Hotels for a first trip to Istanbul

1207 Hotel Special Class - Sultanahmet

9.0 guest score · about 245 reviews

At 70 At Meydanı Caddesi, the street along the Hippodrome, 1207 is one minute from the tram and three from the Blue Mosque. For a first visit it is hard to be more central.

A four-star with 29 rooms, it lists a bar, restaurant, garden and terrace, with accessible rooms, family rooms, airport transfers and a 24-hour desk. Guests score it 9.0 out of 10 across about 245 reviews.

Turkoman Hotel

8.7 guest score · about 43 reviews

Turkoman is on the corner of Asmalı Çeşme Sokak, one minute from the tram and four from the Blue Mosque. A three-star with 22 rooms, it has a bar and a terrace, family rooms, a 24-hour desk and airport transfers.

Check-in and check-out are both at 11:30, so you can drop into your room before lunch. Guests score it 8.7 out of 10, though from a smaller base of about 43 reviews.

Good to know Check-in and check-out are both at 11:30, handy after an early arrival.

HaciBayram Hotel

9.9 guest score · about 803 reviews

The highest score in this roundup, and one of the highest in the district: 9.9 out of 10 across about 800 reviews. HaciBayram is a three-star with 19 rooms at 4 Asmalı Çeşme Sokak, one minute from the tram.

The Blue Mosque is four minutes and Hagia Sophia ten. A garden, a terrace, accessible rooms, family rooms and a 24-hour desk are listed, with airport transfers. If you only read one entry, read this one.

HaciBayramApart

8.5 guest score · about 2 reviews

Sharing the 4 Asmalı Çeşme Sokak address with HaciBayram Hotel, this is a single aparthotel unit, one minute from the tram and four from the Blue Mosque.

A 24-hour desk and airport transfers are listed. It suits a traveller who wants a self-contained space with a reception close at hand. The 8.5 score comes from just two reviews, so lean on the neighbouring hotel's record as well as your own judgement.

Good to know It shares an address with HaciBayram Hotel, one minute from the tram.

Hotel Ravi

9.6 guest score · about 254 reviews

Ravi is on Terzihane Sokak, two minutes from the tram and four from the Blue Mosque. Guests score it 9.6 out of 10 across about 254 reviews, second only to HaciBayram among the well-reviewed hotels here.

A three-star with 24 rooms, it lists a bar and a terrace, accessible rooms, family rooms and a 24-hour desk, and airport transfers are listed too. The Grand Bazaar is 11 minutes on foot.

Hotel Ibrahim Pasha

9.3 guest score · about 507 reviews

A few doors along Terzihane Sokak at number 7, Ibrahim Pasha is a 3.5-star with 28 rooms. It has a bar and a terrace, accessible rooms, family rooms, a 24-hour desk and airport transfers.

More than 500 reviews give it 9.3 out of 10, one of the best-tested scores in this roundup. The tram is two minutes away. Check-in starts at 13:00, an hour earlier than most.

Good to know Check-in opens at 13:00, an hour earlier than most on this list.

The Ritus Hotel Istanbul Sultanahmet Tapestry Collection by Hilton

9.4 guest score · about 24 reviews

The Ritus, part of a Hilton collection, stands at number 19 on Terzihane Sokak. It is a four-star with 43 rooms, a bar and a restaurant, accessible rooms and family rooms.

The tram is two minutes away, the Blue Mosque five. Guests score it 9.4 out of 10, from a small base of about 24 reviews. Check-in starts at 15:00, later than most hotels on this street.

Good to know Check-in starts at 15:00; ask about storing bags if you land in the morning.

Hotel Lady Diana

8.5 guest score · about 324 reviews

The biggest hotel in this roundup, Lady Diana has 77 rooms on Terzihane Sokak. If you prefer a full-service hotel for a first visit, its list is the longest: spa, restaurant, bar and terrace, accessible and family rooms.

The tram is two minutes away. Guests score it 8.5 out of 10 across about 320 reviews. Check-out is at 12:30, a useful extra half hour on your last morning.

Hotel SultanHill

8.6 guest score · about 237 reviews

SultanHill is a 3.5-star with 17 rooms on Tavukhane Sokak, two minutes from both the Blue Mosque and the tram. That pairing makes it one of the easiest bases here.

A garden, a terrace, family rooms, a 24-hour desk and airport transfers are listed. Check-in opens at 13:00 and check-out is at 11:00. Guests give it 8.6 out of 10 across about 237 reviews.

Alaturka Mansion

9.8 guest score · about 10 reviews

Up the same street from SultanHill, at Tavukhane Sokak 26, Alaturka Mansion is a two-star with six rooms. The Blue Mosque and the tram are both two minutes away.

No facilities are listed, so expect a simple stay and ask about anything you need. Guests score it 9.8 out of 10, though from only about ten reviews. Check-in and check-out are both at noon.

Good to know With six rooms and no listed facilities, ask ahead about anything you need.

Hotel Saba

8.9 guest score · about 232 reviews

Saba is a three-star with 21 rooms on the Şehit Mehmet Paşa slope, two minutes from the tram and four from the Blue Mosque. It lists a terrace, accessible rooms, family rooms, a 24-hour desk and airport transfers.

Guests score it 8.9 out of 10 across about 230 reviews. Check-out is at 11:00, so plan your last morning accordingly.

Hotel Spectra Sultanahmet

8.6 guest score · about 255 reviews

At the top of the Şehit Mehmet Paşa slope, Spectra is a three-star with 12 rooms. It packs in a bar, a restaurant and a terrace, which few hotels of this size offer.

The tram is two minutes away, the Blue Mosque four. Accessible rooms, family rooms, a 24-hour desk and airport transfers are listed. Guests give it 8.6 out of 10 across about 255 reviews.

Nika otel & cafe

8.7 guest score · about 186 reviews

Nika is an unrated eight-room hotel on Üçler Sokak, two minutes from the tram and four from the Blue Mosque. Family rooms, a 24-hour desk and airport transfers are listed.

Guests score it 8.7 out of 10 across about 186 reviews, a solid result for a small, simple place. Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is at 11:30.

Family Istanbul Hotel

8.7 guest score · about 222 reviews

Family Istanbul is a three-star with 12 rooms on Akburçak Sokak in Küçük Ayasofya. The tram is five minutes away, the Blue Mosque six, a little further out than the Terzihane group.

Family rooms, a 24-hour desk and airport transfers are listed. Guests score it 8.7 out of 10 across about 220 reviews. One thing to know before you choose: check-out is listed at 08:00.

Good to know Check-out is listed at 08:00, so confirm the time with the hotel before you commit.

Timeks Suite Sultanahmet

8.5 guest score · about 12 reviews

Timeks is a three-star with 13 rooms on Oğul Sokak, four minutes from the Blue Mosque and five from the tram. Family rooms, a 24-hour desk and airport transfers are listed.

The 8.5 out of 10 score comes from only about 12 reviews, so it is still building a record. The shore path is ten minutes away if you want an evening walk.

Tri A House - Sultanahmet

8.5 guest score · about 2 reviews

Tri A House is an unrated seven-room hotel whose address is listed as Buhara 93 Restaurant, three minutes from the Blue Mosque and three from the tram.

Family rooms are the only facility listed, so ask the hosts about desk hours and arrival. The 8.5 score rests on just two reviews. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out at 11:00. A small, simple option for travellers who mostly need a bed close to the sights.

Good to know The address is given as a restaurant name, so ask the hosts for directions before you arrive.