The Sirkeci Mansion is a marvelous find, a relatively recently custom-built structure on a quiet lane facing the park outside Topkapi Palace, within short walking distance to the Ayasofya and Blue Mosque—an ideal location for tourism. The owner has a sense for tourist needs that would be progressive even inside the United States: A few times a week, the hotel offers free tours that teach Turkish culture and history (cooking demonstrations, walking tours), and it publishes a free smartphone apps full of local resources and maps. It's even gay-friendly. All this would be nothing without comfortable and clean rooms, and those are fully kitted-out and don't disappoint: big beds, minibars, central AC and heat. Deluxe rooms, on the top floor, have balconies overlooking the tranquility of Gülhane Park, and in the cellar, there's an on-site Turkish bath and plunge pool. All this for just 52 rooms. The management simply understands what tourists need and how to make them comfortable while still introducing them to the local culture, and that on-target approach earns our highest marks.