Meroddi Barnathan Hotel

This is a very charming and cozy Ottoman era historic hotel, with beautiful hand painted designs on the room walls. Plenty of hot water and good water pressure in the shower. It's very clean. The staff were all fantastic - friendly and efficient. The front desk staff went out of their way to be helpful and they speak perfect English. The daily hot and cold breakfast buffet was scrumptious! All kinds of fresh baked breads and pastries, fresh and dried fruits, salads, cheeses, yogurts, olives, jams, nutella, eggs, sausages and more. The waiters are very attentive and the hotel plays beautiful background music in the lobby - bossanova and classic soft jazz from the 1940s or 50s, giving you a feeling of stepping back in time. The hotel is located in a central location, 5-minutes' walk to the Galeta bridge and 1 minute to the Galeta water tower. It's close to public transportation and walkable to most historical sites, (Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia, Grand Bazar, Ottoman palaces, cruise boats on the Bosphoros, and more. There are cute cafes, restaurants and shops all around the hotel. As a woman, I felt very safe walking alone in this neighborhood, even at night. There are lots of people around and the shops are open late, so it has a bustling feeling. I will definitely stay there the next time I go to Istanbul.