Hotel Sapphire

i liked this hotel for the following reasons: 1. easy to use digital safety box 2. LCD TV 3. more than 200 channel satalite cable 4. TV speaker and telephone in the bathroom 5. water boiler 6. location close to "GULHANE" tramp station in sultanahmet 7. lots of other hotes and resturants near by 8. nice staff 9. room was clean and new 10. free one way airport transfer if booking for 3 night or more through booking.com what didn't like: 1. It is not easy to find the first time 2. the room was small but i didn't mind because i was alone

We stayed in the Sapphire for a few days each side of a trip to Italy. On both occasions we were delighted with our experience there. From the beginning we delt with Engin for reservations. Even with our comlicated itinery that required last minute changes he was at all times courteous and efficient. At the ungodly hour we arrived with our 4 and 5 year old exhausted children check in was still quick and our room ready and as per request, a triple room with a good amount of space. (read reviews of other Istanbul hotels where double-booking is common!) By the way. For those arriving at the second international airport, Sabiha, there are few if any hotels offering pick-up/drop-off as it is an hours drive away. Best way to get to the centre is the take the Havas shuttle bus (10Euro/adult, nothing for small kids) leaving hourly to Taksim square and taxi from there to whatever hotel. To the Sapphire was 13YTL. As others have mentioned, the hotel location (in Sirkeci) is quite the best to explore the sights from. We initially tried for hotels in Sultanahmet (very pretty to walk through) but happliy ended up in a better location. Like with most of the hotels we stayed in for over one months travel, the Sapphire's rooms suffered too from lack of adequate air conditioning in the summer heat. Both rooms we have were the same and a less than perfect sleep was had accordingly. To their credit the staff were able to improve cooling a little but still was better to have the balcony doors open. This won't be a problem in the off-season of course. Turkish Tourism rate the hotel I believe at 4 stars. In Turkey I guess this is fair. However, it is the staff that can make or break your stay in any hotel and with the Sapphire you can be assured therefore of a very pleasant stay!

I would like to share my experience with Sapphire Hotel where my family and I spend our holiday. Starting from the first day of booking I felt special care of Hotel Manager Engin bey about our trip. Because of our stay for 7 days, we were offered free transfer from Ataturk Airport to the hotel. Driver waited us showing my name written on piece of paper. As soon as we arrived in the hotel we were welcomed by soft drink and Turkish Delight. At reception Deniz bey met us and check-in was super fast. He informed us about breakfast time and venue, about swimming pool, sauna and roof terrace. We followed to our triple room by staff person. It was quite big room with 3 comfortable beds. Room had Satellite TV, bar, air-conditioner. Very special free offer is a private safe in wardrobe, where we could keep our valuables. Bathroom was very clean, equipped by power shower, hair drier and room phone. Next morning we came down to level G1 for breakfast. Restaurant was very spacious with nice tables and chairs. Food included different types of cheese and sausages, cereals, cookies, white / brown bread (which can be toasted), natural yogurt, compote/jams, fruits – pieces of melon and watermelon, which were very tasty, vegetables – pieces of tomatoes and cucumbers, olives, cooked food – scrambled and boiled eggs, frankfurters in tomato sauce, delicious soup of the day, drinks – tea / coffee, two types of juices. Turkish tea Caykur was very tasty. Restaurant staff was very kind and helpful, special thanks to the manager. There is a wireless internet in the hotel and a desktop with internet connection in the hall. Hall is very comfortable with several sofas, chairs and TV. You can even meet the parrot here! We used the swimming pool and sauna almost every evening and really enjoyed it. It was good to have glass of drink or ice-cream in the roof terrace and enjoy the view of Bosphorus, old and new parts of Istanbul. In general, staff’s kind participation in resolving of any our problems says about high standard of service in this hotel. I would like to thank Engin bey, Deniz bey, Harun bey, Aga Bey and other people, which gave our family unforgettable memories about Istanbul. Location Sapphire Hotel is perfectly located close as to historical places like Topkapi, Aya Sofya, Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque) as to shopping places like Kapali Carsisi (Grand Bazaar) and Misir Carsisi (Spice Bazaar). Tram stop Gulhane is just a few minutes away. It is easy to reach to Galata Bridge and Ferries Station from the hotel. Food Restaurants and cafes are all around. We tried a lot of places and can recommend café Kebapci Kardes (Hocapasa Sokak, 20). High quality of food, good prices and kind service. Every time after lunch or dinner we were offered beautiful tea for free as appreciation of our visit. Of course, you will ask about famous Turkish Baklava. I would recommend Baklavaci Said (Hudavendigar Cad., 64). Very delicious baklava of different kinds, nice service and low prices. If you buy something, you will be offered something delicious for free. Supermarket BIM (Hudavendigar Cad., 20) is a few minutes from the hotel. You can find there almost everything what you need, especially in summer time.

Great Hotel with everything you expect... Highly reccomended... Would like to go again very near future.....

My family has just returned from Istanbul. We felt happy to stay at Sapphire hotel. The rooms were beautifully furnished, with Turkish elements in style. The hall is magnificent -the place to take pictures! The people at front desk are very friendly and helpful. Breakfast offered a great variety of choices. I would also advice to take advantage of the pool in the basement which is clean and so relaxing after the day of sightseeing. Another best feature of the hotel is its location. It is only 5 min walk from Topkapi Palace, St Sophia and Blue Mosque. In the evenings you can stretch on the pillows of the nice Turkish restaurant nearby. What else to wish?

We booked from Germany through "holidaycheck.de", another good website with hotel reviews for german customers. We looked for a cheap but comfortable hotel near to the most common monuments. Beside one or two other recommended hotels we found the Sapphire - all in all the best what you can get for fair conditions. Location The hotel is in Sirkeci, the ancient part of Istanbul. Topkapi, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Cistern, egypt spice market - everything can be reached by foot within minutes. If you want to get anywhere else you can take the tram (1.40 Ytl) near the hotel or one of a million taxis. The historial Train Station is also in foot distance. Ferrys to the other side of the golden horn or across the bosporus are cheap and highly recommended. Hotel The hotel is clean, high standard with a nice lobby, internet and a bar. There is a terrace on the roof which offers a great view over the ancient part of istanbul. Rooms We got a standard room with two single beds which can be put together. The view was not so nice, but therefor it was pretty quiet. The room got cleaned up every day, also the towels were changed when needed. The rooms were small but comfortable and nice with tv, mini-bar, air-condition and a safe. The bathroom was clean with hairdryer and a bathtube and shower, only to get into the bathtube could be a problem for older or handicapped people. Stuff Everybody was very polite, helpfull and friendly. We got good informations at the reception for trips, shopping or any services. Thank you for everything! Breakfast The breakfastroom is downstairs on the groundfloor. Ok, you might miss the windows or a nice view in the morning, but the breakfast was really good. They got four different types of sausage, white and yellow cheese, delicious marmelade, a sweet hazelnut cream, cake, halva, different cereals, yoghurt, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, scrambled and boiled eggs, different types of turkish bread, white bred, which can be toasted, coffee, tea and two juices. Next time we go to Istanbul we will definetly stay here again. Everyone who is looking for a cheap hotel with a perfect location does nothing wrong with the Hotel Sapphire.

This hotel is ideally situated within walking distance to Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Trolley line, Galata Bridge, Bosphorus River, and many other wonderful parts of the city. That was one of the main reasons I wanted to stay in the Old City (Sultanahmet). The staff at the hotel were wonderful, and when my plan landed at the airport I heard my name announced over the PA system to come to the information desk and a driver from the hotel was waiting there for me! You can't ask for better service. As for the hotel itself, I thought I got more than what I paid for. The hotel was very nice and clean, the rooms were very modern with excellent airconditioning, terrific memory foam beds (helped my back a lot!), satellite television, and excellent water pressure in the showers. The rooftop deck at the hotel has a great view of the city and if you're with a partner, it could be very romantic (but I was traveling alone). To leave the hotel the staff told me a very convenient and cheap way to get to the airport. I hopped on the trolley right down the street from the hotel, took that to the final stop, then jumped on the metro and went straight to the airport. It cost about $4 total, and took about one hour. I should also add that right outside the hotel are a few very good restaurants, and a mini mart next door that's open until about 2 a.m. From the hotel you can walk to a lot of other restaurants and cafes. This was my first trip to Istanbul and I found it to be a fascinating city that I would love to come back to. I plan to try and come back next summer. If I do get the chance to return, I will stay at this hotel again. I would be happy to field questions from anyone about this hotel or about Istanbul in general. Feel free to e-mail me at: adamdavidroth@yahoo.com

All in all, worth a high recommendation. The highlights are the central yet quiet location, the friendeliness and efficiency of the staff, and the superb breakfast. The rooms are adequate, if a little small. The hotel is easy to get to by public transport from the airport and within comfortable walking distance of the sights in Sultanahmet and Sirkeci, as well as the hartbour area at Eminonu.

I just got back from two weeks in Turkey (could have and should have stayed a month). What a great country and yes, as everyone says, the people are warm, wonderful, intelligent, educated, and charming. What other cliches can I come up with? and how can a whole country have only those kinds of people? I don't know, but that's what it seemed like to me! Even as a single woman, travelling alone, I had NO problems; the men are flirtatious, yes, but courtly, gentlemanly and respectful. But enough about Turkey - you're already going or you wouldn't be reading this review! The Safir hotel was adorable. Beautifully situated on a little pedestrian side-street called Ibni Kemal (or at least it was pedestrian when i was there due to construction - the Turks seem to be having a building boom despite what i have read about their economy); i say beautifully situated because there are numerous lovely restaurants and hookah places surrounding it - even a big Irish bar up the street! - where you could go have breakfast lunch or dinner although the hotel provides a decent spread every morning. Of course when you wander the streets (incredibly photogenic! always have your camera ready!) looking for your dinner spot, the owners will approach you and point out their menus, but although at first it was annoying, i came to realize that it's just the way it's done there, and if you spend 3 minutes looking at the menus of 5 places, and then walk away each time (as i did in my compulsive desire to find the "perfect" place), they don't hold it against you, or grumble, and even as a single woman, I was treated kindly, gently and respectfully, with good humor ("you promise you'll come back? OK, we'll all be waiting here for you!"). By the way, the restaurant I settled on had great food and a lovely maitre d' (if you call them that) named Chris: The Asur Hotel Restaurant (which wasn't in a hotel that I could see but right on the cobblestoned walkway), on Ibni Kemal. Back to the Safir: the hotel's room was lovely and spacious (enough), with satellite TV and a mini bar - the usual. It is true as another review said that the tub is a step up, which could be tricky for elderly, overweight, or arthritic, but fine for the average person. The bathroom is fine and modern with a western style shower, along with the European hand-held device as well. The lobby is deceptively large with seating everywhere - the decor is sort of opulent and perhaps a touch tacky, but it came off more as "exotic" to me. There is a computer that is free to use and sometimes one would have to wait a few minutes to get on, but the tourists were all very polite to one another and no one stayed on too long. The people at the front desk (particularly Deniz) are wonderful and charming, and helpful. And: the price cannot be beat!! But as everyone says, the location is the best reason to stay here. Everything is a short, interesting walk, meaning that whether you are going over to the Blue Mosque or the Grand Bazaar (I preferred the Spice Bazaar by the way), it is a fun, easy, short walk to get there. Topkapi is steps away - take a walk though that park outside the palace - it is just lovely, and keep an eye out for the green parrots I saw flitting around! There is a roof-top with tables which I visited once - the only problem was that there was no shade up there, so I suggest it for a dusk drink - not a 5 pm drink when (in July) it is still a bit hot. Finally: there is a new indoor POOL (!!) downstairs at the hotel which I only found out about my last day - nice when your feet hurt at the end of the day, or for people who like a little work-out in the morning. There is nothing to find fault with - it was, for me, the perfect place to stay.

My wife and I went to stay in this hotel for a week in the begining of July. It was not a pleasant experience. When we arrived we were taken to a twin room, while the booking clearly indicated that we wanted a double and had paid more for it. After complaining to reception we were moved to a double room on the 6th floor. The hotel is on a street that you cannot drive on its a walking only street, In front of the hotel there is alot of construction going on in very close proximity. Room- It was very small with only just enough space to squeeze past each other. The curtains were falling off the rail and the wall paper was coming off near the windows. The bath tub is really high and my wife found it a struggle to get in and out. There are no English channels on TV and they only get BBC news as audio with nothing on the screen. The saving gace was the air con in the room. This was very effective and kept the room cool. If you fill the water from the tap in bathroom in a bottle you will find it very cloudy as if there is sand in it. We found this very off putting and used mineral water to brush our teeth. House keeping- This was the worst that we have ever come accross if you are going to Istanbul to relax and have a holiday then this is the wrong place. The walls and doors are very thin and house keeping starts at just before 8am in the morning. You will not be able to sleep after that time. There was constant comotion outside our room throughout our 7 day stay. There is NO point leaving Do Not Disturb sign outside your door we left it twice and on both occasion it was ignored and the staff came in to clean the room. We also had things go missing from the Minibar which we complained to the hotel reception about. We were not the only ones to do this. Breakfast- I can only describe the breakfast as being not of a 4 star hotel but close to a 2 star. there were no labels on any food products so you had to guess as to what every thing was. Every single piece of china that I came across was chipped. I had to struggle to find the best of the worst. Reception- Although the receptionist were polite they were hell bent on trying to get us to buy their recomended tours. When we politily refused they did not seem very interested in showing us how to get around the city on our own. I guess they must get some commision on selling over priced tours to us. While we were there they did not have any water on our floor for 6 hours. This left us with not being able to take a shower and go out. Throughout this time they made no effort to inform the residents that there was a problem and how long ot was going to take to get fixed. It was only through my constant ringing the reception that I found out what was going on. There were not organised in that sense. The hotel claimed that they have a 24 hr room service , we did not see any menu in our room that showed this to be the case. On the good points its very centrally located and easy to get around from to all the main points. Their is internet access on the ground floor. I will not return to this hotel again I would advise any future traveller to this hotel to be carefull. Its location is all that is going for it.