Cheers Lighthouse: beachfront hostel in Sultanahmet

Cheers Lighthouse is a hostel in the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, at Kucuk Ayasofya Mahallesi Cayiroglu Sokak No:18, postcode 34400. It is beachfront, with its own private beach area, which is unusual for a hostel in this part of the city.

Several landmarks sit close by, in a straight line: Boukoleon Palace about 0.1 km, Little Hagia Sophia about 0.2 km, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque about 0.4 km and Hagia Sophia about 0.8 km. Topkapi Palace and Sirkeci railway station are each about 1.4 km away, and Suleymaniye Mosque about 1.7 km.

For flights, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) is about 30.4 km away and Istanbul Airport (IST) about 34.7 km, both in a straight line. The hostel runs a paid airport shuttle, which matters at these distances.

The hostel mixes dormitory beds and private rooms, so it works for solo travellers watching their budget and for couples or small groups who want their own space. The dorms come in several shapes: a bed in a 4-bed mixed dormitory (16 m², one twin bed), a bed in a 6-bed mixed dormitory (30 m², one bunk bed, sea view), a bed in a 6-bed female dormitory (30 m², one bunk bed) and a bed in an 8-bed mixed dormitory (24 m², one bunk bed). Each dorm booking is for one bed and sleeps one person.

On the private side, the Budget Double Room is the smallest at 12 m² with one double bed and sleeps up to 3. The Economy and Deluxe Double Rooms are both 14 m² with a queen bed and also sleep up to 3; the Economy looks onto the street. The Single Room, at 14 m² with one twin bed, suits a solo traveller who wants privacy.

For more space, the Deluxe Triple Room offers 25 m² with a super-king bed and a sofa bed, and the Quadruple Room gives 30 m² with two twin beds and a double bed, plus a sea view. The largest is the Suite with Spa bath and Sea View: 35 m² with a queen bed and two twin beds, a spa bath and the sea view its name promises. No guest count is given for these three, so judge them by their beds and size.

Evening entertainment, table tennis and a business center round out the offering, and parking is free.

This is a property built for social travel: dorm beds, shared spaces and organised evening entertainment mean it leans towards travellers who want company rather than silence.

Check-in runs from 14:00. Children are allowed, and family rooms are among the room types, so the hostel can work for a family as well as for backpackers. Pets are not allowed. Parking is free, which is worth noting for anyone driving in.

• Check-in from 14:00.
• Children allowed; family rooms available.
• Pets not allowed.
• Free parking.

It suits a traveller who wants a quiet, conventional hotel less well. Anyone wanting generous private-room space should look to the triple, quadruple or suite. Pet owners must look elsewhere, as pets are not allowed.