Nowy Efendi Hotel "Special Class"

Nowy Efendi Hotel opened in 2012 and has a charming white facade with white columns that give off a stately sensibility. Inside, the hotel has an elegant and sophisticated design with hints of Art Deco; the decor is tasteful but not luxurious. The lobby has tan floors and a plain wooden desk that are spruced up by hexagonal ceiling lights, a white contemporary couch, and a glossy brass room divider. The property includes a few trendy patios -- a lower floor terrace furnished with white woven chairs and a rooftop terrace with a modern swing and views over the city. The Terrace Cafe is particularly striking, featuring exposed brick walls, wooden floors, and painted tiles, along with rows of small bulbs on the ceiling that give a delightful twinkle. Families and couples are the main clientele here, attracted by the convenient location, lovely design, and personalized service from staff. 

The hotel is surrounded by restaurants and shops and is within walking distance of most of Istanbul’s top attractions. The Grand Bazaar is only a six-minute walk away. The Blue Mosque takes 15 minutes to reach on foot, while the Hagia Sophia and Sultanahmet Square can be reached within 20 minutes. For those that would rather take public transportation to get around, there’s a tram and bus stop that’s six minutes from the property. Sirkeci Station, the city's main train station, is about a 20-minute walk or 14 minutes via public transportation. Istanbul Ataturk Airport is about a half-hour drive, or a bit over an hour via public transportation. 

The hotel’s 28 rooms are pleasant and smartly decorated with an urban color palette of gray and cream hues, plush fabrics, and classic art pieces or pretty stained-glass-style details. The decor differs among the rooms as some have carpet and others have glossy floors, and a few even have a red color scheme (as opposed to the gray and cream hues in most). Rooms are fairly spacious and come equipped with flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, kettles, minibars, and safes. Some rooms have pretty furnished patios and others have views of some of Istanbul’s prized attractions. The bathrooms are striking with blue wavy tile or white marble tile and vessel sinks. They’re all equipped with showers (some with waterfall showerheads), nicely packaged toiletries, and hairdryers. 

Although Nowy Efendi Hotel lacks a pool, gym, or a full-service restaurant, it does provide a free Turkish breakfast buffet served in a charming salon; breakfast can also be delivered to guest rooms. The on-site Terrace Cafe offers snacks and drinks as well, and the hotel provides guests with free afternoon tea daily, which includes homemade pastries. Room service is available 24/7. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, and a laptop can be borrowed from reception free of charge. Note: there’s no on-site parking here, just nearby parking garages.