Amy Adejokun
Section editor
The Maisons de Sainte-Sophie are definitely one of the best places to stay in Sultanahmet, a few steps away from the Topkapi Palace. This set of Ottoman residences, with its multicoloured wooden walls, is reminiscent of a charming village of doll houses. The interiors are refined and tastefully decorated. A great place if charm is more important to you than comfort.
The Maisons Sainte-Sophie are located in the heart of Sultanahmet, on the same site as the main historical attractions of Istanbul. They all lean back on the wall of the Topkapi Palace. The airport is 11 miles away. Allow about 25 minutes for transfers.
Each of the houses has five to ten rooms, and there are 63 rooms in total. Here, elegance is more important than comfort. The rooms are coloured and carefully decorated with 19th century furniture which blends perfectly with the Western influence. The fringed armchairs, velvet curtains, wall lamps and mirrors give the rooms a warm feel. The facilities are very limited however: just small fans and a bathroom with shower/bath and toilet.
The Maisons Sainte-Sophie have 10 Ottoman-style residences that were renovated in 1984 and are all adjoining. The small reception, which is very basic and isolated at the entrance to the pedestrian street, belies the inside of these residences. Each has its own colour, style and name: Maison Jasmin (Jasmin House), Manoir de la Rose (Rose Manor), Maison Chèvrefeuille (Honeysuckle House), Maison Cyclamen (Cyclamen House),... To get to your room, pass along these one or two-storey floral houses with multicoloured facades. The interiors (corridors and ground floors) are elegant and tastefully decorated with 19th century Ottoman furniture.
The hotel has good catering services. Breakfast and lunch are served on the ground floor in one of the buildings. One of the high points of the place is the Citerne restaurant, located, as its name suggests, on a former Roman cistern. Large hardwood round tables are distributed throughout a quasi-medieval decor of vaults, large columns, wrought iron, large fireplace and sumptuous candelabra. You can dine here in the evening. In summer, the Guest House opens its rustic restaurant. A large glass roof houses pretty decor in marble, coloured tiles, floral frescoes and glass chandeliers. You can have all three meals as a buffet (breakfast) or a la carte.
Choose a large room overlooking the street rather than a small (dark) one on the side. No noise problems: it is a pedestrian street. You will also have a nice view of the Saint-Sophie mosque from your window. You might prefer the "Guest House" which is set apart from the other houses. Some of the rooms have a view of the garden, the summer restaurant and the ramparts.
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