We stayed at the Golden Sail Old City Hotel in Istanbul for a few days. Getting to the hotel was a challenge due to its location on narrow streets with limited access and restricted areas. However, despite this, the hotel is cozy, and the host is exceptionally friendly and helpful. While the rooms may not be spacious, they are perfect if you don't plan on spending much time inside. The rooms matched the pictures, and housekeeping cleaned them, with towels changed during our three-day stay. The host went the extra mile to assist us with parking, which was a plus. The hotel is conveniently located near the Bazaar and the main shopping street. Breakfast was good,served on time and fast giving you time to enjoy it as well. The staff was friendly, and, of course, there were adorable and playful cats around to add to the charm.

The Hotel (guesthouse) itself is a "Does the job" hotel in that you will not be staying at the Ritz-Carlton but it has all the basic needs that you would want from a budget hotel and the rooms are to a modern standard, actually well above what you would expect for most budget stays. The staff were absolutely amazing. All of them. A particular thanks to Volcan who went above and beyond to help us upon check out. I won't state how as I don't want to set wrong expectations for other guests to expect the unexpected from him but, suffice to say, it was very much appreciated by us. Also his English speaking nephew was great at reception over the few days. The breakfast was lovely, once we figured out that the Menemen is absolutely delicious. Very typical Turkish breakfast plates complimented the 'main' and we were still learning about different combinations to try right up to our last morning thanks to staff tips (cheese and watermelon was a surprisingly delicious combo!) - as a family run business, it is clear that they take pride in their establishment and providing great customer care! The area itself is very busy and lively with restaurants. It is noisy outside but only until around 11pm most nights so it didn't affect our sleep. You are within walking distance to all the major 'Old Town' sites which is a massive bonus but it can be quite hilly (not the hotels fault) and taxis won't take rides without trying to rip you off (again, not the hotels problem) so you either need to walk or else a combination of walking and public transport to get to other areas of the city. Wifi good, shower good, bed good, no complaints on any of the 'need to be goods'. Overall, I would say it is not a suitable hotel for elderly/disabled people or those who expect 5 star quality but for everyone else I would MASSIVELY recommend and I would certainly stay there again! Don't think twice, just book!

See above. No biggies.

We stayed at the Golden Sail Hotel Old City Istanbul during the first week of July as a family with a two-year-old, and our experience was very positive. The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming, and they truly made us feel at home. A special mention goes to the morning team, who were especially attentive: we asked for some milk for our child only on the first morning, and from then on, they prepared it for us every day without us having to ask again. They even cut up an apple and an orange for him — a truly thoughtful gesture. Breakfast was another highlight. In addition to the delicious homemade cakes, we enjoyed a traditional Turkish breakfast, with fresh cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, and bread — everything was fresh and full of flavor. We chose the half-board option for convenience, since we were traveling with a young child. Dinner included a main course of our choice from the menu, and the staff was always happy to cook something specially for our son based on what we requested. On our first evening, we asked if it would be possible to have something ready for him around 6 PM — since we had an activity booked at 7 — and they kindly accommodated our request without hesitation. That kind of flexibility made a big difference for us. The hotel is centrally located, with many shops and services nearby, and about 20 minutes on foot from the main attractions like Hagia Sophia. If you're traveling with small children (around 2–4 years old), there’s a playground right behind the hotel and another one about 10 minutes away, on the way to Hagia Sophia. The room was quite spacious, and although we didn’t request a crib, the staff is happy to provide one if needed. The bathroom was also large and comfortable. We chose this hotel over larger ones because we wanted to experience genuine, locally made food and a more personal atmosphere — and we were not disappointed.

Of course, there are some things that could be improved, but we’re confident they’re on the right track and will continue to grow

Wow, what an amazing place to stay. The rooms were clean, breakfast and dinner amazing and filling and the staff were wonderful. Bugra and Volkan were especially kind and courteous. Volkan is such an amazing human who really made my family and I very welcome and at home. The location is equally superb. Being just 15 mins walk from the main Sultanahmet park with all the main attractions. Definitely would stay here again. Çok tesukkerler!

You can hear a lot of sound through the walls at night but this is because of the age of the building and, being in the Old City, building work is heavily regulated and there are stringent conditions so remember to bring ear plugs if you are sensitive to noise.

We had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The hotel and restaurant staff were exceptionally kind and helpful, creating a warm, almost family-like atmosphere that made us feel truly welcome. Although we had booked a budget room, we were pleasantly surprised to receive a better one upon arrival. Everything was very clean – the room was tidied and towels were changed every other day. The breakfasts were delicious and varied, with something new to enjoy each morning. We would definitely recommend this place and hope to come back someday!

This is a lovely small family run hotel. The people are extremely nice and hospitable and will help you out with everything you need. We flew in to Istanbul very late and they arranged a transfer from the airport for us without any problems. The breakfast is tasty (and more than you could possibly eat) and we enjoyed their freshly pressed fruit juices every day. The location is nice, in a lively neighbourhood, and we were able to reach all the major attractions in the old city on foot or use the nearby Kumkapi station when we needed to use public transport.

The accomodation fulfilled our expectations.

We had a fantastic stay at the Golden Sail Hotel Old City. Honestly, we didn't expect it to be this wonderful—but it truly exceeded our expectations. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, always ready to assist with a smile. Our room was spotless, comfortable, and well-equipped. Breakfast was a highlight each morning, offering a variety of delicious options that changed daily, providing us with full energy to start our day. The hotel's location is perfect—situated in a luxurious and very safe area, we felt completely at ease exploring both during the day and at night. Despite being centrally located, the hotel is remarkably calm and peaceful; we couldn't hear any noise at night, allowing us to rest well after long days of sightseeing. We felt genuinely welcomed and well-cared for throughout our stay.

A small family hotel in a good location. The hotel is a 15-minute walk from the main center. The room was clean, cozy. The breakfast was delicious. The staff was nice, smiling, hospitable, helpful. They took very good care of us. They recommended their transfer that took us from the airport to the hotel. I definitely recommend their transfer service. A few days before arrival, they asked via messages if we needed to know anything. So they tried to communicate, which is a big plus. When we left in the morning, nicely wrapped toasts were waiting for us, which we ended up getting for free. 😊

There was a small trash can. Otherwise I was very satisfied. 👌

Lovely family-run B&B style hotel managed by a very kind, caring and hospitable group of folks. Excellent location within walking distance to major things such as: Grand Bazaar (~10 mins) , Blue Mosque/Hagia Sofia (~20 mins). Rooms were a good size, clean and comfortable. Breakfast was very fresh, healthy, delicious and authentic to the region! Management were extremely caring and helpful in all aspects, and very knowledgeable, with access to all kinds of touristic options. Thank you Volkan and Bugra, and the rest of the lovely folks!

Room could be a bit loud at night due to proximity to a square of restaurants and cafes, however this is not a fault of owners/management, and is simply a natural sacrifice of the proximity to Grand Bazaar/Blue Mosque/Hagia Sofia/Topkapi Palace.

It was the first time I travelled with a large group of people (7 in total), and the hotel staff did everything to meet our needs! They upgraded our rooms for free, so that we can all stay on one floor, they were so kind to arrange a dinner for us at night upon late arrival. The hotel was very clean, and the rooms were quite spacious. We travelled in February, the heating and hot water worked perfectly fine. We preordered breakfasts and dinners, which took away the hassle of finding a good restaurant. The meals was delicious, and there was a great variety of food (beware of the portions though - they are huge! 😁) The staff were simply exceptional! Thank you for the stay!