I booked the Rast Hotel as part of a package deal with BA and decided on this hotel because of the reviews on here. We were not disappointed. The location was fantastic, 5 minutes from the tourist attractions in Sultanahmet. The reception staff were brilliant - on arrival they gave us complimentary drinks and gave us an orienteering session which was very useful. The room we had was very comfortable, not massive but exactly what we needed. The bed was very comfy and we couldn't fault it. The breakfast was a buffet and there were plenty of delicious things to eat. We loved our stay in Istanbul - despite the heavy snowfall on the Friday - it made it all the more memorable! And I would highly recommend staying at the Rast Hotel.

Faced with the choice of hundreds and hundreds of hotels in Istanbul I was a little daunted. I read reviews and booked this place. I did not regret it. I was extremely impressed with the location (tram stop nearby and masses to do in walking distance), the view from the breakfast room (see photos on website), the choice of food at breakfast, the comfort of the room (although a quite small twin room with small bathroom it was certainly more than adequate - and clean and smart) and the helpfulness and friendliness of the staff. I would recommend it and that is not something I say lightly about a hotel. If three or more nights booked there is a free airport pick-up service. It worked well. Due to the inefficiency of the airport (passport control is a nightmare) the driver had to wait over an hour for us but was still cheerful and friendly. It was good not having to worry about finding the hotel.

We stayed here in October 2011. I'll echo what everyone else has already said: this is a great hotel! We stayed at the Swissotel a few years ago, and there's no contest: we prefer the Rast Hotel. The staff is friendlier, the location can't be beat, and it was a great value. We will definitely stay here again the next time we're in Istanbul.

The hotel staff were extremely friendly and helpful (hint: if it's raining, ask the front desk if you can borrow an umbrella or two) as were the ladies upstairs in the breakfast room. We checked in early & they gave us a complementary breakfast that day as well, which we weren't expecting. The view from the top floor & breakfast room is AH.MAZE.ING. and the only thing better than the view is how close you were to everything. It's only a few minutes' walk to pretty much all of Istanbul's must-see places, and after a few long days of walking around at places like Topkapi Palace & Aya Sofia, it was extremely nice to be so close to the hotel.

Our party had 3 rooms, and they were all clean. The rooms are a bit on the small side, but they had everything you might need - refrigerator, tv, etc. - and there's so much to do that you only need your room for sleeping anyway. BTW, even though the Rast is in the heart of everything, it was pretty quiet. The living area on the first floor was beautiful & great to hang out in, too.

It was an amazing experience. The hotel was very clean. The staff were wonderful specially ' Happy"
The hotel wasclose to everything. you could basically walk to the blue mosque, museums, Bazar ...etc. The train was just outside the hotel. The breakfast was delicious and everyday is a new menu. The view of the sun actually rising over in between H. Sophia and the Blue Mosque was amazing!!!
Thanks to everyone your staff is wonderfull.
Mohamed and family from the USA ( December 20-25, 2011)