While staying in Serbia, we researched accommodation online and found Ishak Pasa on Trip Advisor with good recommendations. Metin quickly responded to our query and took care of arranging our shuttle from the airport (a big deal for us with 2 bike boxes). It is not a 4 star hotel, but its location is superb, it is very comfortable and lives up to its reputation as having excellent staff who take care of your needs and make your stay the best it can be. Metin had bought the hotel 6 months ago - formerly it had been a hostel and he has been making upgrades. Unlike most hotels in Sultanahmet, this hotel is located away from the hustle and bustle of tourists shops and restaurants. We liked that it was on its own, yet a few steps from Topkaki and Hagia Sophia. Our best wishes to all who made us feel so welcome: Metin, Tahsin, Daria, Halil, Asya (cleaned our room) and Tumer. After over 4 months on the road, we really appreciate genuine hospitality.
Today we enjoyed Metin's special eggs at the breakfast buffet.
Metin, the hospitable owner of Ishak Pasa Konagi in Istanbul. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious and he (and his staff) know how to make his guests feel comfortable and at home.
Teria and Papai from Bombay were staying at Ishak Pasa as well. They were looking for a location in Turkey to start a business. We shared many long conversations about life in our home countries and travel.
Halil, Rabia and Tahsin: Halil seemed to work where ever he was needed (breakfast, night shift, construction, etc. - Rabia was in charge of the breakfast and Tahsin ran the front desk and was the official interpreter as he spoke excellent English. Their friendliness, warm personalities and sincere hospitality set Ishak Pasa apart from other hotels. We also want to mention Tumer who worked the night shift. He always stood as we entered and was eager to find out what we had done that day.
Rabia's smile would greet us each morning as we arrived for breakfast. She took such good care of us - freshly squeezed orange/pomegranate juice and turkish tea would magically appear at our table. She patiently tried to help us with our Turkish language skills.
Believe it or not, the narrow cobbled road is a two way street - it is interesting to watch a tour bus come down the road which forces the rest of the traffic to back up the length of the road.
Our first night we stayed in the top room on the right. The balcony gave us a fantastic view of the Marmara Sea. We spent the rest of the time in a room at the back of the hotel adjacent to the stone wall - very quiet and we loved the sense of history and the beauty of the wall.
