What better way to settle in after a long flight to a (at that point for me) a foreign country than being welcomed at this cozy yet charming boutique hotel. Ertan very pleasantly checked us in, providing helpful information about our stay and about the services that we can avail of. Whatever initial apprehension or awkwardness we may have felt from being in a new country, Ertan made us quickly feel comfortable while patiently answering all our questions and offering us apple teas that we all just loved. The lovely sitting rooms by the front desk prepares you to the grandeur that you will see once you walk around Istanbul. The beds are very comfortable and the room has all the necessities that we expected. The water pressure of the shower is great and we had no problem with getting hot water at any time (I've had previous experiences at other hotels where there were issues with the showers either not having enough water pressure or getting hot water consistently). The hotel is just a couple of blocks from the nearest tram station which, by itself, is already a very big positive. Though conveniently located near a main road where shops may still be open very late, the streets around the hotel are quiet at night. We always felt safe walking back even if very late at night. The hotel is close to many of the attractions that people visiting would want to go to. You can either walk (through a bustling area full of shops and interesting things to look at) or take the tram (two short tram stops) to the Sultanahmet Square/Hagia Sophia/Blue Mosque/Basilica Cistern area. What makes the Hotel Niles really special (especially if newly visiting Istanbul) are the very helpful, patient, welcoming staff! Ertan helped us quickly arrange a couple of reservations. He's always checking on us when he sees us if we need anything or just to ask us how we are doing. Oguz, the Front Desk guy at night, helped us to not get into an overpriced cab ride and arranged for us a properly meter-using taxi. Housekeeping maintained our rooms very well every day. Gurhan was very pleasant and attentive when we saw him in the restaurant bar. He always has a ready smile for us, which we always appreciate especially being new to a place where we did not know anyone. A very special mention deservedly goes to Halil and Muhammet. Having a great breakfast at the rooftop terrace always makes us get ready for the full day of walking around the city and Halil does an amazing job every morning. He prepares such a delicious set of breakfast food that we look forward to partaking every morning even if we had a very late night out previously. Aside from preparing the delicious food, he would take time to go around the restaurant to make sure everyone is well taken care of, stopping by the tables to check on us. He would also several times come with special surprise treats (teas, specially prepared eggs) that we truly appreciate every morning. In addition, he is a very pleasant and fun guy that you would want to greet you (with his delicious food) to start your morning right. Meanwhile, the hotel's rooftop bar is open 24/7 so that was a very great amenity especially whenever we had trouble sleeping due to jet lag. And Muhammet is always there to take care of us. He is a one-of-a-kind, special barkeep, top-notch. More than his very competent way of doing his job well, he seems to genuinely provide a personal service to every guest. Always smiling and pleasant, he is very helpful and personable--definitely beats the services being provided by those at high-end bars or clubs. He was great at listening to our questions, very respectful, and very helpful at providing guidance or information to us (where to shop specific things, what else to visit, how to navigate different areas of Istanbul). We followed his tips and advice, feeling more confident or assured and had better experiences doing so. He is also very approachable and has very good communication skills. It was great learning about Istanbul and more of the Turkish culture just from having night caps at the hotel's rooftop bar. He dutifully and very competently does his work while making sure he takes care of every guest there who may be there even if very late at night. Definitely had a great time learning from him about Istanbul and about other places to visit in his country. He sincerely is interested about the people he's talking to and that's great. Like having a new friend in a foreign country... It is what makes traveling really special, more than just seeing the beautiful sites and attractions. All in all, the hotel with its charm, its location, and especially its hard working yet very friendly, competent, and helpful staff is what makes Hotel Niles a perfect place to stay at whenever you're in Istanbul. The next time we go to Istanbul, it will feel like we will be meeting up and staying with friends when we stay again at Hotel Niles. We got lucky that we picked it as our hotel on our first visit to the city!…