Ayasofya Konaklari

Sandwiched between the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, this hotel complex consists of nine pastel-colored clapboard buildings along a narrow, cobblestoned street closed to traffic. Each takes its name from flowers like honeysuckle, rose, and jasmine and contains four to 10 rooms furnished in 19th-century Turkish style with strong western influences. Rooms are small but come with original Ottoman furnishings including velvet curtains, brass beds, and mirrored armoires. There are two restaurants on-site, but it’s the bar, located in a 1,400-year-old cistern, that is the real gem.