Agan Hotel Istanbul

I stayed in a deluxe room at the Agan, although a friend stayed in a standard at the same time. We were both very happy indeed. We were greeted warmly, and offered a complimentary drink (turkish coffee in my case). Having come from a "business hotel" up by Taksim I was impressed by how _very nice_ my room was for the sharp cost - and with included wifi (that was reliable and fast) and a good buffet breakfast. The background noise at night was a bit high, but I slept surprisingly well anyhow. Thanks to Efes, probably. My only grouch would the big flatscreen TV. There may have been ~1500 channels, but I couldn't find 1 English speaking one, or any working news channel in any language. However, its ~10min walk to the Hagia Sophia, and closer to the wonderful park by the Topkai. I would stay here again given the chance - and metro up to Taksim if I had to for work even if that is probably 45min extra. A great find.

This was a great hotel - rooms are basic but there is AC and it does work! Excellent location, Blue Mosque, Archaelogical Museum, St Sophia's is five minute walk. Eminou ferry station is similar. Great staff, laid back but attentive. This was a brilliant hotel for what we paid on [...]

Great location near Gülhane tram station, close to everything in Sultanahmet. Friendly staff, nice room. There is some noise in the morning from a generator on top of the restaurant across the street and the 5 minute prayer call at 4:45 AM but most people will sleep through those. The hotel restaurant serves bland food, not worth the 10% discount.

You're not paying for luxury or space here at Hotel Agan. You're paying for location and value. Granted, there are a ton of similar hotels in the same neighborhood, which is a PERFECT area to stay in if you're primarily interested in the old town attractions (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Suleymanie Mosque, Basilica Cistern, etc.). Plus, it's very close to one of the train stops, so you can basically get anywhere from there. The rooms are small but sufficient and clean. The staff speaks good English, and is helpful in arranging airport transfer, tours, dinners, etc. Rooms were a little on the chilly side for my tastes, but it was never cold enough to complain to management or go to the trouble of asking them to adjust the thermostat (which I couldn't figure out how to do on my own). The free breakfast isn't anything to write home about. It basically consists of slices of bread served out of plastic grocery bags (one day the bread was a little chewy, making me wonder if it was old), coffee, tea, water, orange juice, and an assortment of sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, cheeses, meats, etc. I usually inhaled some feta, bread with a Nutella-like spread, tomatoes, and yogurt. It's perfectly adequate, but don't come expecting a lavish feast or presentation here. Aside from that, the only inconvenience I experienced was having to move rooms once during my stay. I attribute this to the fact I checked in VERY late and likely got one of the few rooms available, which had three single beds. The next day, they told me to pack my bags as they might have to move me to a new room, since they had a group coming in that needed the three-bed room. They were apologetic, and it wasn't a big deal, but since I'm one of those travelers who completely unpacks when he gets checked in (and travels with a lot of luggage), it took a considerable amount of time and energy to repack everything and then unpack again in the new room. That bummed me out a bit since I only had three full days in Istanbul, but such is life. My favorite part of Hotel Agan, aside from the location, was the outdoor bar area at night. They have this great outdoor space along the cobblestone streets where you can sit on pillows, curl up with blankets, and toss back some Raki while smoking sweet apple tobacco through a water pipe. This was an awesome place to relax after a day of walking to all the various attractions, and was also a good place to meet people.

The hotel staff was very helpful and friendly; they bid us goodbye as if we were old friends. The room was nice, but small. The location is very good, just 10 min walk to Hagia Sofia/Topkapi/Blue Mosque, and on the tram line. There was a problem with the hot water in the shower, it would vary from extra hot to very cold which could be frustrating. The complimentary breakfast was nice, but after a few days we didn't want the cold cuts/bologna/pimento loaf, and went out for breakfast. Overall it was a very good value for the low price.

I passed one night here on my way to Tbilisi, but I'll be back and stay at Agan Hotel when I return. Everyone there was very nice, and the location is fantastic. The rooms are beautiful, as well.

Sight-seeing, local fare / fun despite short visit.

This hotel is right smack in the centre of Istanbul. The tram stop is less than 2 mins away, train station and ferries within 10 mins walk. Loads of sightseeing on your doorstep as well as plenty of restaurants if you don't want to go too far in the evenings.Public transport in Istanbul is a breeze and it's all readily accessible from the hotels great location.Admittedly the rooms are a bit on the small side but then again you're only really in them to sleep so the size is immaterial. I had plenty of storage/wardrobe space and a mega comfy bed.I stayed 6 nights and wouldn't hesitate to go back there again.Staff are really friendly and helpful - especially the manager [...] who goes out of his way to ensure you have everything you need.

Standard type of hotel, centrally located within walking distance of main attractions, surrounded by street restaurants which add atmosphere.

This hotel is beautiful as well as comfortable and well located. But the staff makes it perfect!