Lions Royal Hotel: indoor pool, spa and hammam

Lions Royal Hotel stands at Ağa Yokuşu No 10, postcode 34134, in Istanbul. Its position is best judged by straight-line distance: Laleli Mosque is about 0.2 km away and Bodrum Mosque about 0.3 km, with Süleymaniye Mosque about 0.8 km. Sirkeci railway station is about 1.7 km away.

The major sights are all within a few kilometres: Sultan Ahmed Mosque about 1.9 km, Hagia Sophia about 2 km and Topkapı Palace about 2.3 km, each measured in a straight line. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is about 32.2 km away, and the hotel offers a shuttle service for a fee.

The four room types cover a clear spread of size and purpose. The Budget Double Room is the smallest at 17 m² and the only one with a courtyard view; it still sleeps up to 3, with one double bed and two twin beds, so it can work for a small family despite its size. The Standard Double or Twin Room, at 20 m² with a garden view, offers a choice of one double bed or two twin beds and also sleeps up to 3, which suits a couple or three travellers who want more space than the budget room.

The Classic Triple Room, 25 m² with a garden view, has three separate twin beds, a practical layout for three people who each want their own bed. The largest option is the Two-Bedroom Family Apartment at 34 m² and a garden view; with children allowed at the hotel, it is the natural choice for a family wanting separate sleeping spaces.

The hotel has an indoor pool, which is heated, so it can be used year-round. Alongside it are a spa, a hammam and a sauna, which together make the hotel a fit for travellers who want to swim and unwind without going out.

For eating and drinking there is a restaurant, a bar and room service. A shuttle service is available for a fee, useful for the roughly 32.2 km trip to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.

Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00. Children are allowed, and the hotel offers family rooms, including the Two-Bedroom Family Apartment described above. Pets are not allowed, so travellers with animals will need to look elsewhere.

It suits couples or small groups of up to 3, since both the Budget Double Room and the Standard Double or Twin Room sleep up to 3, and anyone who values an indoor heated pool, a spa, a hammam and a sauna will find all four here.

It does not suit pet owners, as pets are not allowed. A traveller set on a room larger than 34 m², or on a view other than the courtyard and garden views the room types carry, will not find one here.