Seminal Hotel Taksim: indoor pool, spa and hammam

Seminal Hotel Taksim stands on Şehit Muhtar Caddesi, in the Talimhane part of Taksim, Istanbul; the postcode is 34437. Taksim Square is about 0.2 km from the hotel, in a straight line. Straight-line distances to other landmarks and both airports:

• Dolmabahçe Palace: about 1.4 km
• Galata Tower: about 1.7 km
• Topkapı Palace: about 2.8 km
• Hagia Sophia: about 3.4 km
• Sultan Ahmed Mosque: about 3.7 km
• Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW): about 31.4 km
• Istanbul Airport (IST): about 32 km

Five room types make up the hotel, and three of them measure 15 m². The Double or Twin Room has one double bed and sleeps up to three. The Twin Room has two twin beds, also sleeps up to three, and has a city view. The Standard Single Room, despite its name, holds one twin bed and one double bed, sleeps up to two, and has a city view as well. The Triple Room, at 17 m², has one twin bed and one queen bed. The Family Room is the largest at 22 m², with one queen bed and two twin beds.

For a couple, the Double or Twin Room's single double bed is the simplest fit. The Family Room's queen bed plus two twin beds suits parents with children, and children are allowed at the hotel. Three adults can share the Double or Twin Room or the Twin Room, both of which sleep up to three; the Triple Room offers a similar bed count in a slightly larger space. Only the Standard Single Room and the Twin Room are described with a city view, so a view is not something to count on in the other three types.

The hotel's pool is indoors, so swimming does not depend on the season or the weather. Alongside it are a spa, a hammam and a sauna, which together cover most of what a traveller wants from a wet-area floor. There is also an indoor play area, which, combined with the pool, makes the hotel practical for families with young children on days when going out is less appealing.

Meals come from the restaurant or through room service. A lift serves the building, and the hotel provides facilities for disabled guests. Parking at the hotel is paid.

The practical rules are straightforward:

• Check-in: from 14:00
• Check-out: until 12:00
• Children: allowed
• Pets: not allowed
• Parking: paid

Families are the clearest fit: children are allowed, the 22 m² Family Room gives a queen bed and two twin beds, and the indoor pool and indoor play area give children somewhere to spend time in any weather. The hotel also suits anyone who values a spa, hammam and sauna in a city hotel, and travellers who want to be about 0.2 km from Taksim Square, in a straight line.

It does not suit travellers with pets, as pets are not allowed. Room space is compact: three of the five room types measure 15 m², so anyone who wants more room should look to the 17 m² Triple Room or the 22 m² Family Room rather than the smaller types.