Hotel Ayasofya was built in the 19th Century as a private Ottoman home in the traditional wooden style. In 1990 it opened as a Special Historic Class Hotel and since then has offered Turkish hospitality to guests all over the world. In April 2009 an Australian woman from Melbourne, Gaye Reeves, took over the hotel and has upgraded the comforts in the rooms and enhanced this beautiful Ottoman buiding.
Nestled beneath the ancient walls of The Hippodrome the Hotel Ayasofya is just 350 metres from the Blue Mosque. Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia the Bascillica Cistern and the tramline are all within walking distance. Although so close to the wonderful sites of Byzantium Istanbul, Ayasofya is located in a charming quiet local street, among Turkish people. Children play in the streets, women gossip from their windows and local life goes on around us. You can relax without the hassle of traders and feel part of a local community.