I cannot imagine a nicer hotel. We stayed at the Zoe for 7 days in one of the upper double bedroom rooms, with a living area and two decks; just amazing , perfect, lovely, what ever you like to say. One deck had a view over the water, the other deck had a view of the ayasophia; yes, lots of... More

We went to Istanbul with friends and were fortunate to find the Empress Zoe. A converted bath house, it's in the heart of the old city at the end of a bustling street. It's funky, quaint and just delightful! We were on the top floor in a 2 bedroom/2 floor suite. The bedrooms were small decorated shabby chic. It wasn't... More

Why Empress Zoe is not ranked in the Trip Advisor Top Ten is beyond me. With Istanbul often being my transfer point from the U.S. to my countries of residence, over the past few years I have stayed for an overnight in a variety of different hotels in Sultanahmet, including the Four Seasons, and all wonderful to be sure. But... More

Empress Zoe nestles almost under the walls of Topkapi museum, and just below the Blue Mosque and Ayasophia with many cafes and restaurants nearby. We really enjoyed our week at this charming, individual small hotel. The staff were friendly and helpful, a real personal service which added to our experience of a busy vibrant and sometimes exhausting city.

I've been staying at the emzoe since 1999. It's still great. But beware that by US standards some of the rooms can be small. And $130-160 US in istanbul does not buy the same as in Ohio. Istanbul has to be compared with New york. When you do that, the EMZOE as i call it, is a bargain from heaven.... More

Empress Zoe was one of the highlights of our recent stay in Istanbul. It oozes charm and character (just look at the pictures on their website!).The rooms are very clean and airy (with good heating when necessary). Our family of two adults and two children stayed in the maisonette suite with two bedrooms and a living room upstairs. The rooms... More

In this highly touristed part of Istanbul, chock-a-block with every manner of lodging ranging from backpacker hostels up to The Four Seasons, the Empress Zoe stands out above all the competition in this size & price range (25 rooms beginning at 120 euros for a double), and we've stayed in a few of the other places over the years. Built... More

The Empress Zoe is a lovely hotel located about 300 yards from the Topkapi/Hagia Sophia complex. The surrounding area is touristy, but tolerably so, and staying n the Sultanamet gives you a big advantage in getting to the major sites early. The breakfast area has an indoor /outdoor patio overlooking the ruins of a mosque. The rooms are simple and... More

Fab location, very helpful staff, gorgeous garden and great breakfast.