Istanbul Hotels
 

we are staying at the Lamartine Hotel in Istanbul. anyone been there? any comments ? thanks

which area is it in? If you have a choice try and stay in the beyoglu area which has better shops and restaurants and a night life. Sultanahmet area is boring at night and the hotels are not as nice. Though most of the sights are in the sultanahmet area, it is an easy cab ride from Beyoglu.
Enjoy Istanbul and dont forget to get the Turkish Hammam experience. Worth every penny you will spend.

The Lamartine is in the Taksim area and is a modern high rise hotel. Have not stayed there but should be fine if their web-site can be believed. By the way, I totally disagree with tweetex, but to each his own. If the only reason you are going to Istanbul is to stay in a modern high rise hotel, go shopping and experience the night life then the Taksim and Beyoglu area is for you. If, however, you want to experience the "real" Istanbul, stay in a delightful boutique hotel in a converted Ottoman home, and enjoy inexpensive but delicious traditional food (Kumkapi area), the Sultanahmet is the ideal area. Just being in Istanbul is a real pleasure - no matter where you stay. Remember taxis run both ways!

CharlieB, I am smiling reading that taxis run both ways. Frankly, I wasn't impressed with food in Istanbul at all. Everything was very bland. Prior to Istanbul,I spent 5 days in Antalya, actually Beldibi and loved every minute of it. The boutique hotel I stayed in Sultanahmet was tiny. Sorry, I like biiger rooms where I don't bang my knees on the corner of bed frames :-)

Join the club Tweetex .... I like big rooms too and luxurious :-))

Why not try the Hyatt - big rooms decorated like the inside of a tent, very large pink marble bathrooms, down filled duvets. While a brand name hotel, it doesn't have an overpowering lobby (rather small), and lovely restaurants.

Don't know your budget, but we loved it and easy enough to walk further down into Taksim and Istiklal (pedestrian mall).

And yes, taxis run both ways!

I would agree with CharlieB about not staying in Taksim where you pay regular prices for chain hotels in a country that should be a bargain. And Turkish food is one of the great cuisine's of the world, according to the people who say those sorts of things.

But no matter, BUNNYBAER, et al, ARE staying at Lamartine Hotel.