Agora Life Hotel

The staff were genuinely kind and helpful, and I’d give them five stars for their hospitality. The hotel is central, near the tram and bazaar, so getting around was easy. Still, as someone who travels often, I have to say the rest didn’t meet my expectations for a four-star place. My room was quite small, and I could smell cigarette smoke there and in the breakfast area. I’m allergic to smoke, so that was unpleasant. Breakfast was average to below average compared with other hotels I’ve stayed in. I’d thought it would be served on the rooftop with a view, but instead we had to pick it up on a tray and carry it upstairs ourselves, which wasn’t convenient for us. Given the services and overall experience, I found the price high.

The rooms were clean, comfortable and well cared for, and breakfast had a tasty range of fresh options. The hotel is right in the center, so the main sights, shops and restaurants were easy to reach on foot. From the moment I arrived, all the staff were welcoming, friendly and ready to help. I had a wonderful stay and would come back, and recommend it to anyone visiting Istanbul.

What really makes this hotel is the staff. Isa, Ömer, Yaseen, madam Khadeejah and most of the team were amazing, and they’ll advise you on just about anything. The place is cozy rather than fancy, with clean, tidy rooms that cover the basics, and a decent breakfast with choices, plus eggs or sausages if you ask. It works especially well for families. In just a few minutes’ walk there’s transport, major sights, chemists, Eminonu, Ayasofiya, Sultanahmet Masjeed, exchange offices with fair rates, restaurants, lokantas, Grand Bazaar, Spicies Bazaar and plenty more.

There’s an elevator, and the free breakfast is downstairs in the basement. You can take it up to the rooftop terrace, which has a great view of the Hagia Sophia. The historic sites are close, and though the room was small, it was comfortable. The only drawback was being a bit far from the M2 metro. We had an early flight, and staff directed us to a nearer public transport entrance, but at 5:45 the attendant said it wasn’t open yet. We ended up taking a 15-minute taxi to the metro station that connects to the airport, for 700 Lira.