Hotel Beyaz Saray

Beyaz Saray translates to White Palace, which is pretty accurate when looking at the hotel from the outside. It's a large white building with flower boxes placed outside street-facing windows. Inside, the lobby decor aims for elegance -- with red velvet upholstered furniture, an ornate silver mirror, and a tiered chandelier -- but the style feels forced and a bit tired. Still, for rates like this in the center of the city's historic district, the property can be a decent value for travelers who will be spending most of their time sightseeing. There are a few areas in the hotel to unwind after a day out in Istanbul, including the top-floor restaurant called The Terrace, which is spacious, with indoor and outdoor seating and views of the Beyazit Mosque and colorful abstract art on the walls. The Beyaz Saray draws guests of all types and all ages who want to be in the old city and plan to head home with lots of wares from the Grand Bazaar. 

The Hotel Beyaz Saray is located in the old city, the historic center of Istanbul that is full of attractions and all kinds of businesses catering to tourists. The area is bustling with souvenir shops, large chain clothing stores, kebab stands, restaurants, tour agencies, and other hotels. The Grand Bazaar is less than a five-minute walk from the hotel, making it an ideal location for guests interested in visiting the bazaar more than once. Although it’s a 20 to 25 minute walk to Blue Mosque or Hagia Sophia, it’s just 10 minutes by way of the tram at the Beyazit tram stop. The tram also connects to ferries, metro stops, and buses. This puts the Beyaz Saray a 30-minutes trip from the nightlife and cultural city center of Taksim Square. Expect a 30-minute drive to Ataturk International Airport, depending on traffic.

Rooms at the Beyaz Saray are basic and modern, with a few stylish details like wood floors and dark wood beds, plus red-and-orange accents in the bedding and upholstery. Street-facing rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that let in decent sunlight; some have views of the Beyazit Mosque. Other rooms face an interior atrium. All rooms feature large wall-mounted flatscreen TVs, minibars, safes, slippers, phones, and coffeemakers. Room sizes range from a small Standard Doubles, which have 18-square-meter floor plans (193 square feet), to a spacious 50-square-foot (540 square meters) Suite Rooms with king-size beds, separate sitting areas with table and chairs, and views of the Marmara Sea. Rooms all have air-conditioning, although it doesn’t always work well. Bathrooms are clean and sharp, with marble floors and walls, glass stall showers, hairdryers, and toiletries. Rooms have free bottled water and free Wi-Fi, but the signal is somewhat weak. Smoking rooms and handicap accessible rooms are also available. Keep in mind that the smell in smoking rooms will linger, in case you get stuck with one upon checking in.

The Hotel Beyaz Saray has a number of good amenities for a hotel at this price, although the quality isn’t always as high as at the more upscale hotels in the area. The spacious Terrace Restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating, with views of the Beyazit Mosque. Included in room rates is a breakfast buffet with Turkish cuisine inspired by several regions of the country. There's a spa offering several services -- a massage room, sauna, marble Turkish bath, and lounging area -- though it feels cramped and on further inspection it could use a more thorough cleaning. Guests might be better off visiting Cemberlitas, a famous and historic hammam that's nearby. Two conference rooms are available for meetings, which could be a bonus for business travelers, though the rooms look sterile and dated. The hotel has an elevator and handicap features in some rooms, and other amenities include a lobby bar, airport shuttles, and laundry and dry cleaning services. There is free Wi-Fi throughout the property, though it's not always great.