Tomtom Suites

Vivid contemporary art adorns the high-ceilinged entryway and the rest of the Tomtom Suites, set inside a gorgeously restored 1901 building once home to well-off Greek and Levantine families. What looks like a plush office waiting room to one side serves as the lobby area, setting the tone of understated elegance found through the hotel. The staff is unobtrusive but always at the ready to offer personalized service to the mostly leisure travelers, primarily couples, who stay here. A glass elevator and a marble staircase both lead up to the quiet halls containing the hotel’s 20 suites. 

Depending on what visitors are looking for, the Tomtom Suites’ location is both a selling point and a drawback. It’s set on a quiet, atmospheric street in the old European quarter of Beyoğlu, across from the Italian consulate, where security measures mean taxis can’t come all the way up to the hotel’s front door but must let passengers off at the end of the block. The busy pedestrian thoroughfare İstiklal Caddesi, lined with shops and restaurants, is just a five-minute walk away, and the appealing neighborhoods of Cihangir and Galata (the latter is home to popular tourist sight Galata Tower) are each within a 15-minute walk, but the hills are steep in almost every direction. It’s a 10-minute walk downhill to the Tophane tram stop, which offers quick, easy access by public transportation to Karaköy, Eminönü, and Sultanahmet. In good traffic, it’s an hour’s drive to the airport. Beyoğlu is the heart of modern Istanbul and home to some of the city's best restaurants, nightlife, and shopping. It's north of the Golden Horn and Sultanahmet, and the popular tourist sights in the Old City, such as the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, require a taxi or tram ride to reach.

Starting at 375 square feet, the 20 suites are all spacious and well laid out, with high ceilings and distinct sitting areas. The earth tones of the contemporary furniture and wood floors are set off by boldly colored canvases by local painter Memduh Kuzay, the same artist whose works features throughout the hotel. The one Suite and four Classic Suites are on the ground floor, and thus get the least direct sunlight. The sole Luxury Suite on the top floor, with a separate living room, kitchenette, and private terrace, is a massive 900 square feet and the only room with a real sea view. All rooms have king-size beds, study desks, minibars, Nespresso machines and tea kettles, bathrobes, hairdryers, and safes. The amply sized bathrooms, covered in floor-heated black-and-white marble, have whirlpool tubs and separate rain showers. In-room entertainment features include iPod docks, flat-screen TVs and DVD players, and Wi-Fi, which is also available in the few common areas.

Guests rave about the breakfast at the Tomtom Suites, served in the rooftop restaurant with a panoramic view out over the mouth of the Golden Horn to Istanbul’s old city beyond. The restaurant itself, Nicole, is one of the best-regarded in Istanbul, with its innovative dinner-only prix fixe menu that changes with the seasons.As at other small hotels in the area, the public areas and recreation facilities are minimal; travelers seeking a gym or spa in Beyoğlu might look to the Marmara Taksim or Marmara Pera hotels. There’s a small sitting room next to the lobby on the entrance floor where coffee, tea, and cookies are served at around 4 or 5 p.m. each day. The same room contains a computer that guests can use and a small library of coffee-table books on art and Turkey, as well as a selection of DVDs to borrow. On the other side of the entryway, there’s a 10-person meeting room that doesn’t get much use.The staff can book in-room massages, airport transfers, and other services upon request. Room-service breakfast is also available.