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Hotel Empress Zoe vs Side Hotel

Both hotels are recommended by professional travelers. On balance, Hotel Empress Zoe is the choice of most professionals compared to Side Hotel and Pension. Hotel Empress Zoe comes in at #5 in Istanbul with recommendations from 8 reviewers such as The Telegraph, DK Eyewitness and concierge.com.

Hotel Empress Zoe
Hotel Empress Zoe
8 / 10
Akbiyik Caddesi 10, Sultanahmet, Istanbul 34122, Turkey
From $54 /night
  • Free Internet
  • Free Breakfast
  • Laundry Service
  • Concierge
  • Multilingual
  • Air Conditioning
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Rough Guide Rough Guide
"The nineteen rooms are in dark wood with richly coloured textiles, accessed by a narrow spiral staircase."
Concierge Concierge
"The Empress Zoe is one of the rare places in the area to display any spark of creativity in its concept and design."
Fodor's Fodor's
"The hotel's lush garden is an extremely tranquil spot to eat breakfast, and there's also an intimate, two-level roof terrace with nice views." Full review
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
"Equally close to Sultanahmet’s major tourist sites as the Four Seasons, this boutique hotel is both quirkily charming and easy on the wallet." Full review
DK Eyewitness DK Eyewitness
"It is claimed that Empress Zoe actually lived here. The two buildings have been restored to an exceptionally high standard of taste and design with an abundance of spacious suites."
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Side Hotel
Side Hotel
7 / 10
Utangac Sok. No 20, Istanbul 34400, Turkey
From $108 /night
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Free Internet
  • Free Breakfast
  • Smoking Rooms
  • Air Conditioning
  • Breakfast included
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Rough Guide Rough Guide
"Owned by three charismatic brothers, this place is bright, spacious and friendly and resists the pressure to go all modern or faux-Ottoman."
Lonely Planet Lonely Planet
"A sprawling place that has a long-standing reputation for cheap, clean and comfortable accommodation, the Side has overpriced hotel rooms with TV, air-con and en suite."
DK Eyewitness DK Eyewitness
"This family run establishment combines a pension for budget-conscious guests and also a ritzier hotel. Pension prices are cheaper and facilities are fewer, with no air conditioning in rooms."
Frommer's Frommer's
"This place has been offering good-value, spotlessly clean, well-managed accommodation in the heart of the old city since 1989." Full review
The Telegraph The Telegraph
8.0
"Superbly located within a few minutes' walk of the old city's top sights, the Side is understandably the budget travellers' accommodation of choice in central Istanbul." Full review
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