The Galata Aramis Hotel

The friendly staff were a real plus, and having a Russian-speaking woman at reception was helpful. The room came with a kettle, two glasses, tea, instant coffee, two 0.5 L bottles of water, slippers, a hairdryer, and hangers. We also liked how close it was to Galata Tower, Istiklal Street, cafés, and metro, bus, and tram stops, all within a five-minute walk. We'd picked The Aramis Galata Hotel because it was on a quiet street without nearby bars or restaurants, hoping to sleep well. There weren't bars, but the shops' metal shutters started clattering open around 7:30 in the morning, and guests hauling bags on the stairs made more noise. There's no elevator. The room was much smaller than the online photos suggested. Our suitcases and shoes had to stay beside the bed, and the wardrobe was too short for long dresses. We asked staff not to clean every day because there was barely room to move our things, though they did still replace the towels. It was a bit inconvenient, but at $40 a night for the cheapest room, we let it go.