In the past we have used these 2 hotels below. I have reserved 4 rooms at Richmond for supervisors. For the rest I DID NOT DO any block reservation. Please stay at Sultanahmet area of Istanbul. Do your own reservation using any of the internet based hotel services (check trip advisor or booking.com for reviews, etc). Price range of 70 Euros to 130 Euros is reasonable. Below 70 Euros I would be hesitant. Just send an e-mail to me so that I have a record of where you are staying. If you stay at Sultanahmet area, you will take the TRAM towards KABATAŞ. You will get off at KARAKÖY. When you get off, walk parallel to the tram 50 meters away from the Galata Bridge. The building is at the intersection of Bankalar Sokak and Yuksek Kaldirim.

AND Hotel (Sultanahmet area)
www.andhotel.com
Phone: 90 212 512 0207
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This is the hotel we mainly used before. It is next to Ayasofya, and has fantastic view of old Istanbul from the terrace. A little bit old and not luxurious, and we had good business in the past. Not the best quality hotel of the area but it has reasonable prices.

Richmond Istanbul (Istiklal Caddesi – Beyoglu area)
http://www.richmondhotels.com.tr/eng/default.asp
Istiklal Caddesi, No:445, Tunel, 80670, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Phone: 90 212 252 5460    Fax: 90 212 252 9707
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This is one of the nicer hotels in the Istiklal area, little bit upper scale compared to Sultanahmet Hotels. Walking distance to the venue and the Beyoglu area. I have reserved 4 rooms (the last four they can offer) from this hotel.

SOME OTHER HOTELS

These 2 came with recommendations with people I know:

TASHKONAK (recommended by Hakki Ogelman and Chryssa Kouvelioutou, and Pop who also stayed there recently)

http://www.hoteltashkonak.com/

AHMED EFENDI (  A little bir further down from Sultanahmet, but still walking distance. Closer to the sea, recommended by Jurgen Knodleseder)

http://www.ahmetefendievi.com/

These are some more hotels nearby. If it is in Sirkeci, in principle you can walk 15-20 minutes to Karakoy, or again get on TRAM at Sirkeci towards KABATAŞ and get off at Karakoy.

Hotel Agan (Sirkeci region)
www.aganhotel.com/

Antique Hotel (Sultanahmet area)
www.hotelantique.com

Aziyade Hotel (Sultanahmet area)
www.aziyadehotel.com

Golden Horn Hotel Sirkeci (Sirkeci area)
www.thegoldenhorn.com