The Constantine Hotel: 0.4 km from Hagia Sophia

The Constantine Hotel stands on Alemdar Caddesi in Istanbul, postcode 34400. Its position is the main reason to choose it: in a straight line it is about 0.4 km from Hagia Sophia, about 0.4 km from the Basilica Cistern, about 0.4 km from Hagia Irene and about 0.5 km from Topkapı Palace. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is about 0.8 km away and the Süleymaniye Mosque about 1.3 km, both in a straight line.

Sirkeci railway station is about 0.4 km away, in a straight line. For flights, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is about 30.5 km from the hotel and Istanbul Airport (IST) about 34 km, both in a straight line. The hotel offers a shuttle service, which is paid, if you prefer not to arrange your own transfer.

The rooms split into two clear groups. The small ones are the Basement room with no window at 14 m² with a queen bed, the Double Room at 15 m² with a queen bed, and the Single Room at 15 m² with a twin bed and a queen bed. The larger ones are the Deluxe Room and the Deluxe Double Room with Bath, both 29 m², and the Standard Family Room and the Triple Room, both 32 m².

For a couple watching budget or planning only to sleep at the hotel, the Basement room with no window is the smallest option and sleeps up to 2; its lack of a window is the trade-off to weigh. The Double Room, also 15 m² with a queen bed, sleeps up to 3, as does the 29 m² Deluxe Room. The Single Room sleeps up to 2 across its twin and queen beds despite its name.

The 32 m² rooms suit families or groups best. The Deluxe Double Room with Bath pairs a super-king bed with a twin bed in 29 m².

This is a hotel rather than a resort, and its facilities match that: a lift serves the building, family rooms are among the room types, and there are meeting and banquet rooms if you are travelling for work or an event. The paid shuttle service is the one transport convenience worth noting.

Soundproofed, non-smoking, air-conditioned rooms with heating, WiFi and daily housekeeping mean the practical side of a stay is covered. There is a 24-hour front desk with express and private check-in and check-out options, plus a concierge service, a tour desk, car hire, laundry and dry cleaning, and currency exchange.

Who it suits: couples and families who want to be within a few hundred metres of Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and Topkapı Palace, and who plan to spend their days out rather than at the hotel.

Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out until 11:00. Children are allowed at the hotel, which together with the family rooms and the 32 m² Standard Family Room makes it workable for a family trip. Pets are not allowed, so leave animals at home or find another property.

If a window matters to you, avoid the Basement room with no window and take the Double Room or the Single Room, both 15 m², or step up to the 29 m² Deluxe rooms. If space matters more, the two 32 m² rooms, the Standard Family Room and the Triple Room, are the largest, and the family room adds a garden view. If you are three people, the Double Room and the Deluxe Room both sleep up to 3, so you need not take the larger rooms to fit.