hotel recommendations for Sultanahmet, Istanbul

We stayed it the St. Sophia Best western last Sept. for five nights. It is across the alley from the Haggia Sophia museum. Since we had booked five nights we arranged for an airport taxi pickup which was without a problem. There was a problem, though, Using the airports ATM. Someone loaded an old bill into it and we could not find a bank including the national bank that would change it for us. If you need a travel agency while you are there I can help.

I liked the Apricot hotel: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g293974-d780484-Reviews-Apricot_Hotel-Istanbul.html
It was clean and quiet (other than the call to prayer). Friendly and helpful staff. They gave us a free pickup from the airport.

We stayed at Sur Hotel Sultanahmet last year for seven nights. It was clean and comfortable and the staff were friendly. The breakfast room has a great view of the Marmaris. You can check it at booking.com. A short walk up the hil past DoyDoy Restaurant and you are at the Blue Mosque. We enjoyed our stay there.

Just got back from great RS tour in Istanbulstayed at the Hotel Sumengen in Sultanahmet. Clean, comfortable and "efficient and friendly staff". A great hotel! Though the area is not 100% quiet (there is a train nearbybut not loud, at least to me, and there is normalto me, anywaynoise, but nothing jarring. Though you may be more sensitive to certain sounds than I am.) There is the call to prayerbut not blaring, at all. Quite beautiful, and when I needed to sleep, I never heard it or any other noise. Hotel Sumengen was recommended to me by Julia Stier at Elizabeth Holmes travel (they work a lot with RS tours).
All the best, Starling

Hi Gwen, Yo can try Aziyade Otel in Sultanahmet. I stayed there last year for 3 nights. Alltough the quality is not top, price is good and centered location is advantage. I also recommend you to visit Assk Cafe for a breakfast at Bosphorus. You should go there at weekday, since its very crowded at weekend. Do not try herbal tea, but you should definetly eat an sandwich and drink a cold lemonade.

I stayed at the Sumengen hotel for a RS tour of Istanbul last May, and it was really a pleasant experience.

I just left Istanbul today. I was very happy staying at Osman Han Hotel. The pictures don't do the rooms justice. The walls are thick so I found the rooms to be quiet. The bathrooms updated and nice. Roof top deck has great water view and the breakfast is good. They also loan a laptop computer to use in your room if you need internet access. Worth the price.

We were in istanbul 2 weeks ago and stayed at the Ottoman Imperial and really liked it. Nice quiet rooms that are well appointed and location is great-just across frrom the Ayia Sofia-easy walk to Topkapi and all major sights.

The Hotel Sultan Hill is located below the Blue Mosque on a very quite street. If your window is open you can hear the early morning call to prayer but it is not loud. The hotel is a beautifully refurbished Ottoman building and was superb for my wife and I and our two teenage kids. Paul

I too have stayed at the Hotel Sultan Hill and would stay there the next time I return to Istanbul. It was listed in
RS Istanbul Guide Book with a note that you would receive a discount if you mentioned his book when making reservations. We did and they asked to see our book when we checked in. Very good everything.