Gorur Hotel

We had a nice terrace view at breakfast, and the room was clean. The staff were very kind, and the location was great, close to the market and bus station. The problem was that our windows faced the entrance of another building, so we couldn’t open them or the curtains. We asked to move to a room with a view, but they wouldn’t let us change rooms for just one day.

The location made getting around easy. It’s close to the spice bazaar and within walking distance of many old Istanbul sights, including Hagia, Topkapi, and the Grand Bazaar. There’s a pleasant terrace for breakfast, and the staff are friendly. But don’t ask for room service late at night, the owner may get angry. Our bathroom water stayed freezing cold for two days. They only promised they’d look into it and did nothing. Then, after we’d been out for nine hours, we came back to find a key left in the door after the room had been cleaned. Anyone could have walked in all day. When I handed the key to reception, all they said was, “Oh, sorry.”

The room and bathroom were both clean, and the staff were friendly. Their English was poor, though, and we could have used another key. I liked the old part of Istanbul where the hotel is, with lots of interesting shops and places like Topkapi and the Blue mosque within walking distance. The tram was easy to reach too.

It’s affordable and in a really good spot for tourists, with transport available to get pretty much anywhere. The rooms are small, just enough space for the beds and to walk around, and there were no chairs. Some details varied between rooms: one had a working TV, another had a fridge, and some had a safe box. Wi-Fi and breakfast are free, and room service came daily or every other day. Finding the place was confusing because the sign isn’t very visible and the name appears as both Family Atinoybruz Hotel and Gorur Hotel. Still, it’s a nice option for the price and location.