Garden House Hotel - Special Class

This hotel goes above and beyond from the moment you arrive! There's always somebody by the door greeting you with a smile, and everyone inside are just as friendly - especially Selçuk! We had originally booked a standard double room, but he upgraded us immediately to a suite with a view at no extra cost, simply because he wanted us to enjoy our first visit to Istanbul as much as possible. He was always around for any questions we had and able to organize trips and activities easily. The room itself was also beautiful - huge, extremely clean and tidy with two balconies and tasteful decor. Cleaning staff respected any signs on the door and left the room spotless daily! The breakfast was delicious, the servers were extremely hospitable and we loved that it stays open quite late! The whole premises is stunning - a very warm and friendly home base in such a central location in Istanbul! There's also 24/7 tea, coffee and biscuits for free in the lobby - much appreciated!

Garden house hotel is tucked away in the Sultan Ahmet area, within walking distance to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the historical Roman centre of Istanbul. The representation on the web site is close to reality and it has a wonderful authentic feel. They have 4 floors and no elevator and the surrounds are hilly so I do not recommend it to anyone who may experience difficulty walking or climbing stairs. Having said that I had bad knees but managed ok, just took my time. Staff here are very welcoming and will do anything to make your stay a happy and comfortable. Having the restaurant attached was a bonus. We enjoyed the breakfasts and the dinners that we had and the restaurant staff were super, especially Khadir who would respond with "why not?" to any of our requests. The rooms are clean, spacious and comfortable although "aged" everything was well maintained. Feedback from friends on the 3rd floor suggested that they had problems with water pressure at times but on the 2nd floor we had no problems at all. Although we had pre-booked tours and planned our stay the hotel reception were also willing to do this for us. They did organise a tour of the Hippodrome Cistern and museum, which is under the Nakkas carpet and pottery store nearby. It was well worth the visit, as the hippodrome history is part and parcel of the History of Constantinople. Finally, the cats. The cats are part of Turkish culture as are the community dogs. You will see them everywhere and I think it is wonderful how the Turkish people and approach these animals we found it an addition to our stay.

The rooms were really nice and welcoming. We enjoyed the in room hamam experience to its fullest and the balcony view where we could see the Marmara sea, even if a small part of the view. The location was perfect -very close to Sultanahmet Mosk and 7 min walking from the Tram (T1). The rooms were cleaned and supplied daily and the breakfast was tasty, traditional and variate. The stuff was helpful from free upgrading our room from downfloor to the first floor (better light even if the room was smaller), carying our bags and giving us precious info about what were our options for the New Years Eve Party. So, what can I say? Spotless. ♥️

Extremely well located hotel in the old historic town. Co-located with a great (if quite pricy) restuarant that can serve great versions of the local dishes. The view is also good either to the garden or to to street with a view to the old hippodrome wall.

The location was fantastic for visiting the old part of Istanbul which is what we wanted. Despite paying in advance, the staff were welcoming and available at all times to help with everything. All the staff were lovely from the breakfast staff to receptionists, porters and cleaners. We enjoyed the benefits of having water and hot drinks provided for free included in our stay as we were not going to drink the tap water. Breakfast included was a bonus and varied so something for everyone including Turkish coffee if you want it.