Istanbul hotel

My husband, Ed, and I stayed in Hotel Yigitalp Istanbul (Gencturk Cad. Cukur Cesme Sok. No. 38, Sehzadebasi, Istanbul, Turkey; phone +90 212 512 98 60) in October ’10.

This was an absolutely charming, old hotel with a 1930s feel to it. The front desk staff was wonderful, providing helpful suggestions and even giving us umbrellas to use on the day it rained.

With a three-night stay, airport transfers were free and a free half-day city tour was included as well as a 20% discount on a dinner in the hotel restaurant. We also got a five percent discount for paying in Turkish liras. (In 2011, per night, a single room costs $95, a double $124 and two connected rooms [sleeps four] $248.)
The restaurant was wonderful and very reasonably priced. The first night, our four-course dinner for two cost TRY58 ($37) with the discount. It was so good, we went back a second night, when our dinner for two, full price, cost TRY78 ($49).

There was also a warm and cozy bar/lounge with reasonably priced wine (about $5 a glass), beer ($4), tea and coffee.

NANCY NORBERG
Mount Pleasant, SC