We loved staying here! Our rooms were clean and comfortable, the staff was very courteous and helpful in answering all our questions, and there was a wonderful variety to choose from at breakfast. It's a 5 to 10 minute walk from all of the most popular sites to see and from public transportation to venture out further. Istanbul was beautiful in the winter with a layer of snow on everything. We met many other guests who were repeat customers and we will do the same!

We stayed there for 5 days. Stuff are helpful! Good location and wonderful breakfast! If we back to Istanbul, we want to be there again!

Highly recommended. In a great location, just minutes away from the blue mosque and hagia sofia (which is in the heart of the city). The staff were extremely friendly, had great recommendations and were always willing to answer any questions (very knowladgable).

The complimentary breakfast is the best I've ever had, with a mix of local and international foods (all home made). The maids did an excellent job; the room and bathroom were thoroughly cleaned daily.

What an excellent find - I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough. My husband and I stayed for five nights in January 2012 and couldn't have been happier with the experience. Our room was gorgeous, and expertly cleaned every day. The bed was incredibly comfortable, and the heater kept us nice and toasty. The hotel itself is tucked down a tiny side street, and it's very quiet at night.

Breakfast is included, and what a feast! There was something for everyone, mostly homemade, and all the Turkish black tea you could drink. Plus, the view from the breakfast cafe is unparalleled, and was a wonderful start to our mornings. We met many people from all over the world each morning, and there was a definite sense of community among the patrons.

You're within easy walking distance of the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, the Hagia Sophia museum, the Grand Bazaar and the Topkapi palace, and the Spice Bazaar is only about a 15-20 minute walk away. I also highly recommend you take the tiny ferry to Eyup (ask the staff where to find the ferry building as it's a bit hidden away) for only 2TL per person - a lovely little town practically devoid of tourists.

But the real treasure of this hotel is the staff. We became fast friends with almost all of the front-desk folks, the woman who cleaned our room and the women who run the breakfast cafe. They were always more than happy to help us find a point of interest, suggest a local place to eat (try Doy Doy - delicious!) and help us with our lamentable Turkish.

It was like coming home every evening, and for a couple of travelers who've been on the move for almost six months we were so incredibly grateful for that feeling.

Thank you, staff of the Tashkonak Hotel, for everything, and for making us feel like part of your family - even for our brief stay. We look forward to returning with a bigger Turkish vocabulary, and hopefully without our snow shoes!