Hotel Daphne, Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul's Hotel Daphne is a shiny jewel of a place in Sultanahmet only two minutes' stroll from the Hippodrome (At Meydanı).

The hotel takes its name from a Byzantine palace that once stood beside the Hippodrome.

There's a sense of refinement and style in the 18 guest rooms and two suites that one would expect in a more expensive hotel. All the modern comforts are here, of course, including TVs (some flat-screen models), sophisticated individual remote-controlled air-conditioning units, satin bed coverlets, minibars, private safes for your valuables, piped-in music, hair-dryers and combination tub-and-showers in the private bathrooms, wireless Internet throughout the hotel, an elevator/lift to take you to the five floors, and English-speaking staff.

Because of the hotel's position, all rooms enjoy sunshine and marvelous Sea of Marmara views. Top-floor rooms have small balconies.

Perched at the top of a slope, the hotel faces south toward the sea across a historic mosque and ruined dervish hall. Because these historic buildings cannot be changed, there is nothing to block the hotel's view. The panorama is best from the rooftop restaurant-bar-cafe of course, but there are even good sea views from the lobby. A bonus: partial view of the Byzantine church-turned-mosque called the Little Ayasofya Mosque (Küçük Ayasofya Camii) which is just down the hill from the hotel.

Speaking of the restaurant, it specializes in Ottoman cuisine, but also features several Italian pasta dishes, and an interesting, eclectic wine list with vintages from France, Italy and South Africa as well as from Turkey.

The marvel, for me, is that the sights around the Hippodrome—the Blue Mosque, Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Basilica Cistern, Divan Yolu—are so close, yet the street is so quiet. (It is literally a 95-second walk from the hotel door to the Hippodrome—I timed it.)

I also like the fact that two ruined dervish halls are right in the neighborhood, giving it a historic ambience. (No dervishes left here, alas...)

To find the Hotel Daphne, from the Sultanahmet tram stop, walk southwest through the Hippodrome, past the Blue Mosque and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. The building at the southwestern end of the Hippodrome is the rectorate of Marmara University. Follow Mehmet Paşa Yokusu, the little street on the right-hand side of the rectorate, for one very short block, then turn right onto Dizdariye Çeşmesi Sokak for one short block, then left onto Su Terazisi Sokak. The Hotel Daphne is one short block along Su Terazisi Sokak on the right-hand side.

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Hotel Daphne
Binbirdirek Mahallesi, Su Terazisi Sokak No. 10, 34400 Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey

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Above, a guest room in the Hotel Daphne, on quiet Su Terazisi Sokak in Sultanahmet, Istanbul.

Left, Sea of Marmara panorama from the rooftop restaurant-bar-café.

Bottom, the ruined dervish hall and mosque that allow the fine view from the roof terrace.

View from Hotel Daphne, Istanbul, Turkey