bhrubin

Thanks. We are first time visitors but are fine being outside of the tourist areas--especially since we are getting a suite for free using points. We also have a friend living there now who can show us around, so the distance/time to the tourist sites isn't so problematic.

Yes, we have dinner reservations at Topaz, Sunset Grill & Bar, and Mikla for our 3 nights in town--since I've also heard the food is just so-so.

It's too bad the St. Regis got delayed (Feb 2015) or else we would have checked it out while there, since it's just a block or two away from the PH.

FlyingDoctorwu

We stayed at the PH on our last visit. It's a great hotel. The bathrooms are amazing, especially in the spa rooms. The Park suites though are a bit on the small and dark side. Solid service as well.. it's quite a pleasant location with a very European feel to it... Very very different than the historic area... Traffic in Istanbul is absolutely awful though. I'll echo those who say that this a lousy hotel for first time visitors. Having friends will be helpful but with traffic it can be a good 30-45 minutes to Sultanahmet.... and I found it a stressful time. Honestly, if I was to do it again I would stay at the FS right there for two nights.. see everything I need to see and then get out for some place more relaxing...

FS Bosphorous looks amazing but value wise the PH will always win.. Actually I've got an overnight in IST coming up and we've chose to go back to the PH.... we did like it quite much...

FDW

bhrubin

We are aware of the traffic in Istanbul, but we don't mind putting up with it for a day or two to Sultanahmet while saving thousands of dollars for a free Park Suite at the PH. The FS there wasn't cheap and our friends who have stayed there haven't loved it enough for us to bother. The FS Bosphorus presents the same traffic issues as the PH, so we feel pretty confident that we're making the right choice for us by staying at the PH. (Not to mention that we've been very impressed with the PH properties overall.) Free luxury is worth the traffic for us.

quitecontrary

From the FS on the Bosphorus there's a ferry from a pier nearby which cuts out the traffic - how far is the PH from the FS?

bhrubin

I'd imagine that the total time spent driving from the PH to the FS Bosphorus and then getting to the ferry pier and then waiting for the ferry and then the ferry trip itself and then waiting for a taxi at the Sultanamhet end will likely be comparable to the time driving from the PH in the first place. But thanks for the suggestion.

mintcilantro

I went on oyster.com to check out the photos or Ciragan palace and the grand deluxe room doesn't look very good in the photos. I wasn't planning on booking a suite, which looks better but not stunning either. The common areas seem palatial but the rooms are not. If booking the lowest category room, it seems like FS Bosphorus would be a better bet? We can always go check out the common areas for a dinner or afternoon tea.


http://www.oyster.com/istanbul/hotel...rus-view-room/

BENLEE

Which hotel in Istanbul have the best location for first time visitor? ie, most convenient, central and near to all the sights. Is Istanbul easy to walk around?

aa213bb

For a first time visitor who is primarily interested in sight-seeing AND being able to walk around, I'd recommend the FS Sultanahmet.

But, know that IST is somewhat spread out, so to get to the more fashionable/locals/food oriented neighborhood(s) will require a taxi ... or quite a bit of walking.

pricesquire

Not only is it spread out...the damn traffic!

vuittonsofstyle

I agree that FS Sultanahmet is the best option for a first-timer in Istanbul. You can certainly walk to the Bazaar and the mosques from there and there are some very interesting restaurants in the area. If you want to go further, then a taxi is required and the traffic gets worse each year. Depending on how long you stay, I would be inclined to split my stay between Sultanahmet and FS Bosphorus, which really gives you a flavour of the place. You can then do a Bophorus boat ride, which is very good, as you see quite a lot from the water.

bhrubin

I agree that the FS Sultanahmet is most convenient for seeing the historical sites, since they are almost all within a short walking distance from the hotel. You can see all of these in a day, as we did.

However, we stayed for our first visit just a few weeks ago at the Park Hyatt, which is on the new side of the city (still on the European side of the Bosphorus)--and much closer to all of the great restaurants in the city. Since we only spent a single day touring the historical sites in Sultanahmet, we found the PH location to be preferable. We took a taxi from the PH to the FS Sultanahment at 10:00 am, which took just 20 minutes, and then did our entire day walking around and eating in that area...and then took the public tram back to the final stop near the PH to avoid the nasty traffic, which took only 30 min plus a short taxi from the final tram stop to the PH. We avoided traffic and were able to stay in a much more convenient location for us (and the PH is much cheaper than either FS).

The traffic in Istanbul is quite nasty. So it depends on how you expect to spend your time, IMO, as to which hotel is best for you. Seeing the historical sites in Sultanahmet for us took just a single full day, and therefore the tram/taxi combo worked great for us to avoid the traffic to reach it and return. If you spend more time or several days visiting the historical sites in the Sultanahmet, then the FS there is likely your best bet.

Everyone here on FT told us the PH would involve too much traffic, but it actually saved us from more traffic since we only toured the one day and dined out at the great restaurants every night in town--all of which were on the new side of the city. Ataturk's Palace and some other sights are actually on the new side of the city, so we managed to get in some sightseeing more easily from the PH, as well. And the shopping is amazing near the PH if you like that.

vuittonsofstyle

When I first did the sights in and around Sultanahmet, I needed more than a day to see everything properly.

I like the Park Hyatt, too. I also really like the new Raffles (with some great restaurants in the hotel and outside), but both are more modern in feel and do not quite capture the feeling of old Istanbul, which is sort of what you want when you first visit.

aa213bb

Again, if walking is a priority I agree with Vuittons and others, as I said - it's the FS Sultanahmet.

HOWEVER … I tend to travel a bit more like bhrubin, in that many times I prefer to be a bit tucked away from the crazy touristy sites, so that I have peace and respite when I return "home". Plus, food is almost always my #1 priority (he says after a lunch at El Celler de Can Roca today), and rarely are those places found right amongst the über touristy spots (think Times Square).

So … all of this being said, while for you I would recommend the FS-S, for me I stayed at the FS-B.

Vuittons nails it, though. If you've more than a few days, splitting the stay between the two locations really nails a perfect stay (whether the latter involves the FS-B, PH, Raffles, or what have you).

kamel123

Agree, depending on how much time you have would also suggest to split the stay (e.g., 2 nights FS Sultanahmet, 2 nights FS Bosphorus).

Sultanahmet is the historical center of Istanbul, and therefore you have to be there to see the sights, but otherwise it's not an area I would stay in. Around the main sights, it's full of tourists, and there are tons of low-end B&Bs and restaurants. Away from the main sights, it's a poor part of town with many houses in decay, where you don't want to walk around alone after dark (not dangerous per se, just in terms of atmosphere).

FS Sultanahmet is great though. With its peaceful courtyard setting, it does provide the respite that you need after a day of sightseeing. One day for Sultanahmet only is cutting it pretty close. Main sights are Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, the Archeological Museum, the Museum of Islamic Art, and the grand bazaar. Depending on how much you are into ancient culture, you could easily spend a week touring, but I would suggest at least two full days.

FS Bosphorus is close to Nisantasi, the main upscale shopping area. This part of town feels much more European, more wealthy, and I found generally more pleasant. In terms of things to see, it's close to Dolmabahce Palace and Sabanci Museum.

Comparing the 2 FS, I preferred FS Sultanahmet. It's smaller, thus feeling more boutique. FS Bosphorus has a nice outdoor pool which is obviously a big plus depending on season. We did not like the fact that FS Bosphorus was charging EUR 1,900 for the Bosphorus view rooms in the original palace (and thus took a courtyard view). The two modern wings have less character.

BENLEE

Thanks for the great suggestions.

How about Shangri-la at the Bosphorus? The rooms looks very nice at least on the website.