Review of Arife Sultan Hotel 3*

Staff are friendly, kind and helpful. Room is very clean and functional (AC worked properly, TV was easy to use, minibar was well stocked and working). Furniture and decor has been updated. Elevator goes to all floors. Breakfast is simple but easy to eat and helps to settle your stomach if you're adventurous with street food. The location is just off a main street and close to a tram stop. Walking late at night I felt safe in the immediate area. You'll be close to the main tourist areas and everything js walkable. There are nearby restaurants and corner stores for anything you need. For our stay, there were two Chinese restaurants next door and across the street if you need something familiar. The rooftop is accessible by a narrow staircase and provides a view of the blue mosque. There is a shuttle you can book from the front desk for a very affordable price but we didn't use it. You can get this place for around $50-60 a night and feels like a steal. 1 star was removed for a few minor kinks — the floorboards are slowly separating due to heavy use, Wi-Fi is at best a gamble so consider getting a prepaid data sim or mobile Wi-Fi, our room's shower drain was not taking the water away quick enough which meant showering was about water management, washroom are incredibly small and tight which means only one person can use it any time, walls are thin but thankfully you only have one neighbour, breakfast could be a bit earlier by 30 minutes for those wanting a really early start to their day. However, please try a few hotels in a similar budget range and you'll keep remembering the Arife and the wonderful staff and you'll be wondering if you should have given a 5 star.