Oldtown Sultanahmet Suites: 60 m² suites with sea views

The property is an apartment building at Kucukayasofya Mahallesi, Yusuf Aşkın Sokak no 15, postcode 34122. It stands about 0.1 km from Little Hagia Sophia and about 0.1 km from the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha I Mosque, in a straight line.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is about 0.5 km away, in a straight line, Hagia Sophia about 0.9 km, Topkapı Palace about 1.5 km and the Süleymaniye Mosque about 1.5 km. Sirkeci railway station is about 1.3 km away. Of the two airports, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is about 30.7 km away and Istanbul Airport (IST) about 34.4 km, both in a straight line.

Every room in the building is 60 m², so the choice between them comes down to beds, view and layout rather than size. Four of the six look out to sea: the Deluxe Apartment (3 twin beds and a double bed), the Deluxe Suite (3 twin beds and a super-king bed), the King Suite with Balcony (3 twin beds and a queen bed) and the Suite with Balcony (3 twin beds and a queen bed). The King Suite with Balcony and the Suite with Balcony share the same bed arrangement, so the balcony and any rate difference are what separate them.

The other two look onto the garden. The Family Suite has 3 twin beds, a double bed and a sofa bed, the only room with a sofa bed besides the Studio, which makes it the natural pick for a family travelling with children, who are allowed at the property. The Studio - Disability Access has 2 twin beds, a sofa bed and a double bed, and is the room to request for a traveller who needs step-free accommodation.

No room type is small: even the studio is the same 60 m² as the suites, so a couple wanting space can take any of them. A couple who want the largest bed should look at the Deluxe Suite's super-king; those who want a balcony have the King Suite with Balcony and the Suite with Balcony, both with sea views.

As an apartment building rather than a hotel, the property works differently from a full-service stay. It has family rooms, parking, a paid airport shuttle and a mobile app for room service. The shuttle is worth arranging in advance given that both airports are more than 30 km away in a straight line.

The building's facilities do not include a restaurant or a pool, so travellers who want to eat or swim without going out should weigh that. The rooms have air conditioning and heating, and WiFi is free.

Check-in runs from 14:00 and must be completed by 20:00 at the latest; check-out is until 12:00. Anyone arriving on a late evening flight should note the 20:00 cut-off, since the airports are about 30.7 km and 34.4 km away in a straight line.

Children are allowed. Pets are not allowed. Parking is paid, and there is a parking garage.

It suits families and groups: children are allowed, family rooms exist, and every unit is 60 m² with at least four beds, the Family Suite adding a sofa bed for a fifth sleeper's worth of bedding. Travellers who want a sea view from a large apartment have four room types to choose from, two of them with balconies.

It does not suit pets, which are not allowed, or travellers who want a pool, a restaurant or a late arrival after 20:00. Anyone unwilling to pay for parking should also factor that in. For a traveller who values space per room over hotel services, the uniform 60 m² layout is the property's main draw; for one who wants the facilities of a resort, it is not that.