Valide Hotel

The location is the only good thing I can say about this place. The rooms are old and poorly looked after, and the air conditioner barely heats or cools. Smoking isn't allowed in the rooms either. What bothered me most was booking a double room for myself, then being asked for another 1,500 TL and sent downstairs when a friend came to visit. For 200-300 TL more, there are much better options. That's just what happened to me, not advice for anyone.

The staff were really kind, though their English was very basic. Noise was the problem: traffic and motorcycles outside, with everyone honking all the time. I couldn't sleep and was still irritated during the day because I couldn't relax. You can also hear lots of conversation from neighboring rooms, so it's not soundproof. I asked to change rooms and got one on the fourth floor at the back of the building. I was finally able to rest that night :)

We're staying at Valide Hotel now and are very glad we chose it. Even though we booked an economy room, we're happy with it, and we'll definitely return on our next trip. The hotel is clean and pleasant, near the metro in a very safe area. Breakfast has everything you need. The team is professional, friendly and always smiling. Each time we come back from going out, the room is fresh and perfectly tidy. A special thank you to the cleaning ladies for their excellent work. Cleanliness matters a lot to us, and it's at a very high level here.

The location is a real plus. It's safe at night, there are plenty of transport options nearby, and you don't have to hike to reach the main streets or public transport like at many cheap Istanbul hotels. The staff were extremely friendly and nice. Breakfast was lackluster, though, and nearly the same every day of my seven-day stay. The regular rooms seemed fine, but the economy rooms were poor, as you'd expect at this price. For this budget, I'd recommend staying here. If you can spend more, I'd look elsewhere.