Walk from Sultanahmet tram station, between the Blue Mosque (above) and Hagia Sophia, to find Hotel Alilass.
To see old Istanbul and its iconic buildings, a hotel in the Sultanahmet area must be your first choice. Hotel Alilass made a perfect base for our explorations of this part of the city, its history and culture.
This beautiful historic peninsula, old Constantinople, is bound by water on three sides, the Golden Horn, Bosphorus and Sea of Marmara, yet access is easy via Istanbul’s efficient tram system.
Views of Istanbul’s waterways from Sultanahmet area.
Arriving by tram at Sultanahmet station, Alilass Hotel is an easy walk through the magnificent Sultanahmet Square. The Blue Mosque will be to your right, Hagia Sofia and Topkapi Palace to your left. You may not realise it, but the Basilica Cistern lies almost directly beneath your feet. The Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are also within easy walking distance.
This area is a tourist hot-spot, but one that retains it’s old Turkish charm, you will find bazaars, shops and places to eat nearby.
Exploring this part of Istanbul, you will find old-style wooden buildings lining narrow streets. Hotel Alilass has been totally renovated and modernised in 2014, yet its appearance, inside and out, is totally in keeping with the buildings of the area.
The design is fresh and clean, with polished concrete floors and stylish design touches offering elegance and comfort.
The courtyard garden and lobby are lovely places to relax with a drink while the garden breakfast room is the perfect spot to enjoy Alilass’s morning buffet.
Buffet breakfasts at Alilass hotel feature everything you could need. Turkish specialities, cereal, eggs, breads, olives, cheeses and plenty of coffee.
Breakfast in the courtyard garden.
The garden breakfast conservatory is a lovely spot to enjoy your meal.
Rooms are delightfully designed in clean white with Turkish blue highlights. The blue tiles featured throughout the hotel are something very special.
We found the bed to be extremely comfortable.
Rooms feature Satellite TV, air-con, free wi-fi, hairdryers and tea and coffee making facilities.
The modern en-suite shower rooms are contained by frosted glass walls and doors. Clever decoration and lighting makes them completely private. Soft towels and complementary toiletries add an extra touch of luxury.
The hotel is spotlessly clean throughout and rooms are serviced daily.
Reception staff are extremely helpful and ready to assist and advise you with your vacation planning.
Lobby wifi is excellent and fast, the connection in our 1st floor room was sometimes a little slow.
Hotel Website
Address: Cankurtaran mah. Bayramfirin sok. No 9, 34122 Istanbul, Turkey
Telephone: (0212) 516 8860
Alilass on Facebook
As always, all views are our own. We were a party on 1 adult and 2 children and were guests of the hotel, we were under no compulsion to post this review, we just did it to be nice.
