Had a great stay at Armada Hotel recently…read more Great location, a short walk to Sultanahmet, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque. Near the water (Sea of Marmara), close to Kennedy Cad. walking through old archways to the shore. You can see the seas from the windows in your room (if you're lucky to get one facing that direction), from the great rooftop terrace or the breakfast area - one side views of the water (even spotted dolphins one morning), the other, views of Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. Nice lobby, with a small pond of turtles, memoiabillia, historical artifacts. The room (Queen size bed) was clean, comfortable, cutely decorated with nice touches (like paintings on furniture), nice colors, slippers, plenty of soaps in the bathroom, lots of storage, best bath towels (absorbent and big), teas, coffee, water bottle and another one in the mini fridge. We had room cleaning once and the lady did a great job, bringing more water, swiping the floors, making the beds, putting the bathroom back together. Nice touching gifts - like the nice bookmarks we found on the nightstand! Staff was nice and attentive, from the booking phase, to check in, they brought us lemonades till they finished cleaning our room, to every day help. At the end, they were nice to call for a taxi for the airport on our behalf and they helped with luggage and all, made sure we left early to make our flight due to road closures for May 1st holiday. Even if the hotel is lively, has a bar and a restaurant, it was quiet, no issues at night, got great night sleep. Comfy bed, pillows, comforter. The breakfast buffet is one of the best we ever had, they do put lots of hotels in US to shame! You can get your regular cereals, omelet, boiled eggs, but you have great fruits (best watermelon) and fresh vegetables, Turkish pastries, cheese-s, jellies (quince, apricot, orange), tahini, home made yogurt, local treats. Nice coffee, try the Turkish chai/tea and the Cherry juice is a must! Once again, nice service and great views all around. Great hotel to stay while visiting Istanbul. Affordable, pampering, nice experience. And since it's Istanbul, the hotel has its own cat that greets you! Wonderful location, staff, view, local touches!

This was a beautiful hotel with a breathtaking rooftop view of the Blue Mosque; clean, spacious,…read morenicely decorated rooms; and friendly staff! I enjoyed my stay for the most part, however there was one thing that made the stay extremely unpleasant. There's a fountain in the lobby where several aquatic turtles are kept, and all of them were sick due to improper husbandry (no UV lights or heat, no exposure to sunlight, lobby lights on 24/7). The turtles were pale and one of them had pneumonia (floating sideways in the water); another was extremely weak and minimally responsive. I own several aquatic turtles and am a veterinarian with special interest in reptiles, and seeing these sick animals with improper housing really upset me. The staff seemed receptive when I offered suggestions for improving their housing and welfare, but it's hard to say whether anything was done after I left. Also, there were several songbirds in dark, dirty cages, also with no exposure to sunlight or UV light, who looked depressed and did not appear healthy. Several other visitors I spoke with felt the same way about the welfare of the animals at the hotel. If these animals can't be housed properly, then I don't see the point of displaying them. It's a turn-off to tourists who care about animal welfare. Keeping reptiles and birds healthy in captivity involves specialized care and lots of research. I truly hope the hotel owners/staff can either improve their living conditions or rehome them altogether and avoid having exotic pets on display going forward. I've been thinking about these poor animals months after my visit, and I hope they're not still suffering.

This is a wonderful boutique hotel in old town Istanbul! We moved here from a high-rise hotel on…read morethe Asian side of Istanbul and were so happy to be in the heart of this wonderful city. We were greeted at the door by Ertan, the front desk staff on the weekend, and everyone we met was smiling, friendly, and professional! We had booked only two days before, but our rooms were side-by-side on the third floor and were ready early for us to check in. We were walking distance to the Grand Bazaar, the blue mosque, the trolley, and much much more. Halil, the headwaiter, was amazing! As was Handan, the cook in the rooftop terrace café/breakfast area. And what a wonderful rooftop terrace it was! I spent many hours there, both while enjoying wonderful breakfasts and Turkish tea and coffee, as well as while reading in the shade, looking out over the water and the rooftops of old town Istanbul. This is a wonderful place to stay if you want to explore the older part of Istanbul. Halil, Handan, and Ertan were especially outstanding during our stay, providing helpful advice, service, and friendship. I can't wait to come here again and stay at hotel Niles! Thank you to everyone, from the manager, Ozan, to the housekeepers, Emine and Aynur - you all made our stay memorable and welcoming and I cannot imagine a better vacation!

I am SOOO happy I chose to stay at Hotel Niles my first visit to Istanbul. From the moment we…read morearrived at the hotel, we were welcomed with Apple Tea and keep in mind, this was late at night. A first great impression I will never forget. I absolutely loved the look of the hotel. It's exactly what I was looking for. It has a lot of personality and you feel like you're in Turkey. Beautiful architecture and intricate designs everywhere you look. The rooftop terrace was especially my favorite. All of the staff kept asking if we needed anything. Kemal provided us with so much information about where to go and directions on how to get to all of the destinations. There is a complimentary breakfast offer every morning. This was very convenient and the food tasted great. On one of our stays, Halil, greeted us back into the hotel after an exhausting day shopping at the grand bazaar. When we were in our room, Halil knocked on our door and surprised us with hot tea and a cut-up cheese stuffed Simit. We were so excited and we will never forget the top-notch service they all constantly provided us with. Also, we are animal lovers. There were two kittens living outside of Hotel Niles. The staff made a box for the kittens and fed them and provided them with water every day. We loved that. Shows how much they care =) The location of the hotel is excellent. All we had to do was walk up the street and we were at the grand bazaar, a tram station that you can take to get to other parts of Istanbul. Also, if you walk up the street, you will run into never-ending shops and kabob spots. It's amazing! Super convenient. I plan to come and stay at this hotel again. I miss it so much! I hope this review helps you decide on staying at this hotel. You will not regret it! Thank Hotel Niles! You made our first experience in Istanbul an unforgettable experience we will keep with us forever.

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel is amazing! It is very centrally located in the historic district near most…read moretouristy places in Istanbul. It is steps away from the lovely Gulhane Park. Few minutes walk to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cisterns and Blue Mosque. It is also a short walk to Grand bazaar and spice market. The tram station is steps away so it was easier to go around the city. The hotel itself was clean and comfortable. We had booked the family room and it was great for our trip. The room was comfortable with all the amenities we would need for the stay. Their breakfast buffet was amazing and had a lot of options with continental and turkish items, and we had enough vegetarian options too. They also had afternoon tea daily which was wonderful touch and much appreciated. The staff was wonderful. Everyone we met at the hotel was very kind, friendly and helpful and went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable. They also have Hammam and massage services in their spa. My friend had tried their massage and she said it was wonderful. The hotel is pretty historic and does seem a bit outdated and not as polished at first glance, but the rooms and facility is clean and well maintained. I would definitely stay here again if I am back in Istanbul as the location and staff are a 10/10.

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel is the best! It is in the historic district near most of the must-see places…read morein Istanbul. It is close to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cisterns and Blue Mosque. It is a short walk to the Grand Bazaar, Spice Market, and around the corner from a train station. The rooms are comfortable and the staff AMAZING! Our warmest "thanks" to Sukru Araz at the desk, Fatime in the lobby and dining area, and Sevcan in Housekeeping...They are some of the most caring and friendly people we have ever met on a trip! Do yourself a huge favor if travelling to Istanbul...STAY AT SIRKECI MANSION HOTEL.

I chose this hotel to host a Master's Program reunion and I'm so glad that it was our home for 4…read morenights. The Swissôtel Bosphorus is the epitome of luxury and location. Prior to choosing this hotel I requested proposals from multiple hotels in Istanbul, but what made this so special was the view of The Bosphorus. I want to thank Mustafa and Gozde for being great in presenting, proposing, and answering the countless questions that I had about this property before our arrival. The hotel exudes class, modern facilities, and something for all types of travelers. From the moment you arrive at the hotel you feel safe. There is a security checkpoint for all vehicles and a metal detector in the lobby for all visitors. This made my group feel safe and prior to my arrival 2 of the members of my group were thoroughly impressed with the hotel and thanked me for choosing it. Our first night there we dined at Madhus as a welcome dinner. It is an Indian fine dining gastronomic experience that set the tone of our stay. The food was delicious, the presentation was excellent, and the service was impeccable. We all enjoyed our meal there and when you stay at this hotel you must dine here. All of us enjoyed our respective rooms. Whether they were the Swiss Advantage Garden View Room or Swiss Bosphorus View the rooms were clean, spacious, and comfortable. The Purovel products in the bathroom were a good quality for a hotel. The housekeeping team kept our room clean and stocked upon request. We all had a great experience here. I would like to think that my group thought everything was amazing- the views of the Bosphorus, the hotel amenities, dining offerings from breakfast and fine dining at Madhus and 16 Roof were all excellent. From the lobby to the reception and concierge everything and everyone was delightful and extremely helpful. On behalf of my group, I would highly recommend this hotel and would love to return just so that I personally can use their tennis court.

This is one of the 5 star hotels in Istanbul by the water on the European side. The service here…read morefor reception and restaurant is definitely 5/5. The lobby is absolutely beautiful, very clean, the bellmen are attentive and sees to you immediately every time we asked for a taxi. The restaurant is where we spent quite a lot of time in using the AYCE for an extra 50 for breakfast and dinner. The food here was really good, I would say above average so far compared to outside food. The Risotto is okay, I wouldn't order it again. The Manti is amazing and lentil soup is divine! The only reason why it's getting a 4 instead of 5 star is because of the smoking but I guess that's just the city/country itself. Our room was non-smoking but still smelled like smoke. The outdoor seats where everyone is always seated is a smoking zone. Eating with cigarettes just ruins the food overall and makes me nauseous. Our room's laundry was broken, no scissors available as well. Wild but still a beautiful place. Will likely come back here again if I come back in this area of Turkey! Shoutout to - didn't mention all, forgot names :( - Selem, Saliha, Mustafa, and Gabor staff. Perfect service, always top notch, kind, professional.

Our last stop in Europe, Istanbul. The Hilton is beautiful…read moreinside and the rooms are spacious. We found that the phone has 2 USB ports and a multiple selection of charging connectors. We ate exclusively at the Arlo Restaurant. We drank Turkish red wines and were not disappointed. Our last dinner was Charred Calamari and the waiter recommended the Lamb Chops. Outstanding! And he made sure that I ate the sauce which was very delicious. I would stay here again. We enjoyed it very much.

This is the most beautifully appointed Hilton and I, unfortunately, enjoyed only one night here…read more Far more luxurious than any in the U.S. or Europe (including U.K). that I've enjoyed. The other downer was that I was feeling pretty ill when we checked in, so I couldn't fully appreciate the property. The staff were beyond helpful and friendly. Loving me some Istanbul, Turkey!!!

This IHG property has the most amazing views! From the top you can see 2 continents...a panoramic…read moreview over the Bosphorus, Sultanahmet, the historic part of the city, and Taksim Square. It's in Beyoğlu and on a bit of a hill, so it has some of the best views of any hotel in the city. The hotel's Lights Bar & Restaurant on the top floor has glass walls and you can see a complete 360 degree of the dramatic Istanbul skyline. Wonderful place for cocktails at sunset or to watch the ships cruising on the water at sunset . Bosphorus view hotel rooms also have great views. One of my favorite things about this hotel is that even though it stands on its own and has great views, it's also within walking distance of so many sites in Istanbul and you can even get to to Taksim Square in about five minutes by foot. Surrounding the hotel on nearby streets there are also various markets and nice places to eat if you decide to venture out of the hotel. Beautiful pool as well.

Very fine hotel not a great location too touristy but not one other complaint…read more Except yelpn85bxhararacetr

I cannot say enough good things about hotel Neorion. It's located in the heart of old town…read moreIstanbul, within walking distance to most of the historical sites. I felt very safe walking at night. The service was top notch, they even packed me a to-go breakfast bag because my early flight was before the regular buffet style breakfast. So sweet of them! I stayed here in Dec, and the hot water was hot hot hot. So relaxing at the end of long chilly days. There is also an in house hammam. Definitely something to experience if you've never had a Turkish bath before. I would 1000% stay here again if I were to find myself back in Istanbul.

I am really glad that reviews of this hotel were spot on... this really is a great hotel with an…read moreawesome location! I knew this would be a really nice place when I checked in. Everyone was so kind and I could tell that they wanted both me and Camilla to feel comfortable during our 4 night stay in Istanbul. My room was on the 4th floor and was spacious. The room was also really really clean. I felt very safe and comfortable. There were places to sit and relax as well as a very comfortable bed to get my much needed Z's. What this hotel does really well is it goes above and beyond with the little things. When you enter your room you are greeted with delicious Turkish Delight and a sweet note. They also have a pillow menu and list of items that they can give you if you forgot something at home. The rooftop is awesome! I loved sneaking up there with Camilla early in the morning to watch the sunrise and bird watch a bit. At night it is a great place to have a glass of wine or bourbon while resting your tired feet. They don't have a bar up there so you can feel even better about bringing your own snacks or drinks up! There is a pool but I did not use it. I guess I'm just not the indoor pool sort of person. Breakfast in the morning is substantial. They have fruits, veggies, cereal, yogurts, pastries, eggs, and much more! The staff are really awesome and will hey you fresh juice or coffee right when you sit down. They have unobtrusive tip boxes where you can show some paper money love should you wish. In the afternoon there is a free snack time. I didn't take advantage of it. I wish that I had but for some reason I can only fit so much food in my tummy and I wanted to try as many places in the city as I could! I wouldn't have been able to eat much of anything if I filled up during snack time! Again the staff here are really super helpful. I woke up the last morning a bit ... hung over... and slow ... and when I called them to ask for late check out they were kind and told me not to rush. They also watched my bags no problem during the day of my flight and kept them safe in a locked area. Again the location is really good and they are more than happy to give directions. You won't have to walk very far to get to the main sites and I found the area to be very safe. In fact, Istanbul itself seemed pretty safe in the tourist areas. They have tourist police and I think that they really must do their jobs! I did get into one taxi that tried to cheat me ... on the mirror you can see the meter and the guy had it already started. I asked him to start it over (we hadn't moved) and he refused. So I got out of the cab. No big deal. Just thought I'd warn anyone who ends up reading this. My other tip is to go to popular sites right when they open. The crowds are much less and you won't have to wait in line forever. When I come back to Istanbul I will DEFINITELY stay at this hotel. They are worth the small hit to my backpacker budget (I spent a little over $100 USD with a very last minute booking), when I travel on my own thin dime i usually try to stay under $50 a night... Camilla said it was her favorite hotel of the entire trip and that if you have a traveling familiar or someone you want to impress with a value added hotel, you have found your place!

Gorgeous hotel that is definitely a level above in luxury to other hotel brands of its class in the…read morearea. It's a little bit out-of-the-way on an elevated hill, but that gives it superb views and is nothing that a short cab ride can't fix. From the entrance into the hotel you can tell it's gorgeous. The lobby is opulent with high ceilings and a circular staircase with an elaborate cupola. Ipec who works at reception is fantastic and so efficient and nice. I have Hilton gold honors status and at this hotel that includes an incredible full buffet breakfast in the morning. Shout out to Selin who was so helpful and charming at breakfast reception, Gamte, and terrific servers Güllü, Fartif and Cihan who made me the best iced latte. You can pick your room in advance online on the Hilton app during check in and I picked the highest floor, which is the 14th floor. Flawless AC which is very much appreciated in the hot summer months. Rooms have huge picture windows (and the smaller windows open!) with incredible skyline views of Istanbul. The standard rooms are a bit on the small side, but absolutely gorgeous with lovely ceramic details and beautiful glass ottoman style lamp fixtures. Beds are large and super comfortable. The best part are the super bathrooms that have this incredible large shower with a seating area and three different faucets. One is like a fountain and will actually shower down your back! The toiletries are also excellent and everything is a very high standard. The pool is beautiful with a Jacuzzi and has full service and a bar. There are also tennis courts. There's also a really lovely Turkish restaurant and an Italian restaurant. It's really more like a city resort than just a hotel. The only problem with this hotel is you might not leave very often to go to town because it's so comfortable and relaxing. I honestly feel like I've been at a spa because of the beautiful gym, spa amd hammam at the hotel. They have a full-size hairdressing salon as well. One thing I really enjoyed about this hotel is that the clientele is extremely international so you really do feel like you're traveling in exotic Istanbul; it's not just full of people from a cruise or tour groups. It's a very interesting and eclectic mix of guests. I really enjoyed my stay here.

The suite was lovely and roomie, just what we needed after a busy day of sightseeing. The patio…read morewas lovely with great views. I did let them know it needed a deep clean as there was lots of dust visible in nooks. Breakfast was spectacular with I think anything you could want. Would definitely stay again.