Originally Posted by
W213Sal
First you need to decide if you want to stay in old Istanbul (near say blue mosque) or new Istanbul (near taksim) I like both last time I stayed at IC taksim which is literally the stop for the havalist bus from the new airport
For me best hotels are probably
The IC or Ritz near taksim (great location for getting around)
Either of the four seasons (in new or old Istanbul)
Hagia Sofia mansions (hilton curio)
But I also like Conrad or shangri la bosphorous (a little bit out of th way but good views)
To be honest, there is almost nothing around the Taksim area and I wouldn't call that the new Istanbul; yes, there are some touristic spots on Istiklal Caddesi, as the church, etc... but those shouldn't be a place where a first-time should focus on.
For the Four Seasons Bosphorus, it's overpriced and every time the OP wants to go somewhere he would need to walk 30+ mins or take a taxi. I am not even speaking of the horrible traffic each weekend at that road. Shangri-La has a better location compared to the Four Seasons but still I wouldn't advise a first time stayer to stay away from the touristic spots. Same applies for Conrad -> very nice hotel, horrible location for tourists.
The Four Seasons in Sultanahmet and the Haghia Sophia Mansions are better choices for the OP within the list you provided.