Hotel Ibrahim Pasha

This cosy little B&B is situated right next to the Sultanahmet square and is within a stone's throw of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. What we loved about this place was the wonderful warmth and helpful nature of the staff. They gave great advice and tips on which landmarks to visit and had great recommendations for eateries in the area. The only negative is that the standard rooms are a bit too small if you've got a lot of luggage. and the elevator is pretty tiny too! The rooms however are cleverly designed to make maximum use of the space and are quite cosy and comfortable. The highlights are the lounge area which is also a library with a great selection of books and their rooftop which has an amazing view of the Blue Mosque and the Golden Horn. We had a great original cocktail called the Orange box which one of the enthusiastic staff members made for us. Their breakfast buffet is small but is good with decent selection of fruits, fresh pastries, eggs, sausages and juices. I highly recommend that you spend at least 2 nights here which is enough time to explore the key historical landmarks; the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi palace and museum, the basillica cistern and others. The Sultanhamet tram stop is also quite close by if you want to take the tram (2 stops) to take a ferry from Eminou(Kadikoy/Uskudar) to the Asian side.

I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough. I had a wonderful five nights here, where I was made to feel at home. The rooms are what could be called Ottoman minimalist in design and very comfortable. There is a lovely rooftop terrace, with great views of the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya, both of which are only a short walk away. Downstairs there are two lounge rooms with fires, which were greatly appreciated during my chilly mid-January stay. The hotel is also only a short walk away from the Sultanahmet tram stop, which makes it very easy to reach other areas in the city, especially Eminönu/Galata Bridge (for the Spice Bazaar and ferries) and Karaköy (excellent for food and nightlife). Finally, the staff are exceptional. All of them were incredibly friendly and accommodating to requests. They gave me lots of suggestions on things to do and places to go, helped me plan itineraries and booked restaurants, hammams etc. for me.