Location is very important when choosing an Istanbul hotel, hostel, or apartment/flat. Each hotel area has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of noise, transport convenience, price and things to see and do nearby.
Click here for help in deciding on the best location for your hotel stay.
Istanbul's Main Hotel Areas
Istanbul's two main hotel areas, Old Istanbul and Beyoğlu, are a 20-minute taxi ride, or a 35-minute tram ride apart. Hotels on the Asian shore are 20 minutes away by ferry. There are also hotels north of the city center on the Bosphorus, where transport at rush hours can be long and tedious by any method. Hotels near Atatürk Airport (IST) offer a few advantages under certain circumstances.
Old Istanbul Hotels
If you're coming to Istanbul primarily for sightseeing, the hotels, inns, pensions, and hostels in the neighborhoods surrounding Sultanahmet Square provide easy access to the major sights in historic Old Istanbul ("Stamboul") including the Hippodrome, Topkapı Palace, the Blue Mosque, Ayasofya and the Grand Bazaar.
Lodgings are in all price ranges, from cheap hostels to five-star luxury, with most being charming mid-range inns. Some of the best values are in Sirkeci and Beyazıt(see below). More...
Karaköy Hotels
Right on the north shore at the mouth of the Golden Horn, at the northern end of the Galata Bridge, Karaköy (Galata) is Istanbul's up-and-coming hotel district, with a dozen new, very comfortable hotels from which to choose. Transport to anywhere in the city is easy. More...
Beyoğlu Hotels
The Beyoğlu district north of the Golden Horn, formerly called Pera, was the more modern part of the city a century ago. Most of it was built during the 19th and 20th centuries around Taksim Square and İstiklal Caddesi (the Grande Rue de Péra). It has more and better cafés, restaurants and upscale shops, though fewer historic sites.
Asian Side Hotels
Now that public transport makes the Asian side more quickly and easily accessible from European Istanbul, you may want to consider staying there. More...
Bosphorus Hotels
Most of these hotels offer magnificent water views from luxury 5-star rooms facing the Bosphorus strait, but not all rooms do, and the location is a bit distant from sightseeing, shopping, and nightlife. You'll be taking lots of taxi rides, sometimes through dense traffic. More...
Airport Hotels
There's one right in Atatürk International Airport, another adjacent to the airport, and several others only a 10- or 15-minute taxi ride away, but in fact, most travelers will find little advantage staying near Atatürk Airport, although there's an excellent solution at Sabiha Gökçen Airport. More...
Istanbul Hotel Index
Already have the name of a hotel? See if it's included in my list of favorite Istanbul hotels in alphabetical order.
—by Tom Brosnahan
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