Istanbul is one of my favorite places. I could visit again and again.

We peeked in on Empress Zoe when we were there about a year ago. It's on the backside of the Four Seasons going downhill towards the Bosphorous. Not as good a view of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia or the Hippodrome areas. It's more residential and probably has a better view of the river. Public areas look ok; rooms small and beds not to my liking (I am picky about beds).

We did find the advertisements for the rooftop breakfasts are seasonal at the hotels in the Sultanahmet hotels. We chose an Ottoman hotel with a lovely view advertised on their website. We peeked in before the start of our stay. It turns out they locked the top floor after Sept. 15! I can't remember the name; it was in the Hippodrome area. After seeing the rooms & realizing we'd be using the ground floor breakfast area (no where near as nice as the rooftop choice), we cancelled it.

We were using Credo Tours, so they got us a discount vs. Expedia or the hotel's own websites at Ereswin Crown. More expensive than the Ottoman hotels; less than 1/2 the cost of the Four Seasons. It lacks the charm of the Ottoman hotels and the slightly better views. It's still easy walking distance to the major sites of Sultanahmet. I was simply more comfortable there (I am getting picky). As it turns out, we both came back from India not feeling well, so we were very glad for the level of accommodation at Ereswin Crown.

Marcie, nearly all the hotels will include breakfast if you ask. Make sure that's negotiated in before you leave.

Cheers, Anne