Faros Hotel Old City - Special Category0

If you are planning to stay in Istanbul and want to be located within close proximity (walking distance) to literally every major sites, shops and restaurants, this is in the heart of it all (10/10): - Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are 4-5 minutes' walk away. - Grand Bazar is approximately 6 minutes' walk away (a bit longer with our 3-year old child). - Sultanahmet Tram Station is 1 minute away. - Its a pleasant 10 minute' walk to Sirkeci Railway Station if you take back route - this then leads you to vendors offering the Bosphorus Cruise for which we paid (£5 each) for a 90 minute tour (well worth it). There are longer durations offering lunch but we weren't too keen on that with little one who's a fussy eater. - Whilst in Sirkeci Railway Station, its worth going to visit Çamlıca Mosque (Turkey's largest Mosque). Location-wise we can't fault it however the only thing is that when you do get dropped off by taxi, it'll have to stop on the side of the building. If the hotel staff are aware of your arrival, they will bring in your luggage for you or you'll have to wheel it in through the busy high street for about 20 meters. Rooms are a bit dated and according to London/UK standards, it would be more of a 3/3.5-stared rated. Lift into room is the tiniest one you'll encounter. Complimentary breakfast is basic to say the least but food in restaurant (paid for lunch/dinner) on ground floor is pretty good. Staff here are very friendly and very knowledgeable - some of the most hospitable ones we've encountered. They are the best guys to approach for any advice and recommendations. One of them was kind enough to point us out to the aquarium (largest in Turkey with a vast array of species and views) and marked out the exact routes which we followed easily. It was one of the highlights of our 8 day trip to Turkey. Our little one loved it, as did I and my wife.

Whilst the hotel established not too long ago, its been left a bit outdated and can do with a bit of TLC. Some of the rooms were perfectly fine but the one we had was a bit dim and not too bright. Breakfast could be improved a lot more i.e. serving more hot food range. I should add that the hotel kindly supplied my child with warm milk daily upon request which is brilliant so no need to stress over that for young parents.

location and staff were great

Bit noisy with tram noise but not too bad

The location was perfect for sightseeing. Hagia Sophia, Topkapi palace and the Grand Bazaar were all within walking distance. We used the tram to get around everywhere and there’s conveniently a tram stop 2 mins from the hotel.

My lord everything, first a world class welcome from Güneş, he oriented me into the city transportation and helped me set my Sim card with a Turkish phone number which is very useful, he also helped in other various issues in my time there. The Istanbulkart is very useful because you can also access the public restrooms which by the way are super clean. The room had a nice tub, and the cleanliness is superb. They give you a complimentary basket of fruit in your last night which is nice, and the closeness to Hagia Sophia is just mind blowing.

Nothing. Everything exceeded my expectations.

Great location, really lovely staff who were happy to sort out a couple of issues that came up. Recommended

Get some new towels for the rooms,

The hotel staff have been extremely helpful and friendly, very accomodating to our needs and travel requirements. The hotel location is superb, in the middle of Fatih with accessible transport all around. This hotel is by far the best in Istanbul and I will be looking forward to coming again when I visit Turkey again!

There wasn’t much that I didn’t like to be honest but other than the busy nights from down below everything was amazing

The location of the hotel is the highlight. All the major tourist attractions are walkable from the hotel. The staff is extremely welcoming and helpful. We stayed there for 6 nights and they were always eager to help and support and fulfill all our requirements. Murat and all the other hotel staff was very prompt in replying to all our queries and doubts even before our travel. I would definitely recommend Faros Old city for the amazing location and hospitality.

The only thing that bothered us were the fixtures in the bathroom.. the tap in the wash basin was loose and moving around.. other than this nothing..

The location of this hotel is perfect. It’s close to Sultanahmet Square and the Blue Mosque, a short walk from the tram station and within easy strolling distance of shops and other attractions. The room was clean and comfortable and had a balcony overlooking the street. There were plenty of toiletries (although bring your own moisturiser and hair conditioner) and water, and the staff are happy to bring extra water. Tea and coffee is provided in the room. The breakfast was delicious and big enough you don’t need to eat for hours after. I was there with a friend and we had dinner at the hotel as well, and it was lovely too. The staff are brilliant, friendly and helpful, making you feel at home. The last time I was in Istanbul I had breakfast at this hotel restaurant and decided I would stay there next trip. It was a good decision and I will stay at this property.

The highlight was the service received from staff who were extremely courteous, warm, welcoming, and super helpful. Murat sat down with us to plan our 3 day itinerary. Helpful tips given. We booked our Bosphorus Cruise through the hotel as well as our airport transfers. Smooth experience 👌. The location was fantastic, right on the T1 tram route. Walking distance to the key attractions, Blue Mosque/Haga Sophia was 5 minutes walk. Spice Bazar was 15-20 minutes. Grand Bazar was less than 10 minutes. There is a Mcdonald right in front of the hotel, so food was available late at night when coming back from exploring. Nice indian Restaurant, Bombay Masala is 5 minutes walk.

Not much. Music is loud if you are an early sleeper. It goes off around midnight, so it did not affect us. The bathroom did not have any places inside the shower to put the toiletries which had to be left on the floor. The receptionist explained that this could have been easily rectified had we informed them during our stay. It would be nice to have additional rails in thd bathroom to hang hand towels or clothers when showering.

location was perfect for my mother

the breakfast could be extended as it seemed very limited