Istanbul's Hotel Sari Konak

Hotel Sari Konak (Mimar Mehmet Aga Cad. No. 42-46, 34122 Sultanahmet, Istanbul, TURKEY; phone +90 [212] 638 62 58, fax [212] 517 8635, www. istanbulhotelsarikonak.com), which translates into the “Yellow House Hotel,” is located in the old section of Istanbul. My husband, Heinz, and I stayed there Oct. 24-25, 2007.

This hotel is simple but clean, and the location is perfect, since it is practically within spitting distance of both the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. We paid €89 ($130) per night for a double room. Breakfast, included in the price, was ample.

There was a terrace on top of the hotel where one could have a drink or tea with a wonderful view of the Sea of Marmara and the top of the Bosphorus Bridge.

We can highly recommend this hotel as well as the English-speaking receptionist, Elif. She hired a personal guide for us with whom we visited a few sites that are not on the usual bus tours.

KARIN WEISER

Lincoln, CA