Ishakpasa Cad Yenisarachane Sok. No:4, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey | (888) 616-5829
Located
in historic Sultanahmet, close to popular attractions
Set
in a charming 19th-century wooden house and former perfume
workshop
Hotel
has an interesting perfume theme inspired by its past
Guest rooms can be delicately perfumed on request
In-room
amenities include flat-screen TVs, and electric kettles
Free
breakfast buffet served in rooftop room with panoramic
views
Free international calls to some destinations
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Small
bathrooms with cramped showers
No
elevator
Set in a
traditional 19th-century wooden house, the upper-middle-range Esans Hotel has eight comfortable guest
rooms, each named after a perfume, and they're equipped with
air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, stocked minibars, and electric
kettles. A generous breakfast buffet is served each morning in the
rooftop breakfast room, which offers panoramic city views. Wi-Fi is
free in all areas of the hotel, and international calls to some
countries are free. Notable downsides include the cramped showers in
the bathrooms and the lack of an elevator. Travelers may also want to consider
nearby Basileus Hotel, which offers rooms with larger bathrooms, though rates can be higher.
Scene
A former perfume workshop converted into a hotel
The
traditional 19th-century wooden building housing Esans
Hotel is over 100 years old and was once the workshop and home of
perfumer Hassan Ahmet, who was born here and continued his father's
and grandfather's perfume business. In 2013, the building was converted into a hotel, and its name (which means "essence") is a nod to the former perfume workshop. This perfume theme runs
through the hotel, with rooms named after the scents that were once created here. Passing through the
front door, visitors descend a few steps into the lobby, a
low-ceilinged room with a seating area of richly upholstered
Empire-style armchairs, Turkish kilim rugs, and several oil paintings
on the walls. Guests are received at a white reception desk,
behind which a row of old-fashioned perfume bottles is displayed.
This hotel is popular with leisure travelers, most of whom are traveling as
couples.
Location
In the historic Sultanahmet district, near the Topkapi Palace
Esans
Hotel is located on a quiet street in Istanbul's charming Sultanahmet
district, just a few minutes' walk away from the famous Topkapi
Palace. There are many other small hotels in the same area, as well
as restaurants, cafes, and shops catering to tourists.
Rooms
Clean and comfortable rooms decorated in a showy Ottoman style
Each
of the eight guest rooms at Esans Hotel is named after a scent; examples include Sultan Essence, Harem Essence, and Dervish Essence.
Rooms can be lightly perfumed with these scents on request. The
floors and ceilings are covered in hardwood, and the interiors are
decorated in a showy Ottoman style. Walls have patterned wallpaper and richly patterned fabrics are used for the
curtains, pillows, bed runners, and armchairs, while several Oriental rugs cover the floors. Each room has a different color
palette -- think turquoise and gray or scarlet and gray -- complemented by
white furniture. While rooms are reasonably spacious, most of the attached bathrooms are tiny, with cramped shower cabins, and rectangular vessel sinks. In-room
amenities include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi,
minibars (stocked with mineral water, soft drinks, local beer, and chocolate bars), safes, and electric kettles with tea and coffee packets.
Features
Free buffet breakfast with great selection, free international calls, and free Wi-Fi
There
are few extra features on offer at the upper-middle-range Esans Hotel. A large
and generous breakfast buffet is included in the room rate and has fresh juices, tea, and coffee on offer as well as traditional
Turkish breakfast foods including yogurt, olives, fruit, bread, cheese,
and honey. Hot dishes such as fried eggs and French toast are also served. The
breakfast service takes place in the rooftop breakfast room, which is
glassed in on all sides, offering scenic panoramic views over the city
rooftops, the Bosphorus, and the Hagia Sophia. There are also a few
tables on the outdoor terrace. International calls to the U.S., Canada,
and many European countries are free from the lobby, while Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Laundry and airport transfers are available for a fee.