Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Hagia Sofia Mansions sit in the heart of Sultanahmet, with Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque a couple of minutes' walk away. Many mansions line Topkapı Palace's outer walls, and the surrounding lanes are full of carpet shops, rooftop cafés, and traditional restaurants. The Basilica Cistern is close by, and the Sultanahmet tram stop is about a five-minute walk away.

Rather than a single building, the hotel is a collection of historic mansions, restored and brought together as one. Each has its own character, and the lanes, courtyards and gardens between them give the stay the feel of a quiet Ottoman neighbourhood in the middle of the old city.

Rooms are individually decorated in Ottoman style, with baroque furnishings, delicate pendant lighting and portrait-style artwork. Marble bathrooms are designed like Turkish baths, with deep soaking tubs. Families and groups can book an entire suite, each with its own living room, dining room, hammam, and deep soaking bathtub.

Sofia Terrace serves Turkish and Mediterranean dishes indoors and out, with views of Hagia Sophia. Green House Garden Restaurant is set around a stone fountain in a leafy courtyard, while The Sarnıç, the signature restaurant and cocktail bar, sits within an underground cistern.

Cistern Spa is one of Istanbul's most unusual spas, set in an old Roman cistern. Ancient stone walls create a hushed, atmospheric setting for a heated hammam massage stone, a whirlpool and private massage rooms, turning a treatment into a journey through the city's layered history. A fitness centre completes the facilities.