Staying in a good but reasonably priced hotel was very important to me on my recent trip to Istanbul. I did a good amount of research, and it paid off, as I chose the Armada Hotel and couldn't be happier with the result. The room was clean and comfortable; the queen-sized bed was firm and had 4 fluffy pillows! Breakfast at the rooftop restaurant was spectacular; the food was great, the view top-notch, and the hotel made sure I had an English language newspaper waiting for me at breakfast.

I went in the off-season, but I was pleased that the hotel is tucked away in a quieter section down the hill from Sultanahmet. It's also right across the street from the Bosporus, which made for relaxing evening walks out to the fish restaurants at Kumkapi. It is a rather steep uphill climb back to Sultanahmet, though, but taken slow, the walk is pleasant enough.

That whole area behind the Blue Mosque and down to the Bosporus contains some great restaurants and good hotel bars. The staff at the Armada is very helpful and the whole place exudes a nice sense of calm and comfort that's quite welcome after a busy day in a boisterous city.

The bathrooms were spotless (another important consideration for me), the TV worked (but was a bit small) and the fridge comes stocked with food and drink. The rooms contain copies of Cornucopia, a great magazine, as well as other reading material. I would certainly stay again at the Armada.

This was the second visit to Turkey on business and also the second stay at the Armada Hotel. On both occasions I experienced most friendly staff who have a good understanding of English. The room was very clean and well decorated. The general surroundings inside the hotel are very pleasant and there are several interesting features in the foyer including a fountain,complete with a family of turtles! The only slight downside was that the wi-fi coverage was not great and only worked in certain areas of the room. Colleagues who were also staying at the hotel found similar problems. That said, it was always possible to get connectivity, so no great problem there. The breakfast buffet, served in the terrace restaurant was exceptional with a huge selecton of cheese, fruit and savory dishes to choose from, with the added advantage of stunning views from the windows. I would definitely stay ther again on future visits.

Istanbul is a wonderful city and the Armada is very close to the historic sites. It is a quite nice hotel near the water and near the Blue Mosque, Haghia Sophia, and walkable to the Grand Bazaar.
It is not like a fancy 5 star luxury place, but more like a nice country inn. Hard to describe, but very comfortable, clean, and quiet.
My only complain is that the restaurant was not completely non-smoking and it was smoky in there. Too bad because the food was very good. Nice spread at breakfast and good food for dinner.
I was suprised by how nice Istanbul was and this hotel was very nice as well.

We were very, very happy with our stay at Armada Hotel in Istanbul.
The hotel is situated between The Blue Mosque and The Marmara Sea, so the view from the roof terrass was breath-taking..
It was also very convieniant with Hagia Sofia, Topkapi, The Basilika Cistern and hamambath within walking distance.

The hotel is spotlessly clean and beautifully decorated and the staff is very friendly and helpful. The rooms are not big, but we spent our time exploring the city, so it didn't matter to us. The beds were big but a bit too hard for our taste.
The breakfast buffe gives you a good start with fresh, delicious and interesting Turkish food in rich variaty.
The restaurant is on the top floor, so - again - the view adds something extra to your meal, which in itself was most enjoyable. The waiters are attentive and fast.