Boutique Hotel Saba - Istanbul, Turkey     

We booked this hotel after reading the good reviews on trip advisor and checking out their site. I was disappointed to discover that despite clearly stating on the site that there is a fitness room, there is actually no such thing. Instead there is a room in the basement with a small stepper and a bike that doesn't work. When I brought this up with the staff (as part of our reason for booking here was the fitness room) they were completely unapologetic and told me I could go walking in the area instead! I'm not sure if there has been a change of staff since the previous reviews of friendly and helpful people on the reception, but that was not our experience. Our room was also very small, the bathroom was a squeeze with a tiny sink and we were told if we wanted a bigger room we would have to pay more. Apart from that I must say that the breakfast was good and was served on a fantastic terrace with great views - this was a redeeming factor and so we decided moving hotels was not worth the hassle. Also - there is no need to book an expensive taxi through the hotel as airport transfer can be arranged in a minibus for 3-4 euros or if you don't have much luggage you can use the tram and then metro from sultanahmet, which takes around 45 mins.

Tourist’s critique of Hotel Saba, Istanbul My recent stay at the Hotel Saba in Istanbul was my fourth, which already indicates that I have been very pleased with past visits. The Saba’s rates are very reasonable and represent an excellent bargain in comparison with the competition. The location of the Saba is really perfect for anyone wishing to visit the tourist attractions of the Sultanahmet region of the city. Although situated on a quiet side street, the Saba is literally a stone’s throw from the Hippodrome, which means that the Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque are within a few minutes walk from the hotel – so close, in fact, that getting to these places by any means other than walking would be silly. It is also worthy of note that the Saba is on the same elevation as the main tourist attractions of Sultanahmet. This is not true of many hotels in the same area that advertise their proximity to surrounding attractions but neglect to mention that you must climb very steep hills to get from their hotels to the main tourist area. Not so from the Saba. Also within a very short distance from the hotel – at the other end of the Hippodrome – is the trolley line that provides convenient and inexpensive transportation to the Spice Market, the Grand Bazaar, the University, and easy connections to the main shopping boulevard of the city, Istiklal. The rooms that I have occupied at the Saba have been very satisfactory. They are spotlessly clean, well lit and handsomely furnished. Towels and bedding are changed daily. An elevator takes guests to the various floors and to the beautiful balcony, where the hotel’s excellent free breakfast buffet is served every morning. The view of the ships at sea, as well as of the nearby Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya, is breathtaking. There is even a “regular” seagull visitor on the balcony’s marble railing every morning, on the lookout for free snacks and keeping other gulls away. The personnel of the Saba are extremely affable and helpful and speak very good English, as well as an assortment of other European languages. They are always willing to provide services and information about the city and assist guests to the extent that they can, regardless of the nature of the problem. The only negative note I must add to my evaluation of the Hotel Saba is the fact that on my last visit, the telephone is my room did not work at all. And the mini-refrigerators in the rooms are old and work very poorly. Both of these negatives are regrettable and really inappropriate for a hotel that caters to an international clientele. I must say, however, that when I expressed concern that the caviar I had bought in town needed better refrigeration than my mini-refrigerator provided, the Saba’s staff was happy to let me keep it in their big refrigerator until I left. I intend to visit Istanbul, one of my favorite cities, many more times; and I will always be happy to stay at the Hotel Saba. Laurence R. Richter Bloomington, Indiana USA