Blue House - Mavi Ev

We stayed at Blue House at the beginning and end of our three weeks in Turkey. It is in a fabulous location just across the street from the Blue Mosque. The hotel is spotlessly clean and very comfortable. The reception staff were very helpful and also very pleasant. The terrace restaurant on the 5th floor has a fabulous view of the Mosque. Our rooms had very comfortable beds and nice bathrooms with pocket showers. The location is perfect walking distance to all the important places to visit in Istanbul. There is also a great outdoor terrace restaurant right across the street where you can have an inexpensive dinner while listening to wonderful Turkish music. We would definitely stay here again.

I have stayed at four hotels in Istanbul within my stay this month. The worst experıience has been the Blue House. The room was not clean. Bathroom was sooooo small -the shower was incredibly tıny and because it had curved doors -hard to manuver. TV was nice that it had CNN and BBC. Staff was surly -especially the breakfast staff. The view was lovely but the sound for morning prayers was just too much for me and the windows were not double paned to keep out any of the street noises either. Air conditioning noisy. Lighting poor. Breakfast cappucino wıll cost you 6 dollars US! It was the feeling of the place that would keep me away even more than the price- although for the prıce of over 120 Euro for a single...it was overpriced. I moved to the Tan Hotel - a new boutique hotel for half the price and much better quality and much larger room AND the staff are friendly!

The Blue House is such a cute hotel. I would completely recommend it. My friend and I, American black females in our twenties, thought it was great. Our room on the 3rd fl. had a great view of the Blue Mosque. The room was clean and had a very pleasant smell. The people at the front desk were very helpful. The complimentary breakfast was Turkish style and very yummy. The free internet access was also helpful. The hotel is in a perfect location. It is walking distance to a bunch of major sites such as the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, the Cistern, etc. Though you can explore the sites on your own I would recommend taking a tour as we had a very knowledgeable tour guide who was worth every penny. Right next door to the hotel is a Derwish restaurant that is pretty tasty and it was enjoyable to watch the dancer. The outdoor café on the same street as the hotel has yummy doner kababs. Overall I would highly recommend this hotel.

Got here after a week in Ankara - not something I'd want to repeat - and was delighted by this hotel. I'd wanted to stay at the Empress Zoe but it was full. I wasn't that impressed by the website for the Blue House and hadn't been expecting much, but the room was excellent - large and airy, with a view right onto the Blue Mosque. There was free wireless access. The bathroom was very cramped but well-equipped. The air con was excellent. The beds comfortable. Teh staff friendly. I was very impressed by this hotel. Granted, it was much more expensive at 128 Euros per night (cash discounted) than my Ankara hotel - but I thought it provided a really nice base for exploring central Sultanahmet. Do be aware that, that close to the two mosques, you are going to get the full blast of the call for prayer at 4 a.m. but I found I quite liked the experience. The only downside is the roof terrace, which could be a great place for lounging but instead - understandably - has been turned into quite a formal restaurant space. Would I stay there again? Certainly - quite expensive but well worth it.

This small hotel is located in a very desirable location! You can see the Blue Mosque and St. Sophia. The call to prayer that you hear is just mesmerizing. The hotel is very clean. The staff were very friendly and efficient. The beautiful buffet breakfast each morning is not to be missed. The fresh fruits are fabulous, as is the yogurt! The rooftop garden restaurant is not to be missed for dinner and watching the sunset. The complimentry bottled water in the minifridge was a very nice touch. A perfect location for walking to some major sights and shopping.

Almost everything about this hotel worked for us on our trip to Istanbul. The location is in the heart of the tourist district, with great views of the Blue Mosque. One can easily walk everywhere. The breakfast on the terrace was fine, and but the dinner on the roof top restaurant, inspite of the splendid views was overpriced and disappointing,but there are plenty of good cafes and restaurants around the hotel. The only negative I had on this hotel, and I would certainly stay there again, is that our room which faced the Blue Mosque, was small and cramped but we were there just to sleep. The call to morning prayers was awakening to say the least. Also the beds were very, very hard, and not one of our party slept well. When we inquired at other simnilar hotels we were told all the beds were like that and were made at the same factory!

My daughter and I stayed at the "Blue House" in Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet district and loved it. The rooms are small and not suitable for two "merely friends"; however, it is alright for family members or close friends. The hotel has "ambiance". At night the view from our window of the Blue Mosque, all lit-up, was magnificent. The breakfast was bountiful, and the staff extremely polite and helpful.

For location this place is outstanding. You are across the street from the Blue Mosque. The rooftop restaurant has the best view of both the Blue Mosque and St.Sophia. It is a ten minute walk from the Topkapi ( which is must see) and 15 minutes from the quay where you get Bosphorous tours. In fact, except for the Grand Bazaar, you can cover most of old Istanbul from this location without taking a cab. The hotel has small and smaller well furnished rooms. Don't take the corner rooms facing the mosque. They are cramped and unless you are used to the call to prayer at the crack of dawn, it ain't worth the view. The middle rooms are larger ( got three beds in). The loos are tiny but clean and have everything. ( Of course if you are an out of shape american football player you may find it tough moving around). You get a very filling buffet breakfast ( though it gets a bit boring on the third morning to see the same stuff) which you can eat on the nice patio. Dinner at their rooftop restaurant is very good but not cheap. But its worth the view. The staff is very friendly and helpful ( changed our room when we complained about the size ). Other info: Transport: Don't take a taxi from outside a tourist joint...walk a bit then get one off the street; less likely to rip you off. Dining: Loads of restaurants around, the one across the road below the mosque has good Turkish cuisine and lots of places 100 metres from the hotel on the other side of the mosque. Topkapi: Go early...i.e. by 10 and make sure you book for the 11 am harem tour; having done that walk round the rest of the place and get back for that tour. Also by tickets for the treasury; worth seeing are some of the jewellery especially the emeralds. Keep three hours, have lunch and take a nap. The Blue Mosque and St Sophia take about an hour ( avoid Sundays too crowded ). You want see the underground cistern's next....about a 100 metres away. Dolmabahce Palace is worth seeing but the not the harem; so take the shorter, one hour main palace tour to see how money was wasted. Take a taxi there. Grand bazaar: Great to look at but very boring if you don't do carpets or leather. Bosphorous cruise: well worth it if you don't mind relaxing on a boat for three hours...we got off at a fishing village had lunch and then took the ferry back. Carpets: Govt shop just near the St Sophia ( so near the hotel ) for getting an idea of prices before buying.

The Blue House Hotel (Mavi Ev) in Istanbul is a delight. Comfortable, nicely furnished rooms (although small by US standards), firm beds, clean and comfortable bathroom, excellent location -- my room overlooked the Blue Mosque, great breakfast, friendly service, and a fine price. (I paid the equivalent of USD$225 for four nights including breakfast, all taxes, several coffees from the bar, and transportation from the airport.) I'd definitely stay again -- although Istanbul seems to be full of many of this type of hotel.

This hotel and appartment was lovely Set in a beautiful quiet and relaxing location Staff were very helpful and talkative Gardens were kept to an excellant standard and i will defenitily be going back next year.