Description: Most staff at economy hotels don't greet you by name when you enter the lobby, They don't inquire about how many flights of stairs you'd prefer and whether a great view is worth the climb. Most budget hotels don't give you an all you can eat beakfast of eggs, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers and tea, or provide you with a late night nargile bar in the basement. But the Paris Hostel and Hotel in Istanbul provided all that and more. Located in the ancient heart of the city known as the heart of the world, theintimate dining balcony on the roof provided a panoramic view of the Bosporus from the Sea of Marmarra all the way east to the Golden Horn, down over rippling red Turkish flags and terracotta roof tiles and across to glimpses of the minarets and rose gardens of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia. In our room, the open window let in the sweet aroma of this flower-filled city, and intermittently, the hauntingly beautiful call to prayer echoed by at least a dozen mosques within earshot. Our room was small but clean, the rates were affordable, the staff was friendly and very helpful, and the location put us on a quiet street facing the water, but only steps away from the tram line and blocks from the major attractions of Sultanahmet. My heart aches to return to this beautiful city and the little hotel with so much warmth and kindness for its many visitors. I can't recommend it enough!
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