ISTANBUL
LAST DECEMBER, my wife and I discovered an affordale 19th-century hotel in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul. The Hotel Poem [Akbiyik Caddesi, 12 Terbiyik Sokak; 90.212.638 9744, www.hotelpoem.com, doubles from $50], named for the Turkish poems that, in lieu of numbers, identify rooms, is just minutes from the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and bazaars. Many of the basic rooms have views of the Sea of Marmara, and the English-speaking staff was very helpful-they secured two tickets to a dance performance and let us in on secret sightseeing spots.

-DR. THOMAS J.BICKI, WAREHAM, MASS.

Guardian.co.uk/travel

Posted by amypopsocks 30 March 2010

Hotel Poem

If hostels or huge faceless hotels aren't for you, chances are Hotel Poem will be. I stayed here last summer and the staff were so lovely to me - not only did they upgrade me to a three-bed room with views overlooking the Bosphorus, they also helped me out with my onward travels down to Selcuk. It was my first time travelling alone and they really made me feel welcome - in fact when I arrived at around 6pm on my first day, the hotelier said 'Ah, you must be Amy. We were wondering where you'd got to.' After the madness of navigating my way through the centre of Istanbul, it was a great relief to step into this homely hidden-away hotel and be welcomed like an old friend.

Smiles go a long way, but so does a good breakfast - especially when you're travelling on a budget. At Hotel Poem, you start your day with a help-yourself affair on a terrace hidden in the trees. Food was traditionally Turkish - and plates were piled high with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, eggs, bread and cake.

Lastly, there was the free-to-use computer in the lobby. Here, with the help of the reception staff, I mastered the Turkish keyboard, booked a bus to Izmir, and made contact with the Istanbul couchsurfing group - a really great bunch of people who meet every week.

For all this - and a gorgeous roof terrace too - it's pretty damn good considering rates start at 45 Euros.

26 May 2006

The Poem is a jewel tucked away on a side street from the many tourist bars and restaurants. The nights were quiet and the mornings filled with birds chirping and the smell of fresh bread in the bakery next door.The hotel is basic and that is what gives it its charm. It is a safe, cozy and wonderful haven in a busy city. The staff cannot be thanked enough as they are the true heart of the hotel and are fantastic in every way.

The Turkish breakfast was fresh every morning and a great way to start the day. I stayed in the "All of a sudden" room which has the only balcony and was worth the stay in Istanbul. To spend each evening sipping wine and watching the ships and the lights of Asian Istanbul is a breathtaking and beautiful memory.

The hotel is located well within easy walking of all the major attractions and the helpful staff is there for anything else that you want transportation to.

If you plan on staying in Istanbul stay at the Poem, you won't regret it.

Robert Flannery USA

05 June 2006

We have had a lovely time at the Poem Hotel. Breakfast on the terrace in the shade of the trees was heavenly, and throughout our stay we have had such fun and friendly service. The hotel is very homely, with a good ambience, and in a very good location.

Howard Watson & Miranda Harrison
(Design Writers)

16 February 2006

Returning for a third time to Hotel POEM it is a pleasure to be able to record that all the comments I made an earlier visit in October 2002 still hold. Although, inevitably, some of the personel have changed Adnan Mordeniz Managing Partner still succeeds in creating a wonderfully friendly, cheerful and helpful atmosphere.

As the occasion demanded, our warm and comfortable room provided a refuge from the rain and snow. Yat again another great stay in İstanbul and the Hotel POEM !..

Major and Mrs Peter Drew

06 June 2006

My friends and I had a great time visiting Istanbul for the first time staying at the Hotel POEM. Our stay was very pleasant and comfortable because the hotel's staff was very friendly and helpful, and gave us all the information we needed to explore the city. The location of the hotel is excellent. You can walk to almost all of the city's attractions in the old town. The ATMs are in walking distance, too. The hotel is in a quiet street and is close to a local bakery from where freshly baked Turkish breads came out every morning. We highly recommend this hotel to our friends who are going to Istanbul. Next time I visit, I hope I can stay in my "Hotel Rooms" again - that is the name of the room I stayed last time.

M. Yamamoto-Heckert, San Francisco, USA

1 October 2002

After a ten day stay in Hotel POEM I cannot write too higly of the quality of the service and friendliness I have found. This was my first visit to İstanbul and the Hotel is so well situated with regard to the proximity of the historical sites the visitor would wish to see. For someone like myself from a background of thirty years Army service a trip to the battlefield of Gallipoli was important. Thanks to Mr Adnan Mordeniz-Managing Partner- I was able to break my stay at the hotel for 2 days to visit Gallipoli and return without inconvenience.

The room in which I stayed was both comfortable and well appointed with outstanding views of the Sea of Marmara. A tasty and very filling breakfast was provided by an attentive Staff- an excellent to the day. It is also worth recording that the hotel's accomodation and rates charges are extremely reasonable.

Mr.Adnan and his staff are to be congratulated on providing my wife and myself with the memory of a outstanding holiday. On reflection my stay in İstanbul was all-too-short to absorb all that the city has to offer and we will be back----and of course stay in Hotel POEM.

Major and Mrs Peter Drew