Hotel Empress Zoe, Istanbul

location, awesome breakfast, quirky-cute rooms

If you want a bland identikit hotel with power showers and television in your room this hotel is not for you. If you want an individual, quirky, hotel in an historical building do stay here. The building is wonderful with 15th walls, frescos, spiral staircases and odd shaped rooms. I cannot speak highly enough of the staff. They are all wonderful, cheerful, friendly and helpful. Fellow guests were from many corners of the globe which made this even nicer and no tour groups. Breakfast selection was vast and delicious.

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Old building built around an old Hamam. The entry to the hotel is super quirky. It is almost like a hidden entrance. We had a lovely time there. The breakfast spread is excellent and the breakfast area is super cute. We visited before Christmas and they had cute Christmas decorations with a fireplace and it was very cozy. The rooms are old ottoman style which adds to the experience. It is walking distance from Hagia Sophia. Every one from the staff was super helpful and warm.

All the staff lovely and helpful, the location excellent and we loved the breakfast, great choice and lovely seating areas and outside courtyard, great view from rooftop terrace.

Very central and a good atmosphere.

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Everything, especially the decor, location!

No lift!

Excellent staff , wonderful atmosphere. Definitely will visit again !

Just a little maintenance required at some places .

Great location neat Topkapi palace. The breakfast was fresh, varied, healthy and delicious. Historic building with modern comforts

Would have liked a kettle in the room and a bit more lighting, though tea and coffee were readily available at the bar

Great location, nice terrace. Very good staff

- Beautifully designed room - Hotel vibes were on point - Breakfast was fantastic and having it in the garden made it so special - Great location for sightseeing and shopping and food selection

- Air conditioner was obviously quite old so it wasn't very effective in keeping the room cool. I had to ask for an electric fan, which they kindly provided.

Breakfast and location

Landing was noisy, ie other guests using the stairs. Location meant proximity to restaurants- I hated getting hassled by people to go into their restaurants

Breakfast!

A little gem in the middle of a busy tourist area. Nice old building with traditional rooms. The view from the window of my room was fantastic. Also hotel staff very helpful

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Location a bit difficult to find but EXCELLENT ONCE IN

It’s staff , patio and garden

Location and breakfast

The queen size bed’s mattress was not comfortable but single beds were.

Super location in Old Town, near Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace and the Bosphorus, etc. Great staff, very good Turkish breakfast and I loved the two 'house' cats

my room was tiny but comfortable, and the price was more than fair, so a good value in the end

The staff was outstanding

Coffee makers in the room or available in the lobby, especially since coffee shops weren’tnopen early and breakfast didn’t start until 8:30 am

We stayed in a suite with the sea view and it was just like dream.

This was a great stay, we loved everything about Hotel Empress Zoe. From the location, the look of the building, the incredible garden where one can breakfast in, the cordial staff to the house cat Sophie and new ginger cat addition. Breakfast was simply amazing. We've been to hotels with more elaborate breakfast buffets, but this hotel's breakfast was simply excellent without going over the top with the choices. Delicious fresh bread, cheeses, olives, vegetables, spreads, sweet pastry, jams, honey and much more, prepared by two lovely ladies. It was a delicious start of the day, sitting in the peaceful and pretty garden with one of the two cats usually passing by as well. Room was cosy and full of character, making it unmistakable that you are in Istanbul and not in some generic looking room. We were super happy with the little balcony overlooking the quiet garden and also allowing view on the Bosphorus. It did include climbing 4 flights of stairs, but that was a good exercise given how hilly many parts of Istanbul are.

This has nothing to do with the hotel, but the neighbouring restaurant (the hotel is located in a touristic zone with many restaurants) had staff pestering us every time we passed to have dinner there, and although some heckling is to be expected, this man became really unfriendly over time.

Fabulous spread. Different treats every day. Lots of choice.

Little disappointed that Turkish coffee was extra.

Great location with views of Aya Sophia and the Blue Mosque from the roof. Great breakfast in the garden and very friendly and helpful staff.

The rooms are small and there is a winding staircase and no elevator. However the staff does carry the bags up and down.

Super breakfast, lovely building in great location. Helpful staff. Great garden area.

Courtyard was beautiful snd breakfast was a feast! Our room was a bit small but very charming. Staff were kind and helpful . Location was amazing, spitting distance to all the big sights but quiet and sweet

Beautiful details such as the marble bathrooms. Great location in a quiet street. The garden is next to the ruins of the old baths and is a lovely setting for breakfast. Great breakfast

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Great location, directly near Topkapi/Hagia Sophia. Clean facilities, very nice house and garden. Good breakfast.

Restaurant advice very uninspired Very touristy area Less ideal for Taksim/Galata

A beautiful quirky hotel just a 5 minute walk from Sultanahmet Square where 4 of the main tourist attractions are. The hotel is two oldish buildings that have been joined. We had the top floor room with a view of the Bosporus. If the weather is good, breakfast can be taken in a delightful courtyard. Breakfast is a great selection of fresh fruits, cereals, local delicacies & other goodies. However gluten free products are hard to get in Turkey so it’s worth taking corn cakes or something similar. The staff were very friendly and helpful with restaurant recommendations, public transport advice etc.

Nothing. However access to the bedrooms and meals area is up a spiral staircase so not good for people with mobility issues. The hotel warns you about this and there are very strong porters to take your luggage to your room!

Wonbderful location , very close to mostall of the major historical sites of Istanbul. Also, the hotel also a nearly 1000 year old hiatorical building.

Wonderful position near Hagia Sophia Staff were wonderfully helpful Generous breakfast Rustic charm

The gauntlet of hassling restauranteurs in the street outside the hotel

A perfect location. After a fantastic breakfast, and an amazing Turkish coffee, you can get to most of the main sights within minutes and miss the crowds. The staff were exceptional - so friendly and helpful. Rooms were terrific and having a glass of wine on the roof top was a perfect way to end the day.

location was excellent, although the street was rather noisy at night with stag parties.

being on the top floor, the stairs were hectic with my arthritis.

Location was great. Hotel had a quirky feel to it. Staff were friendly and had a great breakfast.

This is not a criticism but just general advice. Hotel, given that it is an historic building did not have a lift and spiral staircase may be problematic for people with mobility issues.

The room was beautiful. The hotel is in a central location; we could walk to most things we wanted to see. The breakfast was excellent.

Some nights it was a bit noisy because of the roof-top restaurant across the street.

Super charming. Wonderful staff. And fantastic location. Just perfect.

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The old building frescoes pictures and the location

Nothing except you need to be able to do spiral stair cases

Our large double room was very spacious, ample storage facilities and a very comfortable bed. Superb double glazing which on a moderately busy street mean't a great night's sleep. All of the staff were so kind and welcoming. A stunning and delicious buffet style breakfast each morning which could be eaten inside or outside in the very pretty garden. A rooftop terrace with spectacular views to relax after a day of walking. Everything about the Zoe was good, from the communication prior to arrival, taxi arrangements and the stay itself. I would highly recommend.

This is a small hotel in a little busy neighborhood. Two blocks from the main sites… there are tons of restaurants nearby and fun things to do. Yes… this isn’t the Hilton (I don’t want a big American style hotel when visiting new countries alone). The staff treated me like family, the rooms had that old Istanbul feel and were clean, the breakfast buffet was fresh and authentic. After the first day, the breakfast ladies knew how I took my coffee and had it ready the minute I walked in. There are a lot of stairs, so if that is a problem…. Ask for a room on the ground floor. (The bell man handled all the luggage.) The beds are comfortable and the showers had HOT water. The resident cat made the stay perfect. I will definitely stay here again on my next visit!

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I had a wonderful room w a balcony over the garden. Location v close to the sights in Sultan Ahmet, on the European side. Breakfast excellent in charming breakfast rooms and garden.

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Loved the location, the view from my room, the beautiful garden area and the wonderful breakfasts. All staff were very helpful and friendly. Also great that there was always someone in reception. The hotel’s building and its integration of historical features was really interesting and helped make it a special place to stay.

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Thé roof top and the lovely peaceful garden. The service fir drinks tea, coffee etc starting 4 pm.

A lot of narrow winding stairs, really not convenient for people with mobility difficulties, the case being of my friend ( knees)! The taxi service way too expensive. If you stay there there is a taxi stand 50mts away. Our room with 3 beds was small and stuffy. But there is air conditioning.

I stayed in a small but cosy single room. The location was great, a few minutes walk from Hagia Sophia and other sights. The staff are all very friendly and helpful. The garden and the breakfast are definitely a highlight.

Very cute room. Breakfast in the garden and friendly ladies setting it out. Learned a few words of Turkish that brought out smiles. Location location. 5 mins to Hagia Sofiya, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern. Restaurants all around. Small supermarket around the corner.

Traffic. Leave plenty of time for transfers!

Loved the garden and the roof terrace, they were magical. The garden is part of an old Hannam you feel part of history. The location is perfect right next to the mosques that can be seen from the terrace and you can hear the prayers. The customer service is absolutely great, people make you feel at home and are very accommodating and friendly.

Our rooms were nice but a bit small and tired although very clean and practical. We had double single rooms and were separated giving you privacy. The bathroom and washing area were lovely and made of marble.

Perfect location, charming suite and courtyard, delicious breakfast, helpful and friendly staff, Sophie the cat 💕

Our family (2 adults/2 kids aged 11 & 13) had a wonderful stay at Empress Zoe Hotel & wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others. The hotel is in such a great location to see sights like the Topkapi Palace & Hagia Sophia but is tucked away in a back street so it was lovely to escape to at the end of a long day. We walked everywhere & there were many restaurants in the area if you were too tired to venture further. We stayed in one of the family suites which was perfect & we loved the Turkish furnishings/accents. The kids had a separate sleeping area adjoining a little living area with mini fridge, kettle & sink. The shower was fantastic at the end of a long day of sightseeing. The staff were super lovely helping to arrange laundry & recommend restaurants. The full Turkish breakfast in the peaceful, lovely garden overlooking an ancient hamman ruin was a lovely way to start the day & our room had access to a rooftop terrace overlooking the water which was a nice way to end the day with a glass of Turkish wine.

There are a lot of stairs but my husband, who had a hip replacement 3 months ago, still managed it.

A building full of character, lovely staff

Being an old building my room for some traveller was compact and the shower stall very small

It's a beautiful hotel, we were more enticed to stay in our room than explore Istanbul that's how beautiful the penthouse room was. The hotel is also staffed with just a bunch of lovely people going above and beyond.

lovely light in the room with windows that opened. Rooftop deck with great view of the city. Very close (5 min walk) to Hagia Sophia area. Nice staff to help us find the best way to get to the airport via public transportation.

I thought it would be more ornate with colorful tapestries on the bed but that may just be certain rooms. 3 flights of stairs to get to room. Area very busy, would be best for people with limited time wanting to walk to Hagia Sophia etc. If you have more time to take a bus/metro/longer walk there are better options for the price.

The staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful. The large scale breakfast and the women serving it was a treat. The garden courtyard is an oasis in Istanbul.

There were two narrow spiral staircases to my room, three on my last 2 days. I am 75 and would caution elderly people about the climb and descent.

We loved our room overlooking the courtyard garden. The breakfast included in the room fee was excellent from beautifully cooked eggs, to fruit, yogurt, breads with coffee and tea. The atmosphere was very relaxed, we enjoyed meeting fellow hotel guests over drinks in the courtyard garden.

This was our second stay at Empress Zoe and once again the staff were delightful in all ways including helping with luggage up the steep flights of stairs. The garden and rooftop are welcome respite from busy Sultanahmet. The character of the Hotel is also beautiful. The breakfasts delicious. Very happy to recommend you stay here.

Steep stairs not for the faint hearted.