Very clean and cozy hotel in the heart of Sultanahmet - Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Topkapi palace can be reached in 3-5 minutes by foot. Bazaars and Galata could be reached by foot in 15-20 minutes, otherwise there is also tram stop nearby for reaching other parts of Istanbul. You can find plenty of places to dine in the streets nearby. Rooms are equipped with air conditioning, breakfast is on the rooftop terrace. And special thanks for receptionist who helped us by contacting the driver who came to pick us to airport! :)

For us it was not a problem at all, but for elderly visitors it could matter that this hotel has no lift/elevator. In case your room windows are facing the street then tram bell ring could be heard quite loudly during late evening or early morning, windows are not soundproofed. On the other hand loud muezzin call to prayer from Hagia Sophia will wake you up in the early morning either way - that is Istanbul :)

Location right down the street from Hagia Sophia. Staff are super friendly and very helpful with check in and luggage assistance.

First room we had part of the shower door was missing which caused the floor to get wet. Only one sleeping pillow to choose from.

From the time of our arrival, we had a great time in the hotel. Meheran was kind and accommodating to our needs and explained patiently about attractions in the area. the room was spacious for 2 for Istanbul standards. Very happy with the cleanliness and daily .housekeeping. Breakfast was provided each day in the upstairs terrace with ease for smokers. I was not aware of the hotel location when booking so I was pleasantly surprised we were able to walk only a few minutes to Aya Sofia, Topkapi palace and Gulhane park to enjoy spring tulips everyday. we are also able to walk to Sirkeci and Emininonu and we are not used to walking nor are very active at all. Tram stops merely metres outside the hotel and we had no issues getting to Taksim or Kadikoy on the Asian side very quickly taking the Marmaray near the hotel. good experience and highly recommend for couples. Although please note usually hotels in Istanbul don't have lifts or elevators.

nothing. service was excellent. location was the best. near all attractions and countless food and shopping choices. preferred staying here than near taksim.

We had an amazing time at The Empress Theodora Hotel. The service was excellent, and the reception, especially Ahmed, was very friendly and lovely he made us feel truly welcome in Spanish greetings. The breakfast was delicious with a good variety to start the day. Room very comfortable and cosy. The hotel is also in a perfect location, very convenient for visiting all the main tourist attractions, with public transportation right in front of the hotel. I really recommend this place to anyone visiting Istanbul! Mario and Leo from Mexico.

None, everything was perfect!

Was very pleasantly surprised by how close the location was to the major sights we wanted to see. Our room was a good size and very comfortable, shower temperature and pressure were excellent. The breakfast buffet was tasty with lots of options to eat. The staff were very helpful whenever we had questions

Our room faced the main street the hotel is on and so was a bit noisier than I would've liked between the tram bells, crowds and call to prayer. Luckily I brought earplugs but perhaps would advise they have these in the room in case you need them?

Great staff, clean, excellent location in Sultanahmet district and very close to the main tourist attractions, allowed early check in and good breakfast. Our transfer communicated with the hotel staff and helped us with our luggage to find the hotel by meeting us at the nearby drop off location. Hotel did the same when we were headed back to the airport. Their restaurant food was good and offers no service charge/10% discount if staying at this property. Təşəkkür edirəm!

Nothing about the hotel...just that Istanbul/Turkey is more expensive than we expected.

Location of the hotel is more then perfect. It is just across from the Basilica and between Sultanahmet square and Gulhane park. Hagia Sofia is 200meters from the hotel. There are a lot of restaurants across the streets,cute shops, exange office is nearby too. My cousin and I were there with my 7 years old kid and we haven't had any trouble walking to the most beautiful places in Istanbul. Train station Gulhane,is also nearby and it is so convenient because it's so easy to go in whatever part of the city you want. Public transportation is so affordable and perfectly connected. I would definitely recommend this hotel. The staff was so hostile and so nice. My kid loved the guy at the reception table. I think his name is Mustafa and he was very helpful and nice. Thank you so much and greating from two Jelenas and Visnja :)

If you don't like the stairs, there is no elevator. We were at 2nd floor and we definitely didn't mind walking. Breakfast could be better,maybe more things to choose from. Again, we were really satisfied with location,staff and hotel.

Basilica Cistern is right across the hotel. Hagia Sophia is 3 minutes walking. Top Kapi sultans’ palace is 6 minutes walking. Blue Mosque is 10 minutes walking. Our room was the least expensive and didn’t have a window. (There was a cute 3d picture of the window imitating the real window.) It didn’t bother us at all because we were outside all day long. We came to the hotel in the midday to take a break, use the bathroom, take a shower and again went outside to see sightseeings and museums. Breakfast was awesome! Staff was super friendly and helpful.

Nothing bad to report

Vibrant location accessible to everything walking distance to everything no car is needed staff were nice housekeeping kept the room clean and nicely maintained daily

I wish there was a lobby also breakfast was nice and filling a lot of different choices however I wish it was different every day kind of same plat every day

Location was excellent. Right in the middle of all the tourist attractions. The staff were professional, and so accommodating to our needs. We arrived late to the hotel and needed to have dinner. The restaurant attached to the hotel prepared our meals even though the restaurant was closed. There is a 24 hour front desk manager available. He assisted us when we checked out at 3:30am by contacting the taxi driver, to ensure we arrive at the airport on time. Thank you for a lovely stay. I've recommended this hotel to family and friends wishing to visit Istanbul.

The breakfast was cold. A microwave would be beneficial to the breakfast layout