This is the Mecca of Istanbul visitors! Hard to miss if you plan to check out the Blue Mosque…read moreor/and Hagia Sophia since this plaza is right in between them. It was April when we visited, so the trees where in bloom which is nice! The end of the tulips season well. The fountain is pretty, check out the mosaic fresca-s and details that decorate it! Plenty of benches around, ideal to grab a snack near by and sit here and enjoy it. Not an easy task because the area is crowded with lots of locals, tourists, even huge groups. Lots of photo ops here, everywhere you turn is a nice sight! A few restaurants around, as well as street vendors if you want to grab a simit, roasted chestnuts, corn or fresh squeezed juices for a snack break. Prices are higher than in other areas since it's such a touristy area, but oh well... when in Sultanahmet Square... you should expect it! Our hotel wasn't far, so we would the plaza to get around town since it leads you to the tram, shops and restaurants also! Try to visit in the evening, it gets way quieter and the buildings are beautiful lit up! Hard to miss, good area to check out, stroll, take a break in the action. This is the center of historic Istanbul, expect crowds, but try to enjoy the sights as well!

This large plaza is located between the Topaki Palace and the Blue Mosque…read more It quite litterally contains many of the top attractions in the Faith / Sultanament DIstrict. There are also a few parks, plus the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cisterna, The Hippodrome of Constantinople, et al. It is usually packed with people during the day but clears out at night. The fountain near the Hagia Sofia is not exactly the fountains at Bellagio but the color changes with the Mosques in the background are fun to watch. There also is a multitude of restarants, vendors, shops, ATM's and tram station nearby

Great location for walking to most of the hot spots! Grand Bazaar, Spice Market, Hagia Sophia,…read moreMosques, many more... Sound proof windows and walls to keep out the city noise and call to prayer in the wee hours of the morning. Front desk is awesome. Friendly and helpful. Breakfast selection is great. Outdoor balcony seating with great views as well. Tram line stop is also just in front of the hotel for easy access.

Warning, a mosque view is great and all, but not at 6am when they start prayer. It can get quite…read morenoisy. But it sure was beautiful! They offer free wifi but it was so spotty I could only get it at the edge of the bed. Location was right across from the grand bazaar and walking distance from Sultanahmet square. The room itself is nice, but the bathrooms could have been cleaner and nicer. They do offer a free hamam for guests, which is actually really cool, unfortunately I didn't get to partake in it, but it's still nice they offer that. We got free breakfast on their rooftop restaurant, which has great views too! The staff spoke fluent English, Spanish, and Turkish - and they accept USD, Turkish Lira, and Euros.

Have stayed here multiple times. Fantastic views of the Bosphorus . Rooms are clean and well…read moreappointed. Breakfast is delicious and staff are generally very helpful. Will definitely stay here again....

Overall a good hotel, with some great things to highlight and a few things to improve…read more The good: the breakfast is really excellent and was one of the highlights of my stay here. The breakfast restaurant has a really nice, on-the-water view of the Bosphorus. The location is great, being on the water, and being close to a lot of good food in the neighborhood. The service was also nice and friendly. Things to improve: the rooms could be maintained a little better. In my room the shower door couldn't close all the way so a little water would get onto the bathroom floor while showering. And the bathtub drain stop was broken, and couldn't pop up when pressed. Also, this hotel is labeled as a 5 star hotel on google maps, but it's actually more of a 4 star hotel.

Exceptional hotel!!!…read more At a mere $150/night including breakfast, this is a STEAL for an amazing, luxury hotel with stunning views of the Bosphorus. *In fact it's on sale for $135 at time of this review. Location: Situated right on the European side of the Bosphorus, the views are BREATHTAKING!!! The only drawback is you are quite far away from the old town and tourist attractions. That said, expect peace & quiet....and beautiful scenery. A 30min taxi ride gets you to the Blue Mosque and all the other tourist attractions no problem (watch out for that Istanbul traffic!) Rooms: Amazingly large - even the smallest room they offer is huge by many hotel standards. No expense has been spared: floor to ceiling glass windows, private balcony, all marble bathroom, privacy screen from the bathroom into the bedroom and high end amenities. Overall an amazing hotel where I'd definitely stay again. Top luxury at an incredibly affordable price. Tip: Traffic is always a pain in Istanbul and lateness often the norm. So give yourself plenty of time!! Especially getting to the airport.

Outstanding hotel right on the bosphorus! The service here is fantastic and you just can't beat the…read moreviews from the balcony. I love this hotel and stay here every time I'm in Istanbul. It's away from the hustle and bustle of the city in a quiet peaceful area so you can sleep with your balcony door open and enjoy a peaceful evening!

Levent is a very nice area of Turkey! Where is many things to do nearby like shopping and eating!…read moreThere are 3 big malls in this area called Ozdilek Park, Kanyon and Metrocity Mall. These are all pretty good malls in my opinion and with the shopping like I said there was countless restaurant around. Under the mall in between Kanyon and Ozdilek is the Levent Subway while will take you to Darussafaka or the other way to Sishane. One of the quickest ways through town, believe me! While your in this area, make sure you stop by the Sapphire Building and get a 360 view of Istanbul on a clear day!

Rude and nasty attitude concierges. No help whatsoever. Limited room service menu. The room was…read morefilthy. Around the toilet bowl had a scent of urine. My stay was short, I slept on one of the brown chairs in the room and used my travel blanket to cover myself at night. Unfortunately there is no option for "0" stars. I was offended...PERIOD!

It is probably one of the best hotels I've ever been. I was…read moretheir guest for 5 nights and I have to say that everything was really comfortable and there are no issues I can complain about. At least, nothing that depends on the hotel, because honestly one thing I don't like is looking at the skyscrapers at night, rising high all around the hotel, with all their lights and adverts. But this is not their fault so ok. The breakfast is something unique, the variety available is huge and anybody from any culture will find here his/her favourite food. Moreover, the restaurant with the breakfast looks on the Bosphorus, amazing view without skyscrapers! There is a gym with free access for all the guests and also a game room on one entire floor where all the guests can play for free the last videogames of the market. The italian restaurant working at night on ground floor (Piola) is nothing special. The business pack includes two item ironed for free every day. It was really useful. My experience in this place was great! Recommended

Stayed here for like 4 days in between cruise vacation. I loved that it is walking distance from…read moreTaksim Square and easy access to transport and sightseeing. The staff were professional and kind and accommodating. They go above and beyond negotiating with taxi driver's for guest's safety and even helped one of my friends' got scammed for paying large amount just for TEA purchase. The rooms are modern and well-maintained. And they also have high-quality Turkish breakfast. Highly Recommend if you are in the area...

Nice hotel with friendly staff and perfect location. Breakfast is €15, but really worth it - a…read moregreat selection of turkish breakfast specialities.

İstiklal Avenue means Independence and is the longest pedestrian street in the historic Beyoğlu…read moredistrict of Istanbul, one of the most famous avenues in the city, known for the cute red trams, lots of shopping - malls, US stores, restaurants, some street food, elegant buildings, fun to walk it. We found our way from Galata Tower and once we reached it, we explored it and stopped along the way to check out stores (cute bookstores), coffee shops, a cool passage, an Italian church -of St. Anthony of Padua(the biggest catholic one in Istanbul) and so on. Lots of American chains, clothes, food (fast-food) which we avoided. But we tried a cheese borek (salty cheese pastry) from the gentleman with the cart. It is fun to see the vintage trams passing by. We continued to the end, till we reach the end of it marked by the French Institute and Taksim Square. It is worth checking it out while visiting Istanbul, not super crowded, but very lively!

Istiklal Caddesi is a great/must see area of Istanbul. Basically, what this location presents is a…read morestreet full of all kinds of shops, cafes, galleries, restaurants, and a bunch of other businesses. It truly shows off the unique culture of Istanbul. My suggestion is that you come here early in the day on a weekday. During this time frame the street is not too crowded and you can really take time checking things out. On the weekends and later in the day, this area can get pretty hectic and very crowed with people. If you want to avoid that, come during the off-hours. I suggest the way to visit this street is to walk over the Galata Bridge. This bridge, of course, provides you with a great view of Istanbul. From there, just follow the main street up. If you have any location concerns, GPS will easily take you here. This is a long street with an uphill trek. Of course, that also means, on the way down, it is a downhill trek. Nothing too steep or anything like that, but it can provide you with a bit of a cardio workout if you are a fast paced walker like myself. Overall, this is one of the must see areas of Istanbul. This street provides you with an excellent view into the modern shopping and culinary culture of Istanbul.