Istanbul - the best of both worlds

Advantages: Fascinating, historic, romantic, magical, nowhere else like it
Disadvantages: Must go at the right time, can be very busy

...aspects of other empires who had reigned over the city. The famous Haghia Sophia cathedral became instead the Aya Sofya, a magnificent mosque, today one of the city's chief attractions and the old name "Constantinople" was changed to Istanbul by Mehmet the Conqueror. Istanbul is teeming with historical treasures which means you are really spoiled for choice in deciding what to do. You do need to come to terms with the fact that on a short visit you are unlikely to be able to cram in as much as you'd like. Most places have long queues and, if you visit in the height of summer, the heat will slow you down. Don't be tempted to squeeze in too much sight-seeing; accept that you can't see everything. Places like the Topkapi Palace need at least half a day to do them any justice and even a visit to the Grand Bazaar will take longer than you think...

fizzytom 05.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Istanbul (Turkey)

Istanbul one city in two continents

Advantages: So many wonderful sights, clean and easy to get around, reasonable prices
Disadvantages: Smoking in some places put us off our meals

...Istanbul sightseeing. This is a review of my experience and really there is so much to see and do you need to read a few of the great reviews on this site, as I did before we went in order to make your own mind up as to what you want to experience for yourself. There is no way I could go into depth about every sight, I have tried to create a desire to go and a taste of what is there. WHEN WE WERE IN ISTANBUL: We spent five days in Istanbul just before Easter 2009 and we stayed at the Orient Express Hotel in the Sirkeci area of old Istanbul. (Another separate review) Istanbul is the only city built on two continents and split by the sea. The Bosporus is the section of water which unites the two continents and joins the Sea of Marmara to the Black sea. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The first thing that struck me as we drove from the Airport to...

catsholiday 27.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Istanbul (Turkey)

Fine seafood cuisine in prime Istanbul tourist territory

Advantages: Excellent seafood, good value for money, good tourist location
Disadvantages: I'm about 20km away from it

...INTRODUCTION On my business trip to Turkey, I get to go to Istanbul centre at the weekends if I?m lucky. There aren?t many decent restaurants where I am staying and so any chance to find one is very welcome. It was when walking around the tourist mainstay of Sultanahmet that myself and a colleague had to choose somewhere to eat, which was proving tricky, as the Lonely Planet recommendation for the area didn?t seem to exist any more. As this area is one of Istanbul?s main tourist traps, this threw me a bit. Restaurants in big city tourist areas to me guarantee several things; proximity to sights, high prices, outside tables, insistent restaurateurs and menus disappointingly tailored for tourists. The choice came down to which one we instinctively liked and I favoured Pasha, as it seemed to have a decent seafood menu, so in we...

larsbaby 16.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Pasha, Istanbul

A peaceful haven within sight of Istanbul

Advantages: Quiet, no traffic noise or pollution, good food, scenic
Disadvantages: Not huge amounts to do

...Just a short ferry ride from Istanbul, the Princes Islands are a brilliant place to kick back and escape the relentless noise and bustle of the city. Other than emergency vehicles, motorised vehicles are not allowed on the islands which makes them very peaceful and makes walking more enjoyable. I love to walk but Istanbul can be hard work for walkers and so visiting the Princes Islands gives you an opportunity to stroll without needing eyes in the back of your head. Huddled together in the Sea of Marmara, each island has a character of its own and it's easy to forget the proximity of one of the world's largest cities. The Islands can be visited all year round but ferry and hydrofoil services are less frequent in winter. One of the reasons they are so popular is that several of them have beaches and this is the nearest place to...

fizzytom 22.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Princess Islands, Istanbul

Orient Express but not on rails - Great Istanbul hotel

Advantages: Great location, very good customer service and food in restaurants good
Disadvantages: rooms a little dark and we had no view , could not flush toilet paper in the toilet

...The Orient Express Hotel , Hudavendigar Cad No: 34-34110 www.orientexpresshotel.com This hotel is part of the Sirkeci group which is a group of hotels and restaurants in Istanbul. Sirkeci is also an area of the old part of Istanbul and The Sirkeci Railway Station was the terminus of the famous Orient Express train and was just round the corner from the hotel. GETTING THERE: We arrived at the airport after a flight from Birmingham via Amsterdam and having read a number of reviews about the taxis from the airport and their enthusiasm for speed and reluctance to accept a fair fare or take four people in one taxi, we choose to book an airport transfer. We were met by a gentleman with our name on his notice and then escorted to a taxi outside. The journey was quite speedy but incident free, a couple of hairy moments, some very close...

catsholiday 25.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Orient Express Hotel, Istanbul

  In the lap of Turkish luxury on the outer Istanbul extremities

Advantages: Superb facilities, friendly staff
Disadvantages: Remote location and complicated to get to the tourist areas, noisy weddings

...INTRODUCTION For several months this year, I found myself in Istanbul on business, holed up in a hotel on the Asia side of the city deep in the suburbs. This gave me the opportunity to get to know a lot of things about the hotel, as well as the time to make some observations. There is quite a long travel segment at the end of this review, but if you ever find yourself here you?ll understand why! BUSINESS HOTEL TITANIC Titanic is a hotel chain in Istanbul, with other hotels dotted around various locations in the city. This hotel is located some 20km from the historic centre of the Europe side, and on the other side of the water on the Asia side. It?s a very new hotel, having opened for business in June 2008, and looks quite incongruous in the immediate area, which looks a little tatty and is under development, with many...

larsbaby 13.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of Titanic Business Hotel, Istanbul

Renaissance Hotel, Istanbul.

Advantages: Close to the airport, very grand, good facilities
Disadvantages: Rather bland, very average food, expensive

...I have had a one night stay here recently. I had never been to Istanbul before so was excited about my visit. This hotel is a five star hotel owned by the Marriott group. It's located 11 miles from the centre of Istanbul which is easy to get to by public transport or taxi. The airport is about 3 miles away and the hotel runs a free shuttle bus. First impressions: The hotel is a striking, blue glass plated tower with 27th floors and 404 rooms. It looks very grand and modern. The lobby is quite spacious and there is a security guard and a metal detector as you first enter the hotel as there have been several recent terrorist attacks in Istanbul. Check In: This was very quick and easy as there were plenty of staff milling around. They seem to speak a variety of different languages and were very polite and efficient without being...

Katieshaz 19.11.2008 · Read review
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Review of Renaissance Polat, Istanbul

Ooh la la in Istanbul?

Advantages: Cheap; handy location
Disadvantages: No air con so pretty bad in summer; tiny rooms

...When we stayed at the Paris Hostel and Hotel in Istanbul it was at the end of a three month circular trip and we wanted to try some different accommodation to the place we?d stayed at some fourteen weeks earlier. A week before we were due to arrive back in Istanbul we did an online search for something suitable and found the Paris H&H. I have no idea why it?s called "hostel AND hotel". Maybe they think a dormitory means a hostel and private rooms mean a hotel? Anyway, this is plain and simple accommodation with very few, if any, frills. It is hostel standard, or one or two star standard in hotel-speak. Had we known then just how much money we had left at the end of the trip, we?d have spent more, isn?t hindsight great? The hostel is in a very useful location in the Sultanahmet district approximately halfway between the Grand...

fizzytom 28.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Paris Hotel&Hostel, Istanbul

The authentic side of Istanbul dining

Advantages: Excellent food, great service, even some vegetarian options, authentic local dining
Disadvantages: Meat laden menu, no fish offered, calorie count off the scale, miles away from any tourist area

...INTRODUCTION Having agreed to work in Turkey for a couple of months, I thought that I'd be somewhere near the bright lights of Istanbul. Surely the historic mosques, the bazaars, the relentless bartering and the crazy fusion of East meets West would be waiting for me? Would my first ever visit to Turkey have a frission of excitement to it? Erm, actually, no. As an engineer, I find that our customer locations where the telephone exchanges I work on are usually in the cheapest part of town possible, with the sales and marketing guys of course right in the centre of town. You might have gathered this from my previous critique from Beckton, East London. Sadly, foreign companies are just as cheap, and in this case the customer office (itself very nice I must say) is 20 or so km out from the city centre, on the Asia side of the city...

larsbaby 09.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Ünlüer Et, Istanbul

Istanbul - recommended restaurants

Advantages: Great food, diversified cuisine and an amazing city
Disadvantages: N/A

...Happy New Year to all and I am happy to be back after a long vacation. I wanted to share some knowledge about restaurants in Istanbul and I hope you use it when you go. After all, It is a great city. Check out Reina (www.reina.com.tr) and Sortie (www.sortie.com.tr). Both of these locations are nice locations by the Bosphorous. They both have several restaurants and bars so you can go for drinks in the afternoon, dinner and late night dancing. Both have amazing views. I recommend Dragon (Chinese), Park Samdan (International and Turkish) and Kosebasi (kebab) at Reina and Al Jamaal (arabic food, belly dancing, fun place) and Marca at Sortie. Ulus 29 is one of my favourite restaurants. It has an amazing Bosphoros view and great food. Very classy and romantic place. Booking advised. I definitely recommend it. Turkish...

ayalasaf 05.01.2009 · Read review
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Review of Istanbul (Turkey)