A winning formula for a boutique city hotel

Istanbul’s Sirkeci Konak, part of the small independent Sirkeci Hotel Group of Turkey, does it all right. Besides being well priced to begin with, it offers value added amenities and services that are what business and leisure travelers alike say they most appreciate in surveys.

Sirkeci Konak ticks all the boxes with quality, an abundant buffet breakfast; WIFI; use of hammam, sauna and fitness center; airport transfers for stays of 3 nights or more; a brochure enroute to the hotel with key phrases in Turkish; an overview of top attractions; and a bowl of Turkish delight sweets in room.

Then on my departure, much to my surprise and delight, they gave me a gift —a 4 piece porcelain Turkish coffee (espresso) set in a velvet box. The staff is genuinely friendly and the design is intimate, which makes for a cozy, familial atmosphere, welcoming to couples, families, and single travelers alike. The hotel wins Trip Advisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards year after year, and ranks #1 in Trip Advisor’s popularity index. No surprise here.