Hotel Sapphire

The Sapphire hotel is located in the Sirkeci district, near the city's main historical monuments (Saint Sophia, the Blue Mosque, etc.)and tourist attractions (Archaeological Museum and Egyptian Bazaar), and is 11.25 mi from the airport.

The bedrooms are well equipped.
The contemporary wellness area, which includes a sauna, a swimming pool, a Turkish bath, a whirlpool bath and a massage room, is brand new.
A small downside: the main restaurant has no windows.

Opened in 1999 and extended in 2008, the Sapphire is a well maintained hotel. The decor may seem kitsch to some, but the 32 additional bedrooms (superior category), the second restaurant and the wellness area do raise the tone of the hotel. The lobby is rather surprising and the lounge area, to the right, really makes you feel that you are in a furniture and sofa shop. Even though you are not here to buy, you will still be spoilt for choice when you sit and relax here. No fewer than 6 styles of sofa are set out around an imposing fountain. You would almost think you were at a theme park with such striking extravagance. At the other side of the reception, "Jeannot", the parrot, screens the entrance to the lobby bar. He is very friendly, so do not hesitate to talk to him, especially if you are leaving.The panoramic terrace, located on the 6th floor, serves as a bar in the summer and offers an ideal view of the Saint Sophia Basilica and the Bosporus.The wellness area (located 2 floors below ground level) is new, and rather successfully pulls off its contemporary style. Some may choose to snake around the corridors of the complex between the swimming pool, sauna, Turkish bath, whirlpool bath and massage rooms in search of peace and well-being.

Of the hotel's 92 bedrooms, 32 are non-smoking but are in the superior category. Standard rooms are nevertheless convivial and welcoming, due to the fact that the decor incorporates bright colours. Orange bedspreads and curtains, red carpet, yellow walls and wooden furniture create a distinctive atmosphere that is both cosy and intimate. The bathroom, on the other hand, which is entirely tiled in pink and white, is not very enticing: the hair-dryer is becoming yellow (when it was originally white) and the edges of the bathtub (especially where the shower curtain is concerned) leave a lot to be desired. The water is not drinkable.It is a shame that the view from the bedroom is "blocked", the television does not work and the carpet is stained in places and features several cigarette burns. Room service is available 24 hours a day.

The hotel's main restaurant is located 1 floor below ground level, but the real problem stems from the fact that it has no windows. You can quickly feel hemmed in, especially as the lighting is not great either. Although the most popular meal of the day at the hotel is breakfast, lunch and dinner are also available here, and are served a la carte (various starters, soups, fish, grilled dishes, etc.). The furniture is new. The chairs, for example, are padded beige armchairs, which gives the place a somewhat distinctive and festive atmosphere. Breakfast is served between 7am and 10am, lunch between 12pm and 3pm and dinner between 7pm and 10pm.