# Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet occupies a prison built in 1918-1919, turned into a hotel in 1996 and renovated in 2022. Its 65 rooms and suites surround a garden courtyard a few steps from Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. It is Türkiye's only hotel with three Michelin Keys in 2026; rates start at about €985 a night in June.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/hotels/four-seasons-sultanahmet/

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet is the old city's grand hotel: just 65 rooms and suites in a neoclassical building set between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. The Michelin Guide awarded it three Keys in 2025 and kept them in 2026, making it the only hotel in Türkiye at that level. Keys are Michelin's hotel distinction, the counterpart of the stars it gives restaurants.

## A prison turned grand hotel

The building was built as a prison in 1918-1919. Its original features are best preserved in the south-west wing, which houses the lobby, bar and reception. Four Seasons turned it into a hotel in 1996 and reopened it in 2022 after a full renovation by the architects and designers Goddard Littlefair. The rooms are arranged around an enclosed garden courtyard, which gives the hotel a rare calm just steps from Istanbul's most visited square.

## The rooms

The 48 rooms and 17 suites are all generous for an old-city hotel: 42 m² at least. A couple is comfortable from the Superior Room up; a family of four should take the Four Seasons Room, with two queen beds. Some suites look out over Hagia Sophia or the Sea of Marmara: if the view matters, say so when booking.

Check-in is at 3 pm and check-out at noon, local time.

## Dining, bar and hammam

**Avlu**, the courtyard restaurant, serves contemporary Anatolian cuisine: the press kit lists duck tirit, siron, and katmer with herbs and curd cheese. **Lingo Lingo** offers fish, modern mezze and cocktails; **The Rooftop** is the bar on the roof terrace, and **La Pistache** the patisserie.

The **Kurna Spa** is small: a traditional hammam with stone basins and pale marble, treatment rooms, a steam room and a sauna. The hotel has no pool, but guests can use those of [Four Seasons Bosphorus](/en/hotels/four-seasons-bosphorus/), the sister hotel on the Bosphorus. For more addresses, see [spa and wellness](/en/themes/spa-and-wellness/).

## Location

The hotel is on Tevkifhane Sokak, in the heart of the [historic peninsula](/en/turkey/istanbul-historic-peninsula/). Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern and Topkapı Palace are a few minutes' walk away. Istanbul Airport (IST) is 46 km away, about an hour's drive without traffic, and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) 41 km.

## Rates

In October 2026, for two nights from 1 to 3 June 2027, the cheapest room was offered at €1,967 for two adults, about €985 a night, room only and non-refundable, including taxes and fees.

## Sabaro's view

**For whom**: couples who want to see the old city on foot and come back to a quiet courtyard in the evening; honeymooners (see [honeymoon](/en/themes/honeymoon/)); families of four in the Four Seasons Room.

**Strengths**: the location, as close as it gets to the great monuments; the three Michelin Keys; the hotel's small size; a Google rating of 4.6 out of 5.

**Good to know**: this is the most expensive hotel in our old-city selection, and it has no pool on site. For a less expensive boutique hotel in the same area, see [Hotel Ibrahim Pasha](/en/hotels/ibrahim-pasha/); for a pool and hammam on site, [AJWA Sultanahmet](/en/hotels/ajwa-sultanahmet/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Four Seasons Sultanahmet have a pool?

No, but guests have access to the indoor and outdoor pools of Four Seasons Bosphorus, on the shore of the Bosphorus.

### How many Michelin Keys does the hotel have?

Three, awarded in 2025 and kept in 2026. It is the only hotel in Türkiye at that level.

### Which room is best for a family?

The Four Seasons Room: 55 to 60 m², two queen beds, for four adults or two adults and two children.

### What is the safety advice for Istanbul?

None of the European foreign ministries followed by Sabaro advises against Istanbul; several call for heightened vigilance throughout the country, particularly at tourist sites. The historic peninsula page gives each country's advice.