I stumbled upon Sümengen via Twitter and instantly knew this was the hotel for me. Tucked away in the lower streets of Sultanahmet, this one time Ottoman mansion has been converted into a 25-room, family-run boutique hotel seeped in charm, apple tea and dried apricots. It's a perfect location for exploring the Emperor's playground as it's truly at the heart of tourist land. That said, it's an easy jumping off point to other interesting neighbourhoods once you've ticked the "must sees" off your list.
Second only to the outstanding service (Ibrahim met us at the door with tea and we sat for an hour chatting before we even checked in to our room) were the incredible breakfasts. We've travelled all over the world and still rate this as one of the best hotel breakfast spreads we've ever had. (It doesn't hurt that the rooftop dining room overlooks the Marmara sea.)
Don't expect a luxury, big box experience. Our room was a bit dated. That said, ask for a room in the back of the hotel as noise wasn't an issue at all. But do expect to have your pants charmed off by Ibrahim and his team. From price to location to genuine hospitality, this place was an incredible find.
Oh, and spoil yourself - go with the Bosphorus jacuzzi room. read more