Hotel Empress Zoe, Istanbul

My children and I completely fell in love with Empress Zoe and its charming team. From the moment we arrived, we felt right at home. The Deluxe Garden Suite was an absolute dream, and the large, incredibly comfortable bed made us feel like true empresses. Breakfast was freshly prepared every morning with great care and attention, making it a wonderful start to the day. We will definitely come back—preferably during the warmer season so we can fully enjoy the enchanted garden. Thank you for making our stay so special and memorable.

Excellent central location , great breakfast and best bed

If you don’t like stairs make sure you ask for a room that has minimal stairs to get to Very clean but rather rustic bathrooms with minimal lighting

The building is such a unique and delightful building, it was an absolute delight to stay in. Our twin room actually had two little rooms, one with an authentic Turkish bath/shower which was lovely. There was plenty of hot water and the beds were very comfortable. The breakfasts were fabulous with a huge array of yummy things to eat and the staff were knowledgeable and kind, showing us different options and booking things for us during our stay. Thank you Tarik especially for all your help, booking airport transfers, sharing your local knowledge and making our stay so stress free - we absolutely loved Istanbul and staying here made it so memorable!

This property wouldn’t be good for folks who cannot climb a steep spiral staircase tho. We didn’t mind and thought it wonderful, adding to the charisma of the place.

Perfect location in the centre of the historic district, friendly and helpful staff, excellent breakfast, and three adorable cats. We will definitely stay there on our next visit to Istanbul.

The stairs are a little bit precarious. Fo us (age 70) this was not a problem, but anyone with mobility problems should be aware of this.

The location was fabulous and the hotel was really unique, with lovely Turkish decor and attached to historical ruins. Staff were extremely helpful and my 10 year old son loved the cats.

There are lots of narrow stairs which were fine for us but wouldn't suit some people.

Art, character, location, staff, cats, & an exceptional breakfast (without doubt the best ever!).

A cozy and intimate hotel with great attention to detail, located in a romantic corner created from ancient Roman baths. The breakfast is excellent, with fresh and beautifully presented products. Very warm hospitality.

Lovely breakfast served in cosy warm dining room excellent hotel within walking distance of all places of interest very good

Amazing and super helpful staff. Incredible breakfast and sweetest kitty cats. Comfy bed and small but cozy space

Good location for the main attractions but some serious hecklers outside (not hotels fault of course)

Perfect location, friendly staff, lovely authentic bedrooms and breakfast and of course the cats on property!

This a charming hotel with extremely friendly and warm staff. It has a cozy green yard, it feels very homely. The location is perfect too, and the view from the terrace is magnificent.

We really liked the breakfast and garden. The room was spacious and comfortable. Very charming hotel.

Nothing

Had a lovely stay. All the staff were incredibly friendly and the hotel was in a very historic location. The garden and the terrace were beautiful

Really nice and unique hotel with a great vibe. The staff are super friendly, welcoming, and always happy to help. This is especially appreciated since the street is very touristy, with lots of pushy promoters and overpriced places with below-average quality. That’s why the hotel felt like a calm and honest spot where no one tries to sell you anything. The team was always ready to answer questions and share helpful tips 🫶🏻 The location is great, just a couple of minutes’ walk from the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Big bonus: adorable cats hanging around, sleeping on the sofas, and adding extra coziness. Definitely recommend this place. Great value for money💯

One small downside is the quite steep staircase. This has already been mentioned in other reviews, and it’s something to keep in mind when booking. Going up and down requires a bit of care, especially if you have heavy luggage or any mobility issues.

Excellent central location walking distance from most major sites and well served by public transport. The hotel is full of character. Rooms were small but had a really local feel. Staff could not be more helpful and friendly. Good spread of items for breakfast with plenty of healthy options.

No complaints.

Excellent breakfast. The rooms are unique and decorated with charming historical of style. The property is a repurposed Turkish bath. Superbly friendly and helpful staff

A layout of a repurposed property could be slightly challenging to move around. Albeit very charming.

Location was a stones throw from Agia Sofia. Staff were friendly and helpful. Excellent breakfast.

Great location and hysterical rooms

Everything was great. Might be challenging for anyone with difficulties in walking as the stairs are very tiny , otherwise everything was great

Very well located, confortable, very good breakfast, very nice people

Mind the staircase to the first floor, not adapted if you are unsteady

The staff and Location was great. The brekfast spread was amazing! Their cats are so cute!

The rooms were kinda smaller than i expected. Hardly any space to open luggage.

Great staff. Comfortable and authentic Turkish rooms.

Stairs!

Location is perfect - very close to the main tourist activities but also quiet. Also the staff was super helpful and the breakfast was great. The garden is fantastic and the rooftop stunning. We visited during the winter, so didn't get to spend much time up there, but could imagine how nice a coffee or drink would be up there.

Rooms are a bit on the small side and awkward shape. I think this is fine for an old hotel, but they are a bit dingy.

Location ideal, room adequate, food excellent, what really sets this place apart are the people who work in it, they cannot do enough to make your stay memorable.

Rooms befit the location and the restrictions based on the age of the property. It was great!

Fabulous, but quiet, location near all the main tourist attractions in historic Sultanahmet. Excellent Turkish breakfast, with large selection of dishes to choose from. Friendly, helpful staff, who carried baggage, arranged airport transfers and advised on sightseeing - 24 hour service, even on New Year's Eve/New Year's Day. A truly charming experience!

Just a note, already specified on website, that this delightful accommodation would not be suitable for wheelchair-bound guests as there is no lift, only narrow staircases linking the two historic buildings.

The hotel itself is beautiful with a lovely garden to enjoy for breakfast or anytime of day. Our room had not only a view of the garden from one window but a view of the Bosphorus and a minaret from the other. It was stunning. Breakfast was wonderful too and homemade by a very friendly woman. Also, the location was super convenient for only having a few days in Istanbul as it was walking distance to all of the sites.

Nothing not to like! Also, they let us check in hours early due to flight arrival time, at no extra charge. Because of this we got a few hours rest before the adventure began, absolutely amazing service as far as we were concerned!

I like the place it was so friendly stuff and the atmosphere is so cool

It was our second time in this hotel! The position is incredible to explore the city. The rooms, terrace and breakfast area (including the garden) are just lovely. A special mention to the staff, very polite and friendly and always ready to help.

Homely feel. Staff are very friendly and helpful. View from the terrace was amazing

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We loved that this ancient building has been so beautifully adapted into a unique hotel. Tastefully furnished and has a pretty garden and roof terrsce.. The staff are all very friendly and helpful.

We were on the fourth floor and the spiral staircase lost its novelty value after a while! However this was a small price to pay for the charm of the place.

Extremely convenient location. Quiet and yet so walkable. Adorable staff and very comfortable bed. Delicious breakfast .. we can wait to come back !

Nothing !! We lived it all

The hotel staff was super nice. The room service is great. They are happy to help and explain the rules around the city.

I have no item that I could mention I did not like

Central Location. Great value. Staff were super friendly and helpful in managing our late request for additional nights. Breakfast in a delightful setting and varied breakfast menu.

The staff were welcoming and accomodating. They carried our bags up the stairs, gave us recommendations for local hamams and did everything they could to make our stay comfortable.

Nothing! We loved it.

Great location, just a couple of minutes from the two mosques. Lovely staff. Charming rooms - felt much more an authentic experience than staying in a processed chain hotel.

Breakfast is Turkish - my family loved it, but don't expect eggs and bacon.

Excellent walkable location to major sites, unique rooms, breakfast variety, service and staff, the cats!

Nothing!

Excellent position in Istanbul old town, stepping on history, hotel has a wonderful indoor garden, very nice staff, good taste of decoration.

Personally I didn’t like the mattress- too soft for my back. Also narrow and abrupt staircase all over.

It was walking distance from all major attractions, clean and neat and the staff were extremely helpful and friendly. The garden was also a lovely edition!

The room was quite small, for 1 person perfect, but if traveling with a partner it might be a little too crammed. But that's the only complaint!

A terrific little hotel in a great location near the Blue Mosque. Quirky, with friendly staff and good breakfasts.

Perfect location in the old town. The staffs were all extremely friendly and helpful. They made me feel that I was staying with my families.

The spiral staircase was very narrow, and there's no elevator in the hotel. I was glad that I was not carrying a huge and heavy luggage.

After many visits over the years the Zoe has never let us down. From the comfortable room to the amazing breakfast and the BEST staff ......the tranquil garden is an Oasis of peace and calm. I can't imagine staying anyplace else.

An absolutely perfect location for exploring the Old Town sights in Istanbul. Almost everything is within short walking distance . . . and for more distant destinations, the Tram 1 station is also a short walk away. Hotel management was extremely helpful, accommodating and friendly ... and arranged easy transportation to and from the airport, eliminating another worrisome detail. We stayed in a suite with terrace: comfortable, spacious, with its own private entrance up a short flight of stairs, and conveniently located just above the breakfast area. Breakfast was a delight, with an amazing variety of delicious dishes and outdoor tables arrayed across a very peaceful and beautiful garden. We enjoyed a delightful view across the Bosphorus Strait to New Town. Our room also overlooked Kutlugün Sokak, which we accessed by the hotel's rear entrance . . . a very short walk to the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, and Basilica Cistern. We heard very little city noise in this quiet corner of town -- just the calls to prayer which are part of the pleasure in visiting Istanbul. We walked to dinner -- and highly recommend Albura Kathisma, just 2 blocks from the hotel (expect to be hounded by every restaurant you pass, but that's part of the charm). We also enjoyed Khorsani, just a few blocks west of the Basilica Cistern. For lunch, you can't beat Cankurtaran Sosyal Tesisleri, - a short 10 minute walk to a beautiful, quiet and reasonably priced restaurant away from tourist sites and a splendid view across the water to the Asian side.

Not a thing

The hotel is located in great location close to many major sights. The common areas and our room have a lot of personality. The staff is friendly and helpful. The hotel serves an excellent breakfast.

If you’re a light sleeper, you mighty want to bring earplugs due to night time street noise and the predawn call to prayer. Traffic is surprisingly heavy for the narrow streets around the hotel. The neighborhood is filled with shops and restaurants with workers who stand out front to sell their goods.

The hotel was lovely - very quirky and traditional - situated close to everywhere we wanted to visit. The staff were very welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. Delicious breakfast each morning in the garden which set us up for the day. The hotel offered and arranged a private shuttle to and from the airport which was perfect for us - particularly as we arrived in a massive thunderstorm!

We liked everything but be warned -there are a lot of stairs to climb if you have a room at the top of the building!

Great rooms and friendly staff. Location was perfect too.

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The breakfasts were great and we loved the relaxed atmosphere in the breakfast area and the garden. Central location to the old part of town. Very friendly staff.

We really loved our stay there.

Its Location, history, quirkiness, friendliness and of course the cats

Room was a little dark but beds super comfy

The location can’t be beat for all things in the old city. Love that it feels authentic and full of charm. The breakfast selections are outstanding.

Penthouse has lovely sitting area with a nice view. Very handy having breakfast

Stairs to penthouse. Staff carried suitcases up and down

Incredible location, round the corner from the top sights & 5 mins walk from the sea, yet discrete. Neighbourhood felt safe. Superb breakfast with fresh produce and home made delicious baked goods. Great views from the rooftop terrace & lovely garden area. Charming decor. All staff were friendly and highly efficient too.

Nothing - it was ideal for us.

Location is excellent for visiting monuments. Each room is different. I had two different ones. The staff were very polite and helpful. The garden is lovely, though it was too cold for me to breakfast outside. The breakfast rooms are delightful. Interesting paintings everywhere and antique furniture.

My first room, a single, was small, but quiet and equipped with everything I needed