Senabil Hotel Old City & Spa: Sirkeci, near Topkapı Palace

Senabil Hotel Old City & Spa stands in the Sirkeci district of Istanbul, at Hocapasa Mah. Dervisler Sk No:7, postcode 34110. The immediate transport link is Sirkeci railway station, about 0.2 km away in a straight line.

Topkapı Palace and Hagia Irene are each about 0.5 km from the hotel, in a straight line; Hagia Sophia and the New Mosque about 0.6 km; Sultan Ahmed Mosque about 0.9 km; and Süleymaniye Mosque about 1.2 km.

For flights, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is about 30.7 km away and Istanbul Airport (IST) about 33.8 km, both in a straight line. The hotel offers an airport shuttle and airport pick-up and drop-off, all paid services.

The Single Room is the smallest at 16 m², with one twin bed, and sleeps up to 2 despite its name. The Double Room and Twin Room are both 18 m²: the Double has one queen bed and sleeps up to 3, while the Twin has two twin beds and also sleeps up to 3, so a party of three sharing will choose between one queen bed or two twins.

The Triple Room, at 22 m², has four twin beds and one double bed, giving a group more bed space than any room except the family option. The largest room is the Family Room at 30 m², with one double bed and two twin beds; children are allowed at the hotel, and this layout suits a family travelling together.

A couple travelling light will find the Double or Twin Room enough; a family or a larger group sharing will want the Triple or Family Room for the extra beds and floor space.

The hotel's spa facilities include a hammam and a sauna, and massage services are offered as well. This is the property's distinguishing feature: a small city hotel with a full Turkish bath and spa set-up rather than the usual gym-and-nothing arrangement.

Beyond the spa, there is a restaurant, a bar and room service, so meals do not require leaving the building. A business center and family rooms cover work trips and stays with children, and a lift serves the building. WiFi is free throughout, and rooms are air-conditioned, heated and soundproofed.

The front desk runs around the clock, with express and private check-in and check-out options, a concierge service, a tour desk, currency exchange and car hire. Special diet menus are available on request, and kid-friendly meals are part of the offering.

Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00. Children are allowed at the hotel.

The hotel has no parking of its own, so anyone arriving by car will need to arrange parking elsewhere.

The airport shuttle, pick-up and drop-off are paid services, as is the general shuttle service.

It suits travellers whose priority is the sights: Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque are all within about 0.9 km in a straight line, and the railway station is 0.2 km away. The spa, hammam and sauna make it a fit for anyone who wants to unwind after a day of sightseeing, and the family rooms plus children's meals suit those travelling with kids.

It does not suit anyone arriving by car and expecting to park on site, since the hotel has no parking. Those wanting a large resort-style property will also find it is a hotel, not a resort, though the spa facilities go beyond the usual city-hotel set-up.

Solo travellers and couples have the 16 m² to 18 m² rooms; the Family Room at 30 m² is the choice for a family, and the Triple Room works for a group happy to share its five beds.