Hotel Turkoman by Vanessa Kaoukji

Literally a stone’s throw from the Blue Mosque, the Turkoman sits in the very heart of the cross roads of civilisations.

Of the 20 rooms that make up this friendly little B&B, the majority face the Hippodrome and the remainder overlook a small uninspiring garden. There is no escaping the dawn call to prayer in Istanbul so it is worth sacrificing sleep and getting a room with a view. In the summer months the windows are closed for the air-conditioning, so street noise is all but cut out.

In tribute to the Turkoman tribes that once ruled Turkey and beyond, each room is given suitable but unpronounceable name and artefacts from the 19th century are scattered about. The décor is clean and unfussy. Brass bedsteads and parquet floors are the dominant features. Most rooms are decidedly yellow and bright with the occasional red room thrown in for good measure. Bathrooms are small on the whole but don’t be fooled by the appearance – this is modern plumbing and power showers worthy of the Four Seasons. Corner rooms are smallish but allow in a great deal of light and large doubles at the end of private corridors can team up with small twin rooms to make a family suite. Only one room has a balcony (this is the largest) but every guest has access to the roof terrace with a direct view of the Blue Mosque. Continental breakfast is served up here (this is one of the few hotels that serve breakfast on the roof) and in the evening transforms into the Terrace Bar. An open stone fireplace is lit in the winter months.

Previously a family townhouse, Elif and her family have owned the Turkoman Hotel for 18 years. The sensitive conversion and hands-on running of the hotel has lent it a very welcoming atmosphere. Though there is not much more than the spacious reception area on the ground floor and the breakfast area a break-neck three flights up (with no lift) the Turkoman is a haven in Istanbul.