Hey everyone, I’m planning a trip to Istanbul and looking for hotel suggestions. I’ll be there in late December, staying for a week. I want to see both the European and Asian sides of the city. Anyone have a favorite place to stay?
You should check out the Four Seasons in Sultanahmet. It has a lot of charm. I stayed at the Peninsula, but it felt more corporate, not as cozy.
Thanks! Also, quick question—did you mostly use taxis or Uber to get around? Sorry for asking so much!
You can walk to most of the big sites from the Sultanahmet area. Definitely check out the Cistern! And yeah, Four Seasons offers a free shuttle to their other hotel on the Bosphorus. From there, you’re close to high-end shops and Dolmabahçe Palace. It’s worth the visit if you have time!
We used both Uber and private cars.
Uber in Istanbul is really just local taxis that Uber books for you. It’s still better than trying to flag down a random taxi, but watch out—some drivers try to add extra charges by taking longer routes. Always take a picture of the meter and check what they input into the Uber app before getting out. I had one driver take a super long route from the airport, but Uber fixed it after I complained. Just stay alert, especially for airport trips.
Four Seasons Sultanahmet is fantastic, but if you’re on a budget, check out Armada Hotel nearby. Great views of the Blue Mosque and Bosphorus, plus an awesome breakfast buffet!