Side Hotel

This was my second visit to Side Hotel and I was so happy to be back. This hotel is cozy, comfy and friendly. Great value for money and a super convenient location. Staff are very helpful.

Nothing.

Yes the Side is old but any age spots can be ignored because of the friendly staff, the fine breakfast, the cleanliness, the location, the quietness, the little carpets everywhere. We were lucky enough to get a balcony room. At the moment the elevator is not functioning but they are fixing it.

Nothing.

Location is excellent, I don't think you can stay in another location closer to the main Istanbul attractions (Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque). Free tea, coffee available at the ground floor. Water is available for a small fee (20 TL per 0.5L bottle, very cheap anyway). Room has been very clean. Breakfast was above expectations after reading more reviews - decent and tasty if you're not looking for a full traditional Turkish breakfast or anything fancy. Just enough to have a morning taste and go for some exploring afterwards. The inside of the location is quite traditional, with paintings/maps almost everywhere. Gives a very local vibe (and I appreciated that). But probably the staff has been the part that I liked the most about this location. The staff is very kind, friendly and able to give you lots of recommendations on dinner, places to visit, Bosphorus cruises and many more.

I don't really know what is the norm for breakfast usually in Turkiye/Istanbul but it might be under the average breakfast (the breakfast is not terrible either, though. I found it quite tasty but it might not be suited for everyone's expectations). The rooms are rather small (and cozy, to be fair), I stayed alone but if you come as a couple you might encounter some issues with the available space. There is (currently) no functioning elevator in the hotel, you might be required to go up/down a couple of floors if you book with breakfast. WiFi might be disrupted / not working at all times, highly recommend having a backup (eSIM if you are travelling from Europe).

It’s closer to many places and it’s in center no need to take taxi or uber

WiFi is very bad and bathrooms are too small