We're planning on a Greek Island Cruise originating in Istanbul in June 2005 and ending in Athens. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced hotel in either location? I don't think 200 euro is reasonable. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Ralph T.

I was there two years ago so my advice is not completely up to date but I stayed in sultanhmet instead of the taxsim section. I was at hotel spectra which is a best western (still an boutique type hotel) and I think I paid around $60/night but it would be higher today with the slide of the dollar.

Taxi fare was very cheap there so whether you stay in the newer or older section it was easy to get around.

In Athens I stayed in a hotel that I think was called Athens Center. I showed up at the airport there and the hotel finder service at the airport booked it for me. It was only 42 euro for a single and was okay since I was only there one night but I am sure there are better choices unless you are just looking for a basic room. It was right on the Plaka so the location was good.

Hope that helps but do keep in mind this is two year old advice, I am sure someone else can give you more current information.

Hi Moneyman,

200 Euro is a very reasonable amount for a good & quality hotel.
Do you wish yo be in central Athens or little outskirts, same in istanbul Sultanahmet the old city part or Taxim Square area so I can spell out some names.

Take Care and cheers

200 euros seems like a lot, especially when I convert it to CAD. I can't speak for Istanbul, but I know we were able to find cheaper hotels in Athens in 2000. I'm hoping to go to Istanbul next September, and definitely hope to find cheaper than that.

Holiday Inn Istanbul City was formerly the Hotel Oclay and the family is still actively involved in the property's operation. It is in a great location on a main thoroughfare, just inside the ancient city walls. There is a tram stop directly in front of the hotel, but we found it to be a nice, safe walk of perhaps a mile and a half to the Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, etc. Along the way, you'll pass many places to eat or stop.

As for the hotel itself, we checked out several of the rooms and found all of them to be decent-sized and well-maintained, with mini-bars and windows that open. (You might want to close them at night, since there are two mosques in the immediate area and the morning's first "call to prayer" pierces the air at 5 a.m. We didn't mind that at all, but others may feel differently.)

There is a well-appointed restaurant with a full menu as well as lighter fare available in the lounge-bar area. There is a nice indoor pool area. Housekeeping was excellent. Rates are more reasonable than some of the more monumental hotels in the city; many of which are located across the Golden Horn in the Taksim area.

In addition, the Holiday Inn Istanbul City offers free airport pickup, which should be arranged in advance (you can do it by e-mail.) A taxi back to the airport for an early morning flight was less than US$17 when we visited in March 2004.

We found this hotel to be an excellent choice; not a luxury property, but certainly first class and significantly better than what we would classify as a typical "tourist-class" offering. Rates vary, but we stayed for around 100 Euros/night and the room was quite large.

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hpt/ISTMC

I would recommend hotel Sari Konak in Istambul's old town (www.sarikonak.com) around $70/night (10% discount on all rates when you pay cash). We stayed there twice and recommended it to lots of others. It is a small traditional house converted into a hotel. The location is great, you can walk to all the old town sites. resturaunts are right there. All the rooms, except two, are small. But they are clean and comfortable. The owner is always there to serve Turkish breakfast and chat. The rooftop sitting area gives you a great view of Istanbul and the sea. It was a charming experience.

You should consider changing your name from moneyman to tightwad!!! A quality hotel in most world class cities is $200.00 -$400.00. Perhaps, when they open Istanbul-Las Vegas you'll be able to get the room for $69.00. You always get what you pay for!! It's a once in lifetime trip with your best travel buddies, and you've already saved $800.00 by booking through Costco!!! Now quit your whinning and step up to the Four Seasons.
xoxo,
S&S

P.S: We've already booked you at the Ciragan Palace. (basement room, kitchen view, E230.00 a night.)

Saying you don't think 200 euro is reasonable just doesn't make any sense. Reasonable for what? Are you saying if they offered you a luxurious suite at the Four Seasons for 200 euro that would be UNreasonable? Don't be silly.

I suspect you should say what you mean. Which is "I don't think I want to pay as much as 200 euro." Or "I don't think 200 euro is considered a cheap hotel, and I'm looking for cheap." Or say what you mean -- "I'm not particular and only care about a place to sleep." Or better yet say "what's the best I can do for 150 euro?"

Points are being made here that don't seem to take into account the specific economics of the cities involved. In the case of Istanbul, the truth is the OP can easily stay at a well-located Hilton, an Inter-Continental or a Crowne Plaza for well under 200 Euros/night. Those are high quality properties and the poster is asking a very legitimate question in terms of capturing value for his outlay in a location where that can easily be done.

One should be able to find a budget hotel for under US$100 easily in Istanbul, as in all lower cost European countries. Three years ago we paid $60 US. You should expect a very small clean room near most sites with room off the street and a private bath and TV and usually a Turkish breakfast for this amount. No pool, no luxury, but everything that counts. $200 US will not get you much better for the money.

I just checked my journal and in fact we paid $50 US in 2001 May for a small private room in Sultanahmet Hotel, so for $100 in the same area, you should do ok.

My journal indicates that the cheap hotels and restaurants are all on Akbiyik Cad. Easy walking distance to all the sites on the European side, and the street is closed for a wonderful market on Wednesdays. We especially liked the roof top terrace at the Sultan Hostel on Akbiyik (not to be confused with the Sultan pub near the cisterns and Blue Mosque, which is a rip-off!), where you can see the Blue Mosque minarets and the boats on the Bosporus while sipping dollar beers and eating $2 lunches. We also booked our Cappadocia trip at a travel agent on Akbiyik.

Curiously for $120 a night (on the same trip) we stayed one night at a hotel in the pricey and trendy Marina area near the airport. It was only slightly bigger, but much better decorated, and had more TV stations for that amount of money. Not worth the difference.

I just posted on the following thread recommending the Armada Hotel in Istanbul: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34532070

Rack rates are absolutely meaningless in Turkey. Tourism is suffering greatly there, so don't bother making reservations before going, except perhaps for the first night. Walk around and you'll be able to negotiate a good deal. You should easily be able to get a very good place for $100. I know people who found excellent places for $60.

We very much enjoyed the Ibrahim Pasha hotel in 2003. Somewhere between $75 and $100 US as we never spend more than that in Europe. It too is an old house converted into a small hotel. Comfortable breakfast room and young, helpful, English speaking management. It is just one block west of the Blue Mosque, two blocks south of Aya Sophia, on a quiet street. Just east of the Grand Bazaar. We enjoyed the Medusa restaurant and a fish restaurant with a long name that started with an "S", listed in Fodors or Frommers I am sure, both in walking distance. And a great shop between the hotel and the Grand Bazaar called "Sofa" with a mix of antique and contemporary art and home furnishings and a great owner (the one who recommended the fish restaurant). Enjoy planning your trip!

You might want to look at Apricot Hotel. We stayed there on our recent trip to Turkey. It is clean, moderate hotel (45-55 Euro) with good (not great) breakfast, is within walking distance to the attractions, but on a quiet street. . Our room was a bit small, but it did have a/c.

My vote is for the Mavi Ev in Sultanahmet, a great position, we had a room with a view of the Blue Mosque. The call to prayer in the morning to my mind was a bonus, it just added to the mystery of where we were.

I have stayed at the Hotel Ambassador. (www.hotelambassador.com)Great clean room/bath with breakfast. Very friendly staff. So close to all the sites for $40/night (winter rate) and they picked me up at the airport. I have stayed there twice.
Very Good Value. I've also heard that the Empress Zoe is very charming and a little more expensive.