The year is 2016 and it’s time for an up-to-date and honest post about your options for accommodation while you’re in Istanbul. The city is growing its popularity whilst offering more and alternative ways to spend your nights and maybe even your days – that’s if you’re sick or something else is holding you back from going out on the streets to explore. Here’s our answer to the question: ‘Where should I stay in Istanbul?’.
AirBNB STYLE
As technology becomes more accessible for lots of people, the choices for alternative and contemporary solutions to stay in Istanbul grow quickly. An incredible number of people (especially the young entrepreneurs) who seek new sources of income naturally turn to interesting options like turning one of their rooms or their entire apartment to into a temporary home for tourists. AirBNB and CouchSurfing are filled with hundreds of wonderful options that we think you must check out before making your decision.
HOSTELS
Some of the newly opened hostels put a lot of hotels to shame. Who said a hostel can’t be fancy? There are excellent hostels stay in Istanbul now that offer fantastic double rooms as well as the traditional hostel rooms called dormitories (aka dorms).
Hostels are great especially for those who want to socialize and engage in activities with other fellow travelers. Or those who are on a budget. Or those who just wanna have some fun.
Some of the most interesting hostels we recommend are: #bunk, Bada Bing and World House.
INTERESTING HOTELS
Okay, let’s not fool ourselves, most of you out there still prefer hotels. Why, I will never understand. Anyways, we are not here to judge but to inform. So here are some of our hotel recommendations for 2015.
OTHER ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Then there are some companies offering apartment rental that also take care of the cleaning and laundry and such. The best example is FlatsinIstanbul, a company that rents out more than 200 apartment condos in Beyoglu area which also happens to be our recommended area to stay in Istanbul.
HOTELS ON BOSPHORUS
If you must keep it fancy, Istanbul also has many options that would allow you to enjoy the mesmerising beauty of the Bosphorus. Hotels such as Four Seasons Bosphorus, Les Ottomans, Ajia Hotel and Sumahan are only some of the establishment that are eager to charge you amounts that put most important in such confused mental states.
THE BEST OPTION
If you are particularly lucky, you will have a great friend who has a great place to stay in Istanbul that you are invited to. If you ever get a chance to have such a friend, please leave his/her information in the comments section below so that we can try to be friends with them too. 🙂