- Istanbul
- (150)
-
Turkey
I have stayed in the Ottoman Hotel Imperial for a week from the 23rd of May till the 30th of May. It was my best stay ever. From the moment I contacted the Hotel, their Front Office/Manager were so extremly attentive, helpful and very prompt. They made me look forward even more to visiting Istanbul and staying with them. They never hesitated to provide me with any information I required, and were ready to service me even before my arrival. Once I was there, the pick up went very well and their reception was so warm, courteous and informative. Starting then, I received the best service by all means.The area, Sultanahmet, is a prime location :In the heart of the City, In the heart of History. The room was clean, comfortable, lush and had a lovely view. The breakfast/food was very good and they even serve some Ottoman dishes, which I found very delicious.The service is very courteous, impeccable and the staff are very friendly. They have a lovely garden, were you can relax and enjoy your food and drinks around the clock. Their Guest Relation Team is the best I ever came across. These ladies make your stay, a time to remember. In one sentence, I would like to sum it up : The Ottoman Imperial Hotel, Staff and Management, make your stay a home away from home with a magical touch. Staying in the Ottoman Hotel Imperial is a must, if you happen to visit Istanbul for business or pleasure.
I was travelling Turkey last year and booked all my travel through Walkabout Travel Turkey www.walkabout.com.tr They were fantastic. I wanted to be all good and be a real backpacker but it was so brilliant to have all the basics like transport, accommodation and attractions found for me, allowing me to do all the fun and interesting things. All the people in the office went out of their way to make sure i had the best trip possible and loved all my stories when i returned to Istanbul.
Just down from the Blue Mosque on the tram line in Sultanahmet
Comfortable rooms, superb beds, hotel facilities were above average. The continental breakfast was fresh of good quality and variety. The staff were extremely helpful. The hotel bar has terrific views over the old Istanbul looking onto the Bosphorus in the distance.
The hotel is based in a superb location and extremely central for all tram lines and tourist attractions such as the Topkapi palace, the Blue Mosque, Hadgi Sophia, the Grand Bazaar and so on. Walking distance for the Bosphorus ferry.
One criticism: because of its central situation by Taksim Square, the noise of traffic can be heard in the mornings. Overall a comfortable, central hotel, absolutely perfect for business, but especially for a city break.
Sıraselviler Caddesi No:45/1 Taksim 34437 ISTANBUL / TURKEY
www.starhotelsgroup.com/grand/index.htm
I absolutely have to recommend the beautiful Pera Place apartments located right off of Istiklal Cadici in the heart of the best neighborhood in Turkey. My boyfriend and I stayed there for 10 nights in May and had an incredible time. The owners are extremely helpful and trustworthy. The apartment has been beautifully renovated, but they kept the original mouldings and wood, so it still feels authentic. We ended up getting engaged during the trip, so obviously we had an unforgettable time.
If you are thinking of staying in Istanbul for more than a few days, this is absolutely the best place to be!
Lovely shop owner - Gelal - at this shop will bend your ear in praise of Islam and the Turkish state before giving you a deal.
Vezirhan Cd. No: 40
Cemberlitas
Tel 90-212-520-92-42
A beautifully and sensitively restored church with outstanding mosaics depicting various biblical scenes.
It's not easy to get to but worth the effort.
Go to the bus terminus at Eminonu on the waterfront side of the street.
Find the bus stop for number 90.
It should say Draman on front.
Ride the bus all the way to the terminus. It goes through a fascinating neighbourhood. Then continue to walk straight on up the same street up the hill.
At a T junction go left and immediately right up Nester St.
The church, a brick building which looks like a mosque is over on a side street to the right.
Don't go on Wednesday - it's shut.
We recently rented this homely lovely apartment for a five day stay in Istanbul and had a fantastic time. It was pretty cheap considering the size and location. There are two double rooms and another room with two single beds, kitchen, living room/dining room, one little bathroom, a little balcony and all the mod cons you'll need on holiday.
The views from the apartment look straight across the Golden Horn with the Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque visible in the distance.
The area (Beyoglu) was fantastic! Not very touristy (which I thought was great) but still with loads and loads of things to do, see and eat. A young hip crowd, loads of bars, shops, restaurants and very easy transport around the city (or walk to the Grand Bazaar in 30mins). The owner gave us a little personal tour around the area when we arrived showing us good local restaurants, bars, cafe and the best places to eat local delights.
Only one thing that might be a problem - it gets a bit noisy on Friday and Saturday nights due to the numerous restaurants nearby - the locals like to party around here, so probably not great for kids but it didn't bother us much. Other than that - is excellent in almost every way.
You can book the apartment via ownersdirect.co.uk:
www.ownersdirect.co.uk/turkey/TK821.htm
I love, love, LOVE Leb-i-derya. I don't care one jot that it's over-priced. It's refreshing to find a society in Istanbul hangout that's friendly and welcoming - even on a Saturday night in July without a booking. And the views are sublime. Try to arrive before sunset otherwise you'll completely miss the point and good luck in finding it! If you get lost, ask the doorman at the Richmond Hotel on Istiklal Caddesi for directions...
Kumbaracı yokuşu 57/6 Tünel, Beyoğlu
www.lebiderya.com/
I have lived in Istanbul for 14 months. The Sultan-ahmet area is the best for tourism and it is the location of the old city of Byzantium. It is also where you can find the St. Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque and Topkai Surai (Ottoman Place).
Any taxi can take you there
There’s a forgotten train ride through the middle east that no-one mentions or goes on; it lasts from 8am on Sunday to 8pm Sunday and goes through two vast countries. This train departs Istanbul and arrives in Damascus and on-route it meanders its way through the interior of Turkey bordering mountain ranges and plains and going through medieval cities such as Konya and the rarely visited town of Antep. You then you enter Syria and immediately hit the mecca that is Aleppo, with its bustling streets and many souqs and then you travel through Syria and finally end up in the oldest continually habited city on Earth, in one of the greatest cities in the middle east, Damascus… and all of this for £50.
Last October I went to Istanbul. I had been dying to go for ages but couldn't find any friend interested, and travelling solo was too daunting. So I found these women that organize tours of Istanbul for women only and had the time of my life. The guide was excellent and the support woman knew absolutely every single place. We had a great time all eight of us in the group. We saw amazing sites, and in the evening we visited great restaurants and bars, so stylish and incredibly affordable, and made friends with the locals. I recommend going to the hamam in Cemberlitas, that was an unforgettable experience, especially after a long day touring... I'll definitely be going back!
www.womenontour.co.uk
Cemberlitas Hamam: www.cemberlitashamami.com.tr/hamam_english.htm
Package Tours Turkey organized a four-day trip starting in Istanbul and ending in Cappadoccia.
Flight to Izmir, bus tickets, accommodation, breakfast and lunch was included.
First day: Izmir on the Aegean coast. A fascinating city on its own. Visiting Ephesus is a must; it's the most famous ancient city in Turkey. Pergamon and the place of the wooden horse: Troy. A stay at Canakkale is a good stepping stone to visiting Gallipoli (Gelibolu) and Anzac Cove.
Second Day: Pamukkale has spectacular landscapes. On approaching it, one notices a rock rising up, with terraced slopes filled with natural basins of white water that seemed more like ice than a hot spring, because of the color. It was a waterfall in snow.
Third and fourth day: Cappadocia's bizarre rock formations and caves make it a magically weird place. First day tour was Open Air Museum (has churches and shelters in it))
The second day tour in Cappadoccia was to Ihlara Valley. We walked between the valley and the river, we saw the small churches. The nature was fascinating. We had our lunch in a restaurant by the river. We were thrilled to be in these historical places and learn about the communities.
At the end, I can say that you should see all these spots. Allow these guys to arrange the tours for you. Thanks to Ismail for planning our tour and his well organized equip (travel agent employees, local guides and transfer men to airport). They were all friendly and helpful.
www.packagetoursturkey.com
Prof. K. Ismail Gurkan Caddesi No:2/A Sultanahmet/Istanbul
Telephone :
+90 (212) 5286365
Fax Number :
+90 (212) 5286367
Mobile :
+90 (532) 4216164
Email:
info@packagetoursturkey.com
We have just turned back from our Istanbul tour and I must thank Istanbul Daily City Tours since they have made our tour unforgettable.
They have a good organisation which is seen at the first step of meeting us at the airport. During the four day tour any minute was well planned so that we enjoyed the bhosphorus, the cultural ancients of both the Ottoman and Byzantian Empires.
It was a good advantage that their office was in the middle of the most favorite places like St. Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar and the hotels area.
Thanks again to all that kind people with their perfect service.
prof. k. ismail gurkan caddesi No:2/A
Sultanahmet - Istanbul
+902125286365
www.istanbuldailycitytours.com
My favourite drink in Turkey is Visne Suyu or sour cherry juice. It's so refreshing and tasty. If like me you want to make it a bit more "fun", add some vodka in your juice and enjoy a vodka visne!
As a long weekend break I would highly recommend Istanbul. If the stunning mosques and Ottoman architecture don't fascinate you, there is always the grand bazaar or spice markets. Ferries run up and down the Bospherous, constantly connecting the Dead Sea with the Sea of Marmara. The food is exceptional. Whether you'd like to try a real kebab at the top of Istekal where the stall sells over 10,000 per day, or sit in an outdoor restaurant overlooking the sea drinking very quaffable Turkish wine and eating freshly caught fish, the food will never disappoint. Turks love to dance, and the clubs rival anything in London. In the summer the parties move onto the roof terraces. Locals tend to be warm, friendly and helpful to the point of bending over backwards. I came out here for a weekend earlier last year and now I live here. You can't get a better recommendation than that!
I waited outside this mosque for my male friend to finish looking around: having that morning met up with a woman who had been screamed at for being improperly dressed, I was reluctant to risk the same treatment for some perceived infraction.
This site is of religious importance so I was surprised be the subject of sexual harassment there. I actually conducted an experiment whereby I stood perfectly still and allowed the leering men to circle me ever-closer, in an effort to see just how close they would actually get right inside the busy compound of the mosque.
Before my experiment was really completed my companion returned, and so it only behoves me to say if you are female and visit this place do not be lulled into thinking you will be any less harassed once you get there. After living in Istanbul for one year I can honestly say it was the most dangerous place to be female I have ever been to.
If groups of dodgy-looking men jingling change in their pockets and calling 'How much? How much?' as you nip from your house round the corner to the supermarket in broad daylight on a busy street would bother you then you might want to give Istanbul a miss. If you would be annoyed at being ripped off for every item you try to purchase (forget taking a taxi anywhere), sexually harassed by every man at every opportunity or stopped by police to be relived of your passport and then receive demands of payment for it to be returned, then I'd thoroughly recommend you to go somewhere else. A huge pity, because the city itself is unforgettable.
Head towards Rustempasha mosque, away from the Egyptian Bazaar or Spice Market. You'll find twisty streets full of tiny shops, including many selling wooden implements such as paddles for pide ovens, huge sieves, forks and spoons. The spice shops here are half the price of the Egyptian market, too, and if you're lucky you'll see the hamals (market porters) at work, or find a cubbyhole selling cay (tea) inside one of the old han courtyards.
Around Rustempasha mosque, Eminonu
On Peykhane, one of the streets running off Divan Yolu and about ten minutes' walk from Cemberlitas. Unassuming, bright diner, with excellent, cheap meals (pide, kebab, salad, soup), no hassle or hustling, friendly staff, and the best fresh bread we tasted in the whole city. 12-20 liras for two. Convenient for Sultanahmet hotels but out of the tourist beargarden.
Karadeniz kebab, Peykhane
I think it is the best restaurant in Istanbul. Wonderful atmosphere with friendly service. I was very impressed with the menu and excellent quality of the food. Some dishes are exclusive to the restaurant. The Destiny Special is a delightful combination of tender beefsteak with a cream and mushroom sauce, served with a cinnamon cabbage in red wine sauce. Also recommended is the Destiny cake made with spinach - it melted in the mouth and tasted just of vanilla and cream. Don't be put off by the green colour! Definitely worth a visit. Reasonably priced too.
Bereket Mah. Haci Ali Sok. No. 11/A, Galata-Byoglu, Istanbul. Can be found by walking down from Galata Tower or by climbing up the steps by the Oyak Bank near the tramway in Karakoy.
A great place to watch an authentic folklore and dance show and for dinner. Very happy and friendly atmosphere.
On Cumhuriyet Caddesi, 10 min walk from Taksim Square towards Hilton.
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