When my wife and I suddenly decided to go to Turkey for a holiday in mid-May, I did what I usually do before such trips - a Google to find a place to stay. I was struck by Historia's tariffs and thought at first that there must be some sort of catch. A little more research showed the hotel was very centrally located and I figured I had nothing to lose as my wife and I would only be using the hotel room to crash out in every night. But the five nights we spent at Historia made us realise how special this hotel is. Historia is located a stone's throw from some of Istanbul's best attractions, including the Blue Mosque, Ayasofya and Basilica Cistern. If you enjoy walking, you can even make it to the Topkapi Palace in about 15 minutes. All of which translates into major savings on transportation. The area around the Historia has some great cafes and restaurants, and you can while away the evenings listening to live music and eating great food. The rooms may be small but they're clean and comfortable. The breakfast is served fresh and hot and an added bonus is the open courtyard adjoining the dining space. Last but certainly not the least - Historia's warm and wonderful staff who do everything with a genuine smile and go out of their way to help guests. So thank you Veysel, Mutlu (or Mr Happy, because that's what his name means in Turkish), Onur and all the others. You are one of the reasons why Historia will be our home whenever we return to Istanbul. Tesekkur ederim!
