Atatürk Library Tours and Activities

I had a great experience at the Richmond. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the breakfast was nice too 😊

We enjoyed our 4-night stay at Hotel Sultanhan while exploring Istanbul. The location is perfect, an easy walk to the major tourist sites (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern), and just around the corner from the Cemberlitas metro stop that provides convenient access to other parts of Sultanahmet and Karaköy. (It rained for our entire visit, so we took the metro multiple times every day—you can either tap a MasterCard or purchase a fare card for a slight discount. It’s less than $1 USD per ride and the trains come every 5 minutes. The system is very easy to navigate with GoogleMaps). The breakfast spread was extensive and the view, even through the rain, was amazing. Staff were friendly, attentive, and helpful. We were initially in room 407, which was only OK. It was not as luxurious as the pictures had led me to believe. It also ran quite hot and had a slight musty smell. We were moved to a 5th floor room with a balcony that was much more comfortable, though still a little warm and the walls were a bit thin. One of the two elevators was also out of service during our visit. Our only other complaint was that the self-use spa was not worth it. For $45, we basically got to use the sauna for an hour. Perhaps it’s worth it to pay extra for the full-service hammam instead. Overall, we were very happy with this hotel for the price ($65 USD/night through Expedia felt like a steal). It was a great home base for exploring Istanbul.

I like the kind service and tasty food