Nice, quiet, neighborly neighborhood, only five minutes' walk from the Hippodrome and Sultanahmet: that's the situation of Istanbul's Hotel Tashkonak ().
Completely renovated in spring 2014 but still Ottoman/Old Istanbul in inspiration and style. Nice people at the hotel, too. Need information on what to see and do in Istanbul? They know, and they'll help.
Just off the lobby is a sheltered terrace for breakfast or sipping a drink or for relaxing in the evening.
The Hotel Tashkonak's 32 rooms all have private bathrooms with shower and hairdryer, air conditioning, minibar, TV, safe deposit box, and direct-dial telephones. Three of the rooms have small balconies, and several rooms have private safes for your valuables.
Several rooms are set up for families, either connecting rooms or larger rooms capable of sleeping four or five people comfortably.
There's free Wifi throughout the hotel, so if you've got your laptop, you can look at your photos, check your email or plan the rest of your Turkey adventure while sitting in the garden listening to the birds!
Little Tomurcuk Sokak is a side street with almost no traffic, so it's blissfully quiet, and it's a real Turkish neighborhood with kids playing in the street, local residents wandering by, and a nice village-in-the-city ambiance.
The Tashkonak also has recently-renovated and modernized suites in a separate building nearby, worth consideration if you want or need more room and facilities.
If you plan to stay at the Tashkonak for four or more nights, they'll arrange a free transfer from Atatürk Airport or a discounted transfer from Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
You might also consider the Tashkonak's sister hotel, the nearby Sultans Royal Hotel.
Hotel Tashkonak
Küçük Ayasofya Caddesi, Tomurcuk Sokak No. 5 ()
34400 Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey
Tel +90 (212) 518 2882, 638 3186
Fax +90 (212) 638 8491
—by Tom Brosnahan