Safranbolu (the old town) is a beautiful town, stunning scenery, lots of tiny streets with interesting shops and cafes. And at the centre of the town is the recently restored Caravansaray, Cinci Han. The rooms are clean, a little small, but look amazing. Mine had a domed ceiling (see photos). There really is nothing to complain about. The restaurant in the courtyard serves some tasty and very reasonably priced food. There are also plenty of great places to eat nearby. It's just such a great location - I can't fault it. We loved it so much we extended our stay.

This place is incredible. Staying in a caravanserai on the Silk Road - but renovated into a tasteful, modern hotel. Our room was spacious and elegant, and the dinner we ate (alone) in the courtyard was excellent. Spectacular view from the roof, and it's easy to imagine life on the road for the 17th century camel caravans who stopped here. The staff was very helpful and the han is central to historic Safranbolu, a delightful town.

We spent three nights at the Cinci Han in March 2009. The location is great. However, we were disappointed on several fronts. Our room was not cleaned at any time during the stay, the shower was so hot that it was dangerous (there was no cut-out to stop it getting scaldingly hot), the breakfast was mediocre, probably the worst I have been offered in a hotel for years, and the noise from the disco in the evening was intrusive. The rooms were over-heated and we couldn't find a way to turn down the temperature. The TV was so old, it didn't even have a remote control! We had agreed a price when booking, but were charged more. We were not expecting facilities you would get in a modern hotel, but hoped for a bit more than we got

Safranbolu is a gem of a town, laid back and not that touristic...yet. If you go, you will probably be one of the few non-Turkish visitors. Most visitors stay in B&B's which are converted antique Ottoman mansions. The Cinci Han is the only large "hotel-like" accommodation. It is a 400-year old authentic caravansery that has been immaculately renovated. We were told most of the rooms are small, as they were built for traveling caravan merchants to stay one night in the 16th century, but we reserved the main suite which were the apartments for the "master of the inn". It is outrageously exotic and authentic. The ceiling is a series of beehive domes. The living room has a turkish sofa (very hard) and woven rugs. There is an authentic antique stone bowl to take a turkish bath in the bathroom. The kitchen has been kept intact. Bed and bathroom facilities are modern and decent. Note that the "master of the inn" room is on the 3rd floor; you must climb irregular, steep steps with no railing so people with equilibrium or climbing issues should be very cautious.

Service is friendly. As we had a guide, the hotel manager (originally from Southeast Turkey, speaks no english) sat down with us to have a cup of tea, asked us questions about ourselves and what we thought about Turkey.

The Cinci Han is located right in the middle of the historical district. If you have an interpreter, make sure to talk to the local craftsman within the few blocks of the hotel. there are blacksmiths, turkish (straw) saddlemakers, etc. Many of them are old, have been doing their craft for 50 years or more, are happy to talk to you. Some of the Ottoman mansions are historical homes you can visit, but don't expect to fill more than a day of touring here.

As the only large, modern bar with large flat-screen tv's in the historical part of Safranbolu, the men in the town have taken over the restaurant/bar. For dinner, the food was excellent traditional turkish cuisine with dramatic presentation, but the cigarette smoke was thick and the televisions were turned up loud so the local men could watch a football (soccer) game of which they are absolutely fanatical about. I personally found it interesting to watch the locals, but don't expect an elegant dining experience. The breakfast buffet was basic Turkish with cheese, cereal, some fruit, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, olives, hard boiled eggs, toast, tea and coffee.

One last item: If you are coming from Istanbul, note that the call to prayer in the "country" is at the first glimmer of light...for us that was at 4:50AM in the morning; the windows are NOT double-paned...