Piya Boutique Hotel

Emran, the manager, was lovely, pleasant, and helpful, but he was the only good part of the stay. My booking listed this as piya boutique hotel, though it’s actually a hostel with private rooms. The place needs renovation and is in poor repair. My room was right beside a train line, the shower leaked, and the bed was really uncomfortable. Even at that price, it wasn’t worth it. I’d give it a miss, there are much better options.

I split my four nights in a private room and three in a shared dorm. It’s a simple, no-nonsense place with good free WiFi throughout, and very good value. The location is excellent, and the staff and owner keep to themselves. There’s a basic Turkish breakfast with tea included. Dorms range from four to eight beds, and as far as I could tell there are mixed and women-only rooms. Private rooms come with a TV and en suite bathroom. Nothing fancy, but a nice place.

We enjoyed our stay and it was okay, though the place wasn’t especially clean or warm. I reckon our room would get cold in the middle of winter, so I’m glad we came while the weather was fairly mild.

The desk guy was friendly, but that was about the only good thing. My room smelled bad and the bed was broken, so if comfort matters, this place isn’t for you. The price was a problem too: once I arrived, I was told I’d only paid 50% and had to pay again. I left after one night instead of staying the three I’d booked. Nobel hostel cost half as much and had friendly staff, was clean, and was closer to the main attractions in a less dodgy neighborhood.