Our party of five (four adults, one child) stayed at Hotel Niles at the end of a 3-1/2 week whirlwind tour of the Middle East (U.A.E., Egypt, Jordan, then Turkey). My husband and I were hosting members of my family on this visit and we stayed at eight hotels in all, with the Niles being our last hotel before their return to the U.S.

We had stayed at the Niles before, about three years ago, but that was before their addition of eight new suites and two duplex apartments. We decided to put our party up in two of the suites. What a total treat! The suites are decorated in an Ottoman style, with oppulent draperies, rugs and furnishings. The baths, while not true "hammans" are, nonetheless, all marble with several bathing options. The suites are accessed by a separate elevator and there are just two per floor, so our party of five had a whole floor of the hotel to ourselves. It was very quiet, private and luxurious.

But you don't stay at the Niles for its accommodations; you stay because the staff treat you like family and are attentive to your every need, while not "hovering". Upon our arrival, we were greeted warmly by Mr. Kemal Çelik, Front Desk Manager, who remembered my husband and me from our visit three years previously! We arrived at the hotel in the mid-afternoon, with plenty of time to wander through the Grand Bazaar, which is a five-minute walk, at most. The hotel is very near to a Metro station, and all of Istanbul's many attractions (Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, cistern and Basilica, etc.) are easily accessed by the train.

The breakfast on the rooftop terrace is lovely - as much for the panoramic view as the food, with glorious breads and jams being prepared on the premises. We lingered over breakfast each morning as we drank in the sites of Istanbul and watched the boat traffic on the Golden Horn. In the evenings, too, we gathered on the rooftop terrace to enjoy regional wines and order food from a nearby restaurant, guided by the man who tends to the terrace in the evenings. (I wish I had written down his name because he deserves special mention for his attentiveness.) On the first evening, our picky 11-year-old couldn't find anything to his liking on the local restaurant menu, so this sweet gentleman made him a toasted cheese and salami sandwich. This totally hit the spot and was a lovely kindness.

We found the Niles Hotel three years ago after an exhaustive search of the internet. We wanted affordable accommodations that were close to all the key attractions. The Niles Hotel is it. We had always known we would stay there again if we were ever in Istanbul, and we have recommended it to many friends who have also stayed there and raved about it.

Staying at the Niles is like immersing yourself in the exotic pleasures of Istanbul. If you are traveling to this most special city, please make the Niles Hotel your home base. You will love it. Guaranteed.