Celal Sultan Boutique Hotel, Istanbul

Until recently, the Celal Sultan was simply an ancient Ottoman-style wooden townhouse but it has now been tastefully renovated to service the tourist dıştrict as a hotel. The rooms are a decent size and extremely comfortable, decorated with lovely yellow plaids and peaches and cream pastels. Some of the upper-floor rooms also have balconies with fabulous views of the nearby Hagia Sophia. There's also an open-air terrace on the roof with ornate wrought-iron chairs and tables, from where guests can enjoy excellent views over Sultanahmet. Room rates may vary with the season.