Grand Esen Hotel: small rooms in Sirkeci, near Topkapı

The hotel stands on Orhaniye Caddesi in Sirkeci, at 41.01465, 28.97680. Measured in a straight line, the New Mosque is about 0.5 km away, Topkapı Palace about 0.6 km, Hagia Sophia about 0.8 km, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque about 1 km, the Süleymaniye Mosque about 1.1 km and Galata Tower about 1.2 km. Sirkeci railway station is, in the same measure, about 0 km from the hotel.

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is about 30.8 km away, in a straight line. The hotel runs an airport shuttle, which is paid, and there is paid parking on site for anyone arriving by car.

The rooms are compact. The two economy options, the Economy Double Room and the Single Room, are both 10 m²; the single has one twin bed and sleeps up to 1, while the economy double has one queen bed and sleeps up to 3. Most other rooms are 15 m², and the largest is the 20 m² Deluxe Quadruple Room with two double beds, a sea view and space for up to 5.

For families and small groups, the Economy Family Room pairs one queen bed with one twin bed and sleeps up to 4, and the Triple Room, with four twin beds and one double bed in 15 m², also sleeps up to 4, though that bed count in that space makes it tight.

There is a restaurant, a bar and room service, alongside a coffee shop and a snack bar.

Families are catered for in ways that are unusual for a hotel of this size: family rooms, an indoor play area, a kid-friendly buffet and evening entertainment. For working travellers there is a business center, and the hotel offers an airport shuttle, airport pick-up and airport drop-off, all paid.

Check-in is from 13:00 and check-out until 12:30, which gives a slightly later departure than many hotels. Parking is paid.

• Check-in from 13:00
• Check-out until 12:30
• Parking: paid
• Airport shuttle: paid

The hotel suits travellers who want to be within about a kilometre of Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque and who plan to spend their days out rather than in the room. Families fit well: the Deluxe Quadruple Room sleeps up to 5, the Economy Family Room and the Triple Room each sleep up to 4, and the indoor play area, kid-friendly buffet and evening entertainment are aimed at children.

It suits a solo traveller too, with a 10 m² Single Room, and business travellers with a business center on site. Anyone who expects generous room sizes should look elsewhere: even the largest room is 20 m², and the economy rooms are 10 m². Drivers should note that parking is paid.