Hotel California

Hotels
8.7 (755 reviews)
BINBIRDIREK MAH. GEDIKPAŞA CAMI SK. NO 49 /888 AP - Fatih , Istanbul , TR

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Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Heating
Family rooms
Lift / Elevator
Luggage storage
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Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent central location (near Grand Bazaar, tram, attractions)
Very friendly and helpful staff (specific praise for Ramazan, Liki)
Clean rooms
Good value for money
On-site amenities (hammam, AC, kettle, fridge)
Cons:
Small rooms and some with no real windows / artificial windows
Noisy at night in some rooms
Poor or limited breakfast; broken coffee machine reported
Maintenance issues (broken toilet flush reported)
Occasional misleading room description regarding view

Categories

Cleanliness
9
Rooms repeatedly described as clean in multiple reviews (e.g., 'curat', 'clean room', 'La pulizia'), overall cleanliness is praised despite some maintenance issues elsewhere.
Service
10
Service is consistently highlighted as a strong point: staff described as very friendly and helpful, with specific praise for employees (e.g., Ramazan, Liki) and attentive hospitality.
Location
10
Excellent central location noted across reviews — very close to Grand Bazaar, tram, and main attractions; repeatedly called a major advantage.
Room Quality
6.5
Several guests report small rooms, lack of real street-facing windows or only artificial 'windows', and specific issues (broken toilet flush, noisy at night); room comfort is mixed and a clear pain point.
Amenities
9.2
Amenities (hammam, AC, hairdryer, fridge, kettle) are present and appreciated by guests, though some failures reported (e.g., coffee machine broken). Overall amenities are solid for the price.
Value for Money
9.4
Multiple reviews explicitly call it good value or recommend it for the price; guests frequently note the location and service make it strong value.
Food and Beverage
5.5
Breakfast sentiment is mixed-to-negative: several guests describe breakfasts as poor, sparse or nonexistent and note one broken coffee machine; a few found it simple but acceptable.
Overall Experience
10
Despite some room and breakfast issues, overall impressions are very positive due to outstanding staff, prime location and good value — many guests report a wonderful stay and willingness to return.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-07 23:06

Property Description

Charming Location in Historic District
Located on a quiet street in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district, California Hotel offers a charming stay with French balconies and proximity to Theodosius Cistern.

Comfortable Rooms with Modern Amenities
The parquet-floored rooms at the hotel come with free Wi-Fi, satellite TV, and private bathrooms. Elevator access ensures convenience for all guests.

Warm Hospitality and Convenient Services
Guests can enjoy the bright and contemporary lobby, perfect for relaxing or planning city excursions with the helpful hotel staff. The nearby Grand Bazaar adds to the allure of staying at California Hotel.

Book your stay now at California Hotel for a delightful blend of comfort and convenience in Istanbul!

Important information:

Please note that construction work is taking place nearby and property may be affected by noise.Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: IST

Location

Guest Reviews

8.7
Based on 755 reviews
Cleanliness: 9
Service: 10
Location: 10
Room Quality: 6.5
Amenities: 9.2
Value for Money: 9.4
Food and Beverage: 5.5
Overall Experience: 10
S
Szilvia • solo_traveller • hu
9
Pros:

I really liked the hotel and the staff too.

Cons:

----

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
A
Abdelatif • solo_traveller • fr
5
Pros:

La proximité du tram. Présence de magasins de restaurant à côté de l'hôtel et la propreté des lieux.

Cons:

La climatisation de la chambre 104 ne marchait pas le soir très tard de mon arrivée et le veilleur de nuit me dit qu'il ne peut rien faire . Dommage il faisait chaud dans la chambre et le sommeil était difficile cette nuit-là.

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
M
María • extended_group • es
10
Estupenda
Pros:

Ubicación excelente, muy cerca de un montón de puntos turísticos. Personal estupendo, muy amable y servicial, siempre pendientes por si necesitas cualquier cosa

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
D
Dana • couple • ro
4
O mare dezamăgire.
2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
M
Magdalena • solo_traveller • ro
10
Pros:

Locatia este foarte aproape de mijloacele de transport. Am baut dimineata o cafea turceasca foarte buna.

2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
R
Rinat • extended_group • az
7
Хорошие номера 201, 101 для троих.
Pros:

Расположение, персонал очень добродушный, особенно старший администратор и молодой парень в ресепшене.

Cons:

В комнате не было зеркало,сама комната была очень маленькая, жил на третьем этаже, окна были маленькие,душ протекал, шумо изоляция плохая.

2026-09-04 • via Nuitee
A
Andre • couple • za
6
The location of this hotel is absolutely perfect. Only attend to some basic maintenance.
Pros:

Friendly reception when we arrived. In general, the hotel staff was very helpful and went beyond the norm to make our stay in Istanbul a pleasant one. Cleanliness was top notch and our room was serviced every day.

Cons:

The general maintenance and appearance were not as per the pictures when we booked our stay. However, everything worked, although the air conditioner in our room is screaming for a good service. The door on the bathroom cabinet was removed and exposed the plumbing at the back. The toilet seat was loose. The shower head is in serious need of a good clean as it is clogged because of calcification. The bedroom table was not secured properly against the wall. The safe worked fine but was loose and not bolted down.

2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
A
Alina • couple • ua
10
2026-08-30 • via Nuitee
M
Muhammad Affan • couple • gb
10
2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
S
Sandro • solo_traveller • au
8
Overall pleasant staff very friendly
Pros:

Central tidy big room

Cons:

Breakfast was always the same a bit limited in variety

2026-08-28 • via Nuitee
N
Nino • solo_traveller • ge
9
Pros:

Location was Great, clean rooms.

Cons:

Breakfast was not as good as I was expected. But enough for a while.

2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
A
Aiditama • extended_group • no
7
Pros:

Superb location for walking in the old city center.

2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
A
Andrië • solo_traveller • za
6
2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
A
Alex_5815 • couple • it
7
Pros:

Buona la colazione continentale e posizione ottima a 15 min. da centro e Grand Bazar

Cons:

La struttura della camera (senza finestra) e disposizione degli elementi del bagno (per entrate ed uscire occorreva posizionarsi nella doccia)

2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
N
Nicole • couple • de
9
2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
A
Andrea • couple • es
1
2 Ratones en nuestra habitaciones, falta de higiene
Pros:

Nada

Cons:

2 ratones en mi habitación, el manager nunca llegó, tuvimos que grabar videos y fotos para que nos crean porque no quisieron subir a nuestra habitación ni ayudarnos a hacer nuestras maletas para irnos.

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
P
Patitina • couple • md
10
2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
S
Steven • couple • it
8
2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
A
Aleksandra • solo_traveller • pl
1
Nie polecam
Pros:

Lokalizacja

Cons:

Śniadania były bardzo średnie i skromne, a po godzinie od rozpoczęcia brakowało produktów, które nie były uzupełnianie. Niektóre pokoje nie mają okien i nie podana jest informacja. Ściany są tak cienkie, że słychać każdy głos z korytarza. Personel nie był zbyt przyjazdy i pomocny, hotel miał dobre opinie, ale bardzo zawiodłam się.
Był to jeden z gorszych hoteli w których się zatrzymałam pod względem komfortu.
W pokoju było duszno, pachniało wilgocią i nie działała suszarka do włosów bo włączeniu wydawała odgłos jakby conajmniej miała zaraz wybuchnąć

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
R
Robert • extended_group • ro
1
Foarte slab
Pros:

Nimic

Cons:

Am avut 2 camere, ambele murdare și extrem de mici. De asemenea, camerele fără geamuri. Inițial nu am văzut o problemă în asta însă indiferent ca era zi sau noapte nu îți puteai da seama deoarece nu aveai nici o sursă de lumină. În baie nici măcar un ventilator. Camerele foarte mici, ca să închizi ușa în baie trebuia să intri în cabina de duș, prosoapele și lenjeria foarte vechi și uzate, cu un miros specific. De asemenea, pe acea stradă este mereu gălăgie, se aude perfect ce vorbesc ceilalți în alte camere și în fața hotelului un scuter a intrat într-una din persoanele care erau cazate la hotel iar când am cerut ajutorului celui de la recepție a spus ca el nu are ce să facă ca nu tine de hotel și ca nu e nici o problema ca asa ceva e normal la ei.

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee