Side Hotel, Istanbul: rooms from 14 to 22 m² in Sultanahmet

Side Hotel stands on Utangaç Sokak in the Cankurtaran Mahallesi part of Sultanahmet, Istanbul. Its position places it about 0.1 km from the Great Palace of Constantinople and about 0.2 km from the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, in a straight line. Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern are each about 0.3 km away, Hagia Irene about 0.5 km, and Topkapı Palace about 0.9 km. Sirkeci railway station lies about 1 km from the hotel.

Both of Istanbul's airports sit well outside the city: Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is about 30.2 km away and Istanbul Airport (IST) about 34.6 km, in a straight line. The hotel runs an airport shuttle for a fee.

The Economy Double Room is the smallest at 14 m², with one double bed, and sleeps up to 3. The Double Room is a near match at 15 m², with the same bed and the same maximum of 3 guests, so a third person can share either of them. The two triples add a twin bed to the double: the Economy Triple Room fits that arrangement into 16 m², while the Triple Room, at 22 m², gives it more space than any other room here.

For a couple, either double room is enough, and the choice between them comes down to a single square metre. For three adults travelling together, or a family with a child, the twin-plus-double triples are the practical option: the Economy Triple Room at 16 m² for a shorter stay, the 22 m² Triple Room when space matters more. Family rooms are part of the hotel's offering, and children are allowed, so the triples suit small families in particular.

This is a compact city hotel rather than a resort. For arrivals and departures, the shuttle is the hotel's answer to the distance to both airports, and parking, also paid, matters only to drivers. It suits travellers who plan to be out for most of the day and want straightforward accommodation in this part of Istanbul.

• Check-in is from 13:30; check-out is until 11:00.
• Children are allowed.
• Pets are not allowed.
• Parking is available for a fee.

Side Hotel suits travellers whose priority is the cluster of landmarks around Sultanahmet: the Great Palace, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Irene and Topkapı Palace all lie within about 0.9 km, in a straight line, and Sirkeci railway station is about 1 km away. It suits couples, for whom either double room is enough, and small families, who can take a triple room with a twin bed alongside the double.

It does not suit pet owners, as pets are not allowed, or drivers hoping parking would be included, since it is paid. Anyone who values room space should choose the 22 m² Triple Room over the 14 m² economy doubles, which are the tightest of the four and may feel small on a longer stay.