Ayasofya Life Aparts&Suites

The location was okay and close to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, but the area has lots of hills that could be difficult for people who don’t walk well. There’s also a very noisy mosque next to the hotel that woke us at night. I found the tourist area quite expensive. We had a really uncomfortable booking situation. One part of our group arrived earlier and hadn’t checked in. Since they were older and couldn’t manage many stairs, they were moved to different rooms, which was considerate, but the rooms cost more and nobody told us. Suddenly we had to pay a lot extra. We’d also been redirected to this hotel after booking somewhere else, so we still don’t know what rooms we were originally meant to get. After a lot of negotiating, we got a small discount, but it didn’t make up for the other problems. Staff spoke little English, which made communication hard, though we managed in the end. The rooms we got were dirty, with large mold patches on the walls and ceilings in both bathrooms and bedrooms. Furniture and bathroom tiles were broken, the sewage systems were open, some windows wouldn’t open, and the fridges were damaged. We also got bug bites from sleeping in the beds. In the small lobby and on the first floor, employees and their friends slept on the couches and hung out both day and night. It didn’t bother me much, but some guests might find it uncomfortable. I’ve stayed in plenty of cheap hotels and don’t expect luxury, but this place has more problems than most. It won’t suit everyone, and I can’t recommend staying here. You may find something better for the same price, or want to avoid the very cheapest options in Istanbul.

Great location, and the price was very good for what you get. I’d recommend it.

We liked everything. Finding decent accommodation in the center can take some effort, so this place was fine for us.

The location was the only thing I liked. The room was affordable, and we knew the neighborhood was old, so old furniture and appliances weren’t a surprise. But we didn’t expect so little cleaning or dirty linens. There was mold on the bathroom ceiling and the plaster was blistering. Under the beds sat a pile of trash, including chips and bottles, and the floor, curtains, and furniture were dusty. The blankets were dirty too, with lipstick on them and blood on one. The air conditioner worked for one day, then wouldn’t turn on, so it was too hot to sleep. The bedside lamps had no bulbs and were dusty as well. If the owner cleaned everything and washed the linens and curtains, we’d recommend the place. As it is, I wouldn’t. It’s very dirty.