The facilities, amenities and services provided in the Hotel Valide Sultan Konagi are commensurate with its boutique prestige, are equal to the requirements of the modern age and by far excel those offered by most hotels in this quarter of Istanbul.
A descriptive overview of some of these important accessory features of the hotel begins with the forecourt patio where in warm weather guests can relax with a book, enjoy an aperitif surrounded by blooming flowers or just watch the world stroll by. Next comes the elegant, fetchingly furnished hotel Lobby & Lounge, a popular meeting point and the favorite place to read the daily newspaper, and should you want to check or send e-mail, or see what the weather is like at home or at your next destination, you don’t have to go looking for Internet access since you can have it right on the hotel premises – just ask at the Reception, and it is free in all rooms, as well as on the rooftop terrace. The receptionist will also take your orders for our 24-hour room service and make transportation arrangements.
Accessible from the lobby or any other floor by a marble stairway or elevator (lift) is one of the hotel’s pre-eminent features, the Rooftop Terrace, Café & Restaurant, a serenely glorious world of delightful dining and stunning vistas. Here the guests start their day invigorated by a wholesome open-buffet breakfast, enchanted by spectacular views of the city, the waters of the Bosphorus with ships passing and dolphins playing, the Sea of Marmara, Princes’ Islands and the shores of Asia.
Only one unobscurred block from the hotel, the great basilica of Hagia Sophia seems almost close enough to touch, as is the Imperial Gate of Topkapi Palace, while the nearby Blue Mosque looms above the massive former Sultan Ahmet prison, now converted into a noted hotel.
At night, the sweeping panorama glitters like all the gems in the Sultan’s treasury, and close at hand flashes the lighthouse that achieved fame through the film “Topkapi” starring Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell and Peter Ustinoff. It is no wonder then that this breathtaking setting appeals so much to hotel guests, making it the favorite place to dine in style on delicious food (fish highly recommended) or just dally over a beverage in leisure.
On a more strenuous note, fitness fans will be pleased to find the hotel neighborhood highly suitable for jogging. In fact, running on the exact site of the historic Hippodrome where Roman chariots raced nearly two millennia ago may rank among the highlights of your visit.
Of more mundane interest – but central to our concept of care for the guests’ well-being and safety – are smoke-detectors placed in all rooms and public spaces of the hotel, and fire-escape stairs separate from the main staircase.
Hotel Valide Sultan Konagı
Cankurtaran Mah. Ishakpasa Cad.
Kutlugun Sk. No: 1 Istanbul
Tel.: +90 212 638 0600
Fax: +90 212 637 0705
info@hotelvalidesultan.com