Lalahan Hotel

Breakfast had plenty of variety, served buffet-style at the restaurant on the corner, which you can reach from inside the hotel. The place is also handy for public transport and close to Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace. Our room was roomy and clean. The one thing I’d change is the sound insulation in the windows and doors. The tram came by every 5-10 minutes, and we could also hear people in neighboring rooms. Still, if we return to Istanbul, we’d stay here again. There’s always someone at the front desk ready to help.

I enjoyed the breakfast and looked forward to it each morning. Lalahan Hotel is a simple place without many extra amenities, but it suited my needs and gave me a quiet, convenient place to rest. The staff were welcoming and kind, too. Its Sultanahmet location makes the main sights easy to explore, and it’s a good budget-friendly choice in the heart of Istanbul. The rooms and setup aren’t luxurious, but everything was decent. I’d recommend it for an affordable, well-located stay.

The room itself was a strong point: I booked a standard double for six days and was upgraded to a larger triple, with a double bed and an extra single. It looked much like the photos, had enough space, and the bathroom was tidy. Room service staff were good and kept things clean. The location is excellent, and I’d stay again if the lobby gets renovated and they add more irons. Getting around inside was confusing. The lobby felt like two areas joined together, with a maze-like layout and several short flights of steps before the elevator or restaurant. There’s no bellboy, so guests have to carry their own luggage up and down those steps, three sets of four steps. Breakfast choices were very limited, and refills were slow even early in the morning. There was only one iron, and it was always unavailable. They kept promising to bring it to me but never did. I eventually spotted it in the lobby and carried it up to my room.

The central location was the only real plus. The main attractions are a short walk away. Service made the stay unpleasant from the start. The staff seemed uninterested and almost rude when I arrived with my family. One employee, named "Ouer" (I’m not sure that’s the exact spelling), was especially unhelpful. He didn’t acknowledge us when we came or went, and when I asked for something, he seemed unwilling to get up and help. The room was much smaller than the online photos suggested. The air conditioning was okay, but the bathroom extractor didn’t work, so it got very humid. Breakfast had few options, and all the juices came from cartons rather than being fresh.