Side HotelvsCiragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul
Both properties are praised by professional reviewers. On balance, Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul ranks significantly better than Side Hotel and Pension. Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul comes in at #4 in Istanbul with accolades from 8 sources like oyster.com, Fodor's and Travel + Leisure.
Side Hotel
Utangac Sok. No 20, Istanbul 34400, Turkey
From $108/night
- Bar/Lounge
- Free Internet
- Free Breakfast
- Smoking Rooms
- Air Conditioning
- Breakfast included
Rough Guide
"Owned by three charismatic brothers, this place is bright, spacious and friendly and resists the pressure to go all modern or faux-Ottoman."
Lonely Planet
"A sprawling place that has a long-standing reputation for cheap, clean and comfortable accommodation, the Side has overpriced hotel rooms with TV, air-con and en suite."
DK Eyewitness
"This family run establishment combines a pension for budget-conscious guests and also a ritzier hotel. Pension prices are cheaper and facilities are fewer, with no air conditioning in rooms."
Frommer's
"This place has been offering good-value, spotlessly clean, well-managed accommodation in the heart of the old city since 1989." Full review
The Telegraph
8.0
"Superbly located within a few minutes' walk of the old city's top sights, the Side is understandably the budget travellers' accommodation of choice in central Istanbul." Full review
U.S. News & World Report
94.0
"Travelers looking for somewhere to stay in Istanbul on a budget can't go wrong with the Side Hotel and Pension." Full review
Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul Show All Reviews
Ciragan Caddesi 32, Besiktas, Istanbul 34349, Turkey
From $282/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
Frommer's
"The guest list reads like a who's who of international royalty, all lining up for a Bosphorus-view room (not all get one)." Full review
Concierge
"Well, all you need to know these days is that this is one of only two grand hotels on the European shores of the Bosphorus."
Lonely Planet
"The best things about the place are its location right on the Bosphorus and its amazing infinity pool." Full review
Oyster
Luxury
"Formerly the palace of an Ottoman Sultan, the Ciragan Palace Kempinski is the grand dame of Istanbul." Full review
Travel + Leisure
"Staying at this former Imperial Ottoman Palace—an elaborate, Arabian-style compound that the empire’s sultans called home—may easily give you delusions of grandeur." Full review
Time Out
"In a 19th-century Ottoman palace, this 5-star hotel features an infinity pool with views of the Bosporus." Full review
Star Service
"Directly on the Bosporus, across the shore road from Yildiz Park, and midway between Dolmabahce Palace and the first Bosporus Bridge, this hotel is arguably one of the best in Turkey." Full review
Fodor's
"Once a residence for the Ottoman sultans, the late 19th-century Çırağan Palace (pronounced chi-rahn) is Istanbul's most luxurious hotel." Full review
Let's Go
"Congratulate yourself for finding one of the rare budget accommodations in Besiktas, an area otherwise dominated by international luxury chains." Full review
Afar Magazine
"The five-star Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel, right on the Bosphorus near Ortakoy, boasts some the most expensive and elegant hotel rooms in town." Full review
i
Just make sure you leave enough room to sample the goodies from the chocolate room.