People often ask me if booking a hotel online is safe. And if so, whether I can provide links to hotel booking sites that are trustworthy and/or offer hotel rooms at the lowest prices available. Since I’m merely running a blog about Istanbul (and not a travel agency), this has always been a tough question to answer, up until recently!

Is Booking A Hotel Room Online Safe?

Recently my good friend Darren from Travel-Rants wrote a post on lack of credit card security when booking hotels online. In short, booking online via an established third-party hotel booking website is secure, if you follow the following internet safety basics:

1. stick to the bigger, well-known hotel booking websites
2. before entering personal and/or credit card information, make sure the webpage is on a secure (https://…) server
3. check if the bottom of your browser shows a padlock

Luckily, the majority of the established hotel booking websites has implemented these security measures. The only thing you can never be sure of is human carelessness after all your details have been wired to the hotel of your choice. Hotel staff writing down your credit card numbers on a piece of paper or in a spreadsheet may always occur, regardless weather you booked online or in person after arrival. Unless you carry/pay cash, but then of course other security concerns surface.

Best Price Guaranteed

So yes, in my experience booking online via well-known hotel websites is not only safe, it can also result in a fair hotel price discount. The question remains of course, what third-party hotel booking website to use.

Already back in August last year, to serve my readers better, I conducted a little research on this topic. I reviewed a handful of the most-known hotel booking websites, and decided to promote Booking.com for the following reasons:

• they have a very user-friendly and clear website
• hotels I had already previously recommended to friends are in their 220 Istanbul hotel list
• they provide detailed and accurate information about every hotel
• they offer extensive customer reviews with pros and cons about every hotel
• booking a hotel is easy and hassle-free
• you can view the website in the language and currency of your choice

Moreover, since 2009 Booking.com also added a Best Price Guarantee. You can find the full details here, but in short they promise the following:

“Booking.com wants you to pay the lowest price possible for your hotel. Should you find your hotel room, with the same booking conditions, at a lower rate on the internet after you have booked, we’ll match it. Just contact us within 24 hours of booking, with details of the website.”

This new Booking.com Best Price Guarantee policy just confirmed that I already back in August 2008 chose the right hotel booking website to advice to my readers!

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Below you’ll find an overview of hotels I can recommend in the historical part of Istanbul. I grouped the hotels according to the amount of stars they are rewarded. Keep in mind that the amount of stars refer to the quality and service they offer.

• Five Star Hotels in the Historical Part of Istanbul
• Four Star Hotels in the Historical Part of Istanbul
• Two and Three Star Hotels in the Historical Part of Istanbul

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Below you’ll find an overview of hotels I can recommend in the modern part of Istanbul. I grouped the hotels according to the amount of stars they are rewarded. Keep in mind that the amount of stars refer to the quality and service they offer.

• Five Star Hotels in the Modern Part of Istanbul
• Four Star Hotels in the Modern Part of Istanbul
• Two and Three Star Hotels in the Modern Part of Istanbul

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Below you will find an overview of two and three-star hotels in the modern part of Istanbul. By clicking on a hotel name, you can obtain detailed information about the hotel, provided by Booking.com or the hotel’s own website.
The overview by no means lists all two and three star hotels in this area. The hotel list is based on personal experiences cross-checked with customer reviews provided by Booking.com. Most of the hotels have either been visited by me or by one or more of my acquaintances. They appear in alphabetical order.

• Hotel Villa Zurich – This three-star hotel is located in Cihangir, the hangout area of Istanbul’s actors and actresses. While the hotel is only awarded 3 stars, the top and bottom floors of the hotel house respectively Doğa and Leyla restaurants, both well-known in Istanbul.
• Inter Royal – The hotel offers 90 clean but basic rooms. It is located in the famous Nevizade area, which tends to be very noisy almost 24 hours a day. Obviously more suitable for young budget travelers.

Note to accommodation owners: If you want to be added to the listings on Istanbul Trails, please contact us via the Contact or Advertise page. Keep in mind though that hotels will never be listed without personally having visited your accommodation, enabling me to write a truthful review.

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Below you will find an overview of two and three-star hotels in the historical part of Istanbul. By clicking on a hotel name, you can obtain detailed information about the hotel, provided by Booking.com or the hotel’s own website.
The overview by no means lists all two and three star hotels in this area. The hotel list is based on personal experiences cross-checked with customer reviews provided by Booking.com. Most of the hotels have either been visited by me or by one or more of my acquaintances. They appear in alphabetical order.

• Ahmet Efendi Evi – This three-star hotel is a family guest house. The rooms are small but spotless, the staff friendly and helpful, and the location great. Ahmet Efendi Evi is located in the heart of the historical part of Istanbul, within walking distance of the main tourist attractions.
• Aslan Istanbul – This charming family-run 3-star boutique hotel with its homely interior and 18 clean but rather small rooms is located in a quiet street in the center of old Istanbul. As with most hotels in this district, their location is excellent.
• Ayasofya Pansiyonları – This three star hotel, also known as Ayasofya Konakları or Ayasofya Evleri, consists of nine renovated 19th century wooden houses, located in a dream setting: the cobbled street between the back-side of the Hagia Sophia and the high walls of the Topkapi Palace.
• Best Point – This brand new 3-star boutique hotel offers 13 very clean, modern and nicely decorated rooms. The hotel is within walking distance of the main attractions such as the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern.
• Empress Zoe – This hotel combines three separate restored houses, hence benefits from a number of enclosed gardens and panoramic terraces. Rooms reflect a high standard of taste and design. Please note that access to the rooms is via a narrow circular iron staircase.
• Olimpiyat – This three star hotel offers 59 not too big but clean rooms, each with a private bathroom. The hotel combines a great location with the famous Turkish hospitality in a casual atmosphere.

Note to accommodation owners: If you want to be added to the listings on Istanbul Trails, please contact us via the Contact or Advertise page. Keep in mind though that hotels will never be listed without personally having visited your accommodation, enabling me to write a truthful review.

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Below you will find an overview of 4-star hotels in the modern part of Istanbul. By clicking on a hotel name, you can obtain detailed information about the hotel, provided by Booking.com or the hotel’s own website.
The overview by no means lists all four star hotels in this area. The hotel list is based on personal experiences cross-checked with customer reviews provided by Booking.com. Most of the hotels have either been visited by myself or by one or more of my acquaintances. They appear in alphabetical order.

• Gallery Residence – This hotel, offering modern accommodation consisting exclusively of 21 suites, is for once not located in Taksim. You’ll find the Gallery Residence Hotel in Nişantaşı, one of Istanbul’s most fashionable and prestigious districts. With the proximity of a metro station, Taksim is within a 2 minute reach.
• Istanbul Suite Home – Every apartment of this 13 room hotel offers 85 m² residing space, including a living room and equipped kitchen. There is also a common terrace with great views and free of charge health facilities. Please note that it is located in a steep area, so access on foot could prove a challenge for some.
• Marmara Pera – This hotel with its 200 rather modest rooms is mostly famous for its location (within walking distance from the business, leisure and shopping areas) and magnificent views.
• Midtown Hotel – The Midtown Hotel has 73 deluxe room (9 with a view of Bosphorus) and 7 corner suites prepared with a minimalist approach. The hotel is ideally situated in a car-free area of Taksim, the heart of modern Istanbul and famed for its restaurants, shops and nightlife.
• Richmond – It’s the only hotel on Istiklal Caddesi, the famous car-free shopping avenue. The downside is that you briefly need to walk with your luggage. The glorious architecture combines the memories of the past with contemporary amenities. Their new Leb-i-Derya restaurant offers great Bosphorus views.
• SV Boutique – Just like the Taksim Gönen hotel, this modern boutique hotel, with its 34 spotlessly clean rooms, is located in a car-free area, on foot only 2 min. away from Taksim square. In 2006 I put all my friends there during my wedding festivities.
• Taksim Gönen – Located in a generally car-free area, on foot only 2 min. away from Taksim square, this recently built hotel offers 152 clean rooms and lots of facilities, including a small pool on the roof. Please note that the pool doesn’t open before June and the English skills of the staff are limited.

Note to accommodation owners: If you want to be added to the listings on Istanbul Trails, please contact us via the Contact or Advertise page. Keep in mind though that hotels will never be listed without personally having visited your accommodation, enabling me to write a truthful review.

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Below you will find an overview of 4-star hotels in the historical part of Istanbul. By clicking on a hotel name, you can obtain detailed information about the hotel, provided by Booking.com or the hotel’s own website.
The overview by no means lists all four star hotels in this area. The hotel list is based on personal experiences cross-checked with customer reviews provided by Booking.com. Most of the hotels have either been visited by me or by one or more of my acquaintances. They appear in alphabetical order.

• Best Western Premier Regency Suites & Spa – This 5-storey hotel located in the heart of Sultanahmet and offering only 16 rooms, is in my opinion the best hotel of the Best Western chain in this area. It has a contemporary style and provides spacious accommodation, spa and health facilities. Their terrace and some of the rooms have scenic views over the Bosporus and Blue Mosque.
• Best Western The President – This seven storey modern hotel (204 rooms) is located a bit further away from the heart of old Istanbul, but still within walking distance and in the proximity of the tramway. The hotel is known for its pleasant atmosphere and authentic English pub.
• Boutique Apex – If you want to avoid the bigger (chain) hotels and receive a more personal treatment, this recently (2008) opened hotel with only 12 rooms will certainly suit your needs. The hotel’s superb location is of course also a big advantage.
• Faros Istanbul – A brand new (spring 2006) modern boutique hotel with 23 rooms and nice views. The area has a traditional atmosphere including open markets and bazaars. As with most hotels, ask for a room away from the noisy street side.
• Garden House Istanbul – Housed in a 19th century Ottoman mansion with a wooden exterior, the friendly Garden House hotel offers 20 rather spacious and clean rooms, 9 of which with a modern design. It is located in Sultanahmet, within walking distance of all the main attractions in the historical part of Istanbul.
• Nena – This five stories high, red-faced boutique hotel offers 29 rooms and is located only 100 meters away from the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and the Hippodrome. Needless to say their terrace restaurant offers both excellent food and views.
• Orient Express – Named after the nostalgic train Orient Express, its 54 small but cozy rooms are all decorated in an authentic way. The hotel features a panoramic terrace restaurant, an indoor swimming pool and train wagon bar. Ask for rooms in the back, since the street tends to be noisy.
• Ottoman Imperial – This clean great little hotel with its pleasant staff and 54 rooms sits on a truly premium location in town, on an elevated position, surrounded by all the major landmarks of the Sultanahmet and Topkapi districts.
• Sapphire – This new comfortable hotel with 60 rooms is located close to the Gülhane Park. Although it is not far away from all major landmarks in the old part of town, be prepared to walk a bit upwards when heading for those sightseeing spots.
• Zeynep Sultan Boutique – Zeynep Sultan is a small (24 rooms), friendly and immaculately clean boutique style hotel located right in the heart of the city, proof of which is the small street with its cobblestones.

Note to accommodation owners: If you want to be added to the listings on Istanbul Trails, please contact us via the Contact or Advertise page. Keep in mind though that hotels will never be listed without personally having visited your accommodation, enabling me to write a truthful review.

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Below you will find an overview of 5-star hotels in the modern part of Istanbul. By clicking on a hotel name, you can obtain detailed information about the hotel, provided by Booking.com or the hotel’s own website.
The overview by no means lists all 5-star hotels in this area. The hotel list is based on personal experiences cross-checked with customer reviews provided by Booking.com. Most of the hotels have either been visited by me or by one or more of my acquaintances. They appear in alphabetical order.

• Ceylan InterContinental – Located next to Taksim Park and Taksim Square, the Ceylan InterContinental is an elegant and stylish jewel in the heart of Istanbul. Its 380 rooms are not too spacious, but the luxury and impressive views of the Bosphorus make up for it.
• Hyatt Regency Istanbul – Contrary to most of its competitors, the Hyatt Regency hotel is only a 10-story tall building with an Ottoman twist. This stylish hotel offers 360 rooms & suites, slightly orientated towards businessmen.
• The Marmara Istanbul – The Marmara Istanbul is a deluxe five-star hotel where business meets luxury in Istanbul’s city centre. The hotel, a landmark building rising 20 stories above the pulse of Istanbul, features 377 rooms and has stunning views of Istanbul.
• The Ritz-Carlton – The Ritz-Carlton has a total of 244 guest rooms with a Turkish-inspired style and décor. Sumptuous surroundings and legendary service await every guest that passes through their doors.
• Swissotel The Bosphorus – The luxurious Swissôtel The Bosphorus is located in the centre of Istanbul, in the former gardens of the Dolmabahçe Palace. Situated on a wooded hilltop, most of the hotel’s 600 rooms offer panoramic views of the Bosphorus, the Asian coast and/or the old city of Istanbul.
• TomTom Suites – Istanbul’s TomTom Suites is a 5-star boutique hotel offering 20 suites of varying sizes. The hotel is located in an historical Istanbul building in the Galata and Pera area of the city, offering panoramic views over the old city and the Golden Horn. Tomtom Suites offers the discerning guest a choice of spacious, well-designed accommodations.
• W Istanbul – Europe’s first W hotel is situated in Beşiktaş in the historic former home of the guards of the Dolmabahçe Palace. As a result of the mix of W style and Ottoman glamour, even the standard rooms come with a garden and decked area, providing an oasis of calm.

Note to accommodation owners: If you want to be added to the listings on Istanbul Trails, please contact us via the Contact or Advertise page. Keep in mind though that hotels will never be listed without personally having visited your accommodation, enabling me to write a truthful review.

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Below you will find an overview of 5-star hotels in the historical part of Istanbul. By clicking on a hotel name, you can obtain detailed information about the hotel, provided by either Booking.com or the hotel’s own website.

The overview by no means lists all 5-star hotels in this area. The hotel list is based on personal experiences cross-checked with customer reviews provided by Booking.com. Most of the hotels have either been visited by me or by one or more of my acquaintances. They appear in alphabetical order.

• Eresin Crown Hotel – This is more than just a luxury hotel, offering 60 rooms and two restaurants, one of them overlooking the Sea of Marmara. Inside the hotel you’ll also find a private museum, holding 49 pieces of art excavated on the hotel’s grounds.
• Four Seasons – Created from a century-old neoclassic Turkish prison, its 65 guest rooms and suites frame an open courtyard. Together with their very spacious rooms they provide an atmosphere of personal attention and ease.
• Sirkeci Konak – This classical Ottoman mansion style hotel, with 52 spacious rooms, is located at the historic peninsula, yet has a green and peaceful recreational twist to it thanks to adjacent Gülhane Park. Guests are welcomed and treated according to Turkish and Ottoman traditions.
• Hotel Sultanhan – A 40 room Ottoman style boutique hotel in a renovated governor’s residence, featuring magnificent views of the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the old city as well as traditional Turkish hospitality.
• World Park Hotel – This 5-star luxury Byzantine style hotel, offering 172 majestic and stylish rooms, is situated in the 4.Vakıf Han premises, a building that radiates historical grandeur and possesses exquisite architecture.

Note to accommodation owners: If you want to be added to the listings on Istanbul Trails, please contact us via the Contact or Advertise page. Keep in mind though that hotels will never be listed without personally having visited your accommodation, enabling me to write a truthful review.

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After you made up your mind about how many stars your hotel should have and in what area your hotel should be located, it’s time to pick and book one. You of course want to get it at the best possible rate, with the highest discount available. In order to get a good deal, you need to book upfront. The earlier, the better rates you’ll get. Let me take you through the options.

Package Deals

Experience has taught me that booking package deals (flight and hotel) with your favorite tour operator often gives you the best value for your money. And it saves you the hassle of having to deal with all of it separately. Tour operators certainly get discounts without bargaining and most of the times they also have similar deals with the airline companies.

The problem is that their brochures often offer only a small selection of Istanbul hotels in the historical part or only a handful of the recommended hotels in the modern part of Istanbul. So maybe the one hotel you liked is not in there. On top of that, your tour operator probably has branches all over the country. And the employees in these branches of course need to get a salary, so often tour operators have good but not the best deals.

The Hotel’s Online Booking Service

These days, just like airline companies, the most popular four and five star hotels have their own websites. Not only do they advertise their normal rates, they also provide you with their online booking rates, which are up to 15% cheaper. Prices are mostly in strong currencies such as the Euro or the Dollar, and include taxes. Your credit card will be charged with the equivalent in Turkish Liras, based on the exchange rate on the day you check out.

So booking online directly with the hotel of your choice is definitely worth considering. But often you can do even better than that.

Exclusive Online Booking Travel Agencies

In order to provide my readers with the best possible advice and service, I’ve been conducting a little bit of research the past few months. I’ve compared the lowest (online booking) rates provided by the hotels with those of several online booking travel agencies, of course for the same hotels.

In doing so, I noticed that in 95% of the cases, these online travel agencies provided the lowest rates, sometimes up to € 25 per night cheaper. And you still get the same service and facilities (e.g. free pick-up from airport) as you would get by booking directly with the hotel.

From the numerous online travel agencies I researched, I decided to team up and promote Booking.com to my readers. They have a very user-friendly and clear website, have detailed information on every hotel, offer extensive customer reviews about every hotel, and last but not least offer guaranteed the best price.

I Forgot to Book!

In case you somehow unexpectedly do end up in Istanbul without hotel reservations, keep the following in mind. Turks are good traders and love to negotiate about prices. Therefore, never pay the price as listed at the reception. Discounts up to 10% are common, 15% is feasible if you posses good bargaining skills. Discounts are of course subject to availability and whether it’s high-season or not. And don’t show up with the suitcases in your hands, because they’ll see you’re in desperate need of a place to stay.

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