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The Ottoman Hotel Imperial is
a very comfortable 4-star boutique
hotel on Caferiye Sokak literally right
across the street from Ayasofya (Hagia
Sophia) in Sultanahmet
(map).
You cannot be any closer to Istanbul's
major historic sights.
Topkapı
Palace and the Archeological
Museums are right around the corner,
the Cistern
Basilica is across the
street, the Hippodrome and Blue
Mosque literally a two-minute walk away.
Why does that matter? Let's say you
like spending a lot of time examining
historical sites or museums, but one
or more of your traveling companions
would rather return early to the hotel
for a nap. No problem! Your hotel is
right there.
Forgot your camera? Pop back to your
room and grab it in a minute or less.
Location is a good reason to stay
at the Ottoman Hotel Imperial, but a
better reason is the hotel itself.
Two Ottoman-era buildings have been
beautifully renovated into a very comfortable
boutique hotel with 55 guest rooms,
all services, and especially engaging,
helpful staff.
The size and shape of the conjoined
buildings makes the hotel something
of a labyrinth. Because the buildings
are historic, the owners were limited
in the changes they could make.
The
guest rooms are of all sizes and shapes
(very common in Istanbul boutique hotels
in historic buildings), so inquire
about the size of
your room and its private bathroom when you make your reservation.
The management is out to please here.
They want you to depart happy and tell
your friends about their hotel.
Is it noisy? Not
really. The area around the hotel is
closed to all but very occasional traffic
and made into a pedestrians-only zone.
The tram goes by on neighboring Alemdar
Caddesi, but even that is soon to be
moved to a new route. You will hear
the call
to prayer, of course, but you
hear that everywhere in Turkey. It
really is a superb location.
The hotel's Matbah
Restaurant serves
Ottoman
cuisine in glass-enclosed dining
rooms and a delightful open-air terrace
overlooking the courtyard of a historic medrese (theological
school). Ask about their special menus,
such as "Food at the Time of Mehmed
the Conqueror," a historical feast
to celebrate the anniversary of the
conquest of Istanbul in 1453.
Ottoman Hotel Imperial
Caferiye Sokak No. 6 (map)
34122 Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey
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