Fodor's Expert Review Darussaade Hotel Istanbul

Two adjoining 19th-century houses offer old-world charm and comfortable rooms close to Sultanahmet's main sights. It's decorated in Ottoman-Victorian period style, with cozy furnishings that include brass beds and lamps, floral wallpaper and textiles, wooden floors with plush area carpets, and old-fashioned-style telephones. Most rooms face the neighborhood, though a few on the upper floors have views of the Sea of Marmara or the top of the Blue Mosque. Breakfast is served in summer on a rooftop terrace, which has the same view and is also the site of a Turkish restaurant offering à la carte lunch and dinner selections. Service is both friendly and efficient.