Terrace Guesthouse, at Kutlugün Sokak 39, Sultanahmet, Istanbul (map), is a small, simple, bright, sunny, friendly, quiet, well-located guesthouse with only eight rooms, all air-conditioned, with private bathrooms.
All rooms have small refrigerators (“mini-bars”), and Turkish carpets are everywhere.
The owner, Mr. Doğan Yıldırım (his name means “lightning”), is friendly and welcoming.
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| Hagia Sophia from the top-floor guest room, viewed over the Four Seasons Hotel, which has no such view! |
Doğan (“doh-AHN”) Bey will show you the hotel’s small selection of rooms, including one at the very top just off the roof terrace breakfast room/lounge, which has spectacular views of Hagia Sophia and also of the Sea of Marmara.
If you climb one level higher, the small open-air terrace has even better views of the sea, and excellent views of the Blue Mosque and Ayasofya as well. What a place to sit!
Even if your room has no real view, it will have something special. For example, a small ground-floor room gets nice sunlight, is decorated with no fewer than nine Turkish carpets, and right outside its window is an erik ağacı (plum tree) that, Doğan Bey says, “Produces the best plums in the world!” They’re yours to enjoy (May& June).
The Terrace Guesthouse’s location couldn’t be better: literally around the corner from the front door of the posh Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet (double room: €560/US$726 per night), and less than three minutes’ easy walk to the Hippodrome and Ayasofya.
And get this: no guest rooms at the Four Seasons have Bosphorus views, and breakfast is usually not included in the rate. At the Terrace Guesthouse, you pay a mere fraction of the Four Seasons’ price, most of the rooms have Bosphorus views, and breakfast is included.
Most rooms are reached by a rather steep stairway (no elevator/lift), but most guests believe the views are worth the climb.
The hotel lobby has a pile of carpets that are for sale, but only if you’re interested. No hard sell here.
Terrace Guesthouse
Kutlugün Sokak No. 39 (map)
34400 Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey
Tel +90 (212) 638 9733
Fax +90 (212) 638 9734
| Cankurtaran Hotel Area |  |
Terrace Guest House Availability 