Dersaadet Oteli, Istanbul, Turkey

The Dersaadet Oteli is a recreated Ottoman mansion inn on a quiet neighborhood street less than five minutes' walk from the Blue Mosque and Hippodrome in Sultanahmet, Istanbul.

Lots of dark wood and bright smiles at this carefully created and maintained 17-room inn.

The Duyar family, third-generation hoteliers, commissioned a notable Istanbul designer, Aytekin Topçu, to create a harmonious, unified interior design for the entire inn.

Virtually all of the hotel's furnishings were custom-made to Mr Topçu's requirements. Your eye catches this visual harmony throughout the hotel in glimpses of common motifs in guest rooms and public spaces: the dark wood mouldings on doors, windows and headboards; the creamy marble of the staircases, the marble vanities in many of the bathrooms, and the handmade Turkish carpet runners in the hallways.

In the lobby, the paintings and hand-made ceiling decoration were created by local artists inspired by Ottoman-era decoration.

My favorite sitting place is the rooftop terrace, which has bowls of potpourri on each table, and exceptionally wide, sweeping views of the Sea of Marmara from both the open-air and enclosed portions.

The accommodation favored by honeymoon couples is the Sultan's Penthouse Suite, a spacious, sumptuous Ottoman vision of red velvet and gold lamé, with comforts the Ottomans never enjoyed, such as a whirlpool bathtub and remote-control TV.

The hotel's 14 standard rooms have either double or twin beds; some have an extra twin bed so a couple and another person (a child, for example) can share a room. For more space, the two Corner Suites are ideal.

Dersaadet ("Gate of Felicity"), by the way, was the Ottoman imperial sobriquet for Istanbul, and the Dersaadet Oteli nicely recreates the charm of Ottoman times, but with all the modern conveniences.

Many guests comment that the hotel's short street is a "real" street, with normal neighborhood shops rather than the touristic shops found on nearby streets.

The hotel's owner, Mr Deniz Duyar, spent several years in New York City, speaks fluent English, and understands what visitors want, need and like. His family legacy of hotel hospitality has been made even more keen by university degrees in hotel management. Deniz Bey is usually available to answer any questions you may have about the hotel.

If the Hotel Dersaadet is fully booked, consider staying at the Hotel Niles near Beyazit Square, owned and operated by another branch of the family.

Click here for room rates and reservations.

Dersaadet Oteli
Küçük Ayasofya Caddesi, Kapiagasi Sokak No. 5,
Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey
Tel +90 (212) 458 0760
Fax +90 (212) 518 4918
www.dersaadethotel.com
info@dersaadethotel.com