male will look at you if they find you attractive.<BR>(in USA never )<BR>We were also in South of Turkey in Fethiye..etc you can swimm topless...<BR><BR>

turkish men are the best. they rub their balls when they walk down the street. saw one of these guys in a swim suit. wow. got really turned on.

What to see is up to where your eyes focused at

Ajay, I'm surprised with your experience at the Hotel Ayasofya. We have stayed there twice, most recently Nov. 2001. In the two stays there my husband and I were never approached for shopping trips with distant relatives. In fact we had only friendly and helpful discussions with the front desk managers. Their website price for a deluxe room for the past two months is listed at $60. Our room had a large piece of furniture..combination closet, drawers and desk with mirror. Also had a suitcase stand. My experience with European hotels is that unless you spend &gt;$250+ the rooms will be small. Hope you enjoyed the roof top patio.

TO Kathy ([email protected])<BR>Thank you for supporting Turkey. Some people who is writting in this form don't like Turkey that's why they write some bad IDEA <BR><BR>Thanks again

I just left turkey a few days ago and I stayed at hotel Spectra in Sultanhmet which is the are where the blue mosque and main sites are. It is a best western property and was very helpful with everything and the room was nice. I paid 59 for a single. I did go into Taxsim a few times and yes it is more progressive than the sultanhmet area and fewer people hassling you. Since I was traveling alone I probably would have preferred the taxsim area but the prayer calls in sultanhmet were amazing.

Here's a copy of what I've posted before:<BR><BR><BR><BR>Message: We stayed at Grand Yavuz when we first got there and it was great. I hadn't realised it was a 3-star, so for $45 a nite, including a dinner, it seemed great. They also included a 2-way<BR> transfer which mean that they picked up from the airport and sent us to the train-station.<BR><BR>The poeple were nice and friendly and after the first night, we asked to change rooms from a twin one to a double one, and were given a triple room with a balcony instead. <BR><BR>We had one night to spend onteh way back from turkey in instabul, so we headed to hotel Pamphylia. It was a nice hotel - we got the biggest room - 102, it's the one on their website.<BR> <BR>The people were nice, but it's a 2-star. It was a bit more because it was closer to the sights than Grand Yavuz was, though they are both walking distance and perhaps about a 5 min walk apart. <BR><BR>Hotel Pamphylia is a lot older - the paint was peeling and they had this weird split-levelled shower. The people were great though. They helped deal with out carpet deliveries.<BR><BR>Given a choice, I think I would pick Grand Yavuz for comfort. The location wasn't that big a difference. :)

We also had a good experience at the Grand Yavuz, also for $45 per night (booked through GTA hotels). I asked for a room on a high floor with a view of the Marmara Sea and I think we had one of the nicest rooms in the hotel-spacious, clean and appeared to be newly renovated (the room # was 614). The hotel was a little off the main street in Sultanahmet but it was only about a 5-10 minute walk to the Grand Bazaar or to the area around the Blue Mosque.<BR><BR>The Hotel Nena was a little better located but a little more expensive.<BR><BR>We also stayed at Pierre Loti which had a great location but only adequate rooms and they charged us $10 for the "free" transfer from the aiport and I didn't have time to argue with the desk clerk.<BR><BR>BTW, the taxi fare from the airport was less than $10 US even with driving around the neighborhood a few times so don't pay for the overpriced hotel transfers. It's also helpful if you have a map that shows where the hotel is as the taxi drivers don't always necessarily know where all the hotels are.

Hi Kathy,<BR>I am glad you had a good stay at the Ayasofya but my experience was different. I loved Turkey and the people were very nice and friendly. I especially loved Antalya. I would like to go back to Istanbul again when it is not so hot and humid. I was there at the end of June.