Saratoga Hotel Sultanahmet

First off, the service was truly wonderful. From the moment we entered on the first we were greeted with exceptional warmth and made to feel right at home. We were constantly in and out during our stay and every time we returned the person at the reception was so kind and welcoming. The were very helpful and attentive to all our needs and constantly went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable. The breakfast was also lovely. My wife and i loved it. I regret to say I didn't get the name of the lady who cooked it but she did a wonderful job and she was always very kind to us every time we went down to eat. My only minor gripe (it is a minor picky one, doesnt warrant going in the other section) was that our room was awkwardly shaped as you may see from the pictures of the balcony room. It was awkward getting out of the bed when on the side of the slope and you have to be careful otherwise you'll hit your head. However this was clear from the pictures so no fault of the hotel of course. If you've slept in an attic you'll be used to it. However the view from the balcony is really nice. You get a partial view of the bosphorous (or the golden horn idk)

Na

The hotel is perfectly located for the sights of Sultanahmet whilst still located in a quiet part of the area off the main crowded streets. Good for unwinding after a day of sightseeing. As a solo traveller I felt safe and appreciative of the staff friendliness and willingness to answer my questions and give me advice where needed. Also breakfast was superb- set me up for the day ahead!

It was right next to a lot of the major sites

On the third floor ceilings were shorter than expected

Location was good, had a sea view from the balcony, breakfast good and you could get a coffee anytime from reception. Room was good size.

They demanded i pay cash at the desk, so I had Turkish Lira ready, arrived and the guy at reception starts tapping away at his calculator, in which I asked what he is doing, he refers me to a screen showing very poor exchange rates. Basically they are running a bureau de chanfe type fiddle at the desk so they can charge you more. Mystifying and really annoying. Still don't know what currency they was exchanging from to TL. I was quoted on Booking £86 but actually paid closer to £93. That's around 9% on top which I think is out of order. By the way, when I booked a sea view room I received a greeting message from them and I replied confirming the sea view. 'Depends on availability' they said. I had to demand they honour what I'd booked. Suggest you take a screenshot of what you select before you confirm it AND verify you will get the room you booked. I don't like this tricky behaviour. I book in good faith but from thereon they just tried to get the better of me. I am going back to Istanbul in May but won't stay there again despite its good points. On another note, withdrawing cash in Istanbul is mega expensive, so do your homework on that too.