The Arena Hotel is, considered the world’s largest outdoor museum at the center of Sultanahmet and beside to the Sphendone wall of the hippodrome that only has survived to the day. The Hotel of Arena is a grand family residence situated right in the heart of Istanbul, a perfect spot to discover rich history. Our boutique hotel blends tradition and inventiveness with real Turkish hospitality, offering a discreet address for people who insist on the finer things in life, on quiet elegance and effortless generous service. Arena hotel built in the 18th century as original stone building,after many years of hosting The Ottoman pashas, within a century of time that will last three generation of the family has become a nest. The third generation member of this family Mrs. Gul KUCUKSERIM’s naive personality guided this two decoration and concepts when created the decor of Arena Hotel consisting of 40 rooms including 16 suites in total of this historic mansion. Here, every gesture and every consideration recognizes you as a truly special guest and indeed, an eminent member of the family. With this unique service and service quality, Arena Hotel is the right address for the valued voyager like you to explore this charming city on foot.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Classic
Quiet
Languages Spoken
English, Turkish
Location
Şehit Mehmet Paşa Yokuşu Üçler Hamamı Sok. D:13-15 Küçükayasofya Mah., Istanbul 34122 Türkiye
Name/address in local language
Arena Hotel Special Class
648 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Stayed 2 nights. The room is tastefully decorated. The bed was comfortable.
The location is within walking distance to the blue mosque.
The breakfast was good. The only thing I did not like about this hotel is that drinking water is not provided. It charges 1 euro (about 6.6 Turkish lira) for a bottle of water.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from arenahotelistanbul, Yönetici at Arena Hotel Special Class
Responded Jan 7, 2020
Dear Chung Many thanks for your valuable comment all kinds of drinks during breakfast is free including bottle of water whereas in the room it is not due to lack of control and exploitibility. Hope to host you again Best Regards
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Arena Hotel Special Class, is an excellent location near the Sokullu Sehit Mehmet Pasa mosque, a historical place from 1571 (worth a visit inside, wonderful ceramic tiles). The hotel is a two-minute walk from the Hippodrome (the historical racetrack), 5-minute from the Hagia Sophia mosque (former Greek Orthodox patriarchal cathedral, Ottoman imperial mosque and museum) and the tram (which connects you with the port for the cruises on the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn) and 10 minutes from the Topkapı Palace Museum. Everything it's around. I stayed in February 2020 in this hotel. Great hotel in Sultanahmet district ! The staff was lovely, very helpful and speaks English. The breakfast was excellent and the rooms were cleaned daily. I would definitely stay in this hotel again. They also have two terraces, one on the ground floor for breakfast and the other on the roof, so the smokers do not suffer. Thanks to everyone and in particular to Deniz, for all the information and the help, offered with the warmth. Arena Hotel Special Class is a good choice for discover the city!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Arena Hotel, Genel Müdür at Arena Hotel Special Class
Responded May 31, 2021
Dear Ramona We are very glad that you had a wonderful experience during your stay in our hotel, hope to see you and host you again. Best Regards
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Our stay here was very pleasant. The manager gave us an early check in which was great after long flight travel. Very good spread for bfast. I am a vegetarian and for me there were pancakes /crepes, lot of whole fruits, salad veggies and staples like breads cookies cereals!
The staff was really good! Both the day and night managers were great. Bayram, Emre to mention a few names! They can arrange for airport transfer. Helped us book the sunset cruise and arranged for a private guide for us as well so we could start a bit late. They have a Weighing scale too! Clean rooms! Lift is there.
Location is walkable to the grand bazaar, mosque complex is just two min walk. Lot of restaurant options in five- ten min of hotel. However the distance from airport is longer compared to takism / galata area. Not very close to bus/tram station to drag luggage if one is using public transport to and fro to airport. Yellow taxi works fine. We booked this place again for our last night after visiting other cities! We stayed twice. 1st room was really small and expensive 2nd time we got a bigger room for much lesser price through a deal.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Try to get a deal through booking website. There is a slope to reach the place incase lot of...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Arena Hotel, Genel Müdür at Arena Hotel Special Class
Responded Nov 14, 2022
Dear Dharas Thanks for your high scoring and valuable comment, Hope to host you again. Best Regards
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Literally the worst hotel I ever stayed in. The rooms were extremely dirty, as if it was very poorly cleaned and without even trying, would expect in a lower star hotel but it’s a 4.5 stars????? ???????? Only a few members of the staff were nice. We went to cappadocia for 3 days and then returned here for a single night, if you are looking for a hotel that will keep your heavy luggage so you can pick it back up when you go back this isn’t the place. After we kindly turned down a pricey dinner the receptionist tried to sell us at the bosforo, they refused to keep the luggage and we had to travel to cappadocia and back with all our luggage. Yes, it’s not something they HAVE to do, but good predisposition is always nice, this is something they don’t have. Other tourists we traveled with told us their hotels did in fact let them leave their luggage behind. Then the last day we stayed in here one of the beds didn’t have bed sheets!!!!!!!(?) just the top one, in the actual mattress there was like a towel type thing. The breakfast was meh, not all that good. The only good thing was the location, not that it’s gorgeous but it’s near the historical sites, but there’s plenty of options around, just pick another hotel.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Arena Hotel, Genel Müdür at Arena Hotel Special Class
Responded Aug 11, 2022
Dear Nunez Regret your scoring is well below our average point and your comment is very rare for us . Kindly note that cleaning is made daily and is mentioned by most of our clients. Kindly note that our hotel has a license from the ministry of culture and tourism and it's a special class hotel and not rated by stars. We should have found a space for your languages during your visit to Cappadocia. It is impossible for a hotel to have no bed sheets there is a misunderstanding if you pull double bed sheets you might say there is no bed sheets. Our open buffet breakfast has more than 70 different items and is praised by the majority of our clients. Best Regards
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Staff were really helpful and nice. Property was full of character, I liked the salon on the grand floor with the family photos and the elegant furniture. Breakfast was great, we were there after 10 days spent in a luxury 5 star resort and felt the breakfast at Arena was more homemade type.
The negatives though are affecting the fundamentals of a hotel stay, the ability to sleep. We stayed in room 111, effectively 2 double rooms sharing 1 bathroom for a family, again great beds and pillows but it seemed the machine for the old lifts were as if inside our room, everyone the lift moves you hear 3 loud rotating noises inside the room, kept waking up my daughter and rest of family all night. If there is no solution for it then hotel should change the rooms to some sort of office or storage location. Sound insulation is pretty much non existent in the building, cobbled street might be cute but in Arena's case it makes the sound from cars even louder. Shame because they really had nice hotel manager and 2 gentlemen helping always. But the good news it is fixable....
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Date of stay: November 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Friendly and helpful hotel staff. Rich and diversified breakfast. The location of the hotel is very close to Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi, 5-10 minutes walk. The Sultanahmet tram station is a 10-minute walk away. I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Istanbul. Best Service!!!
Personalul hotelului amabil si de mare ajutor. Micul dejun bogat si diversificat. Locatia hotelului este foarte aproape de Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque si Topkapi, 5-10 minute de mers pe jos. Statia de tramvai Sultanahmet se afla la 10 min de mers pe jos. Recomand acest hotel tuturor celor care doresc sa viziteze Istanbulul.Servicii de nota 10.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from arenahotelistanbul, Yönetici at Arena Hotel Special Class
Responded Jan 3, 2020
Dear Guest We are very glad that you had a wonderful experience during your stay in our hotel, hope to see you and host you again. Best Regards
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The hotel is a good economic solution in an Istanbul that had exorbitant prices at the time of booking. The rooms are very small, from the discussion we witnessed upon our arrival of a tourist who complained about the size of his room, we understood that ours was not the exception. Small precautions that would make the difference are also missing: the bathroom becomes very noisy when the light is turned on, at night it didn't make things easy, the very thin curtain let in light in the early hours of the morning, a bedside table and extra sockets would make the more comfortable stay. I admit that there is a big difference between how the hotel appears on the website and how it is in reality. It has the advantage of its location: you can reach the main attractions of the city on foot. Courteous and discreet staff. Varied breakfast.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hotel is just a bizarre set up. Rooms are not what you see on the pictures it’s deceptive. Staff are bloody rude. Smoking in the entrance regardless of children and conveniently under a no smoking sign.
The rooms are ok nothing special. The food was not my cup of tea. Nothing I would pay for
The hotel is a maze you will be lost. If you lose your key card they won’t give you another and you have to wait for someone to come with you to let you in. How weird? I’m happy to pay for another plastic card but no that’s not an option.
No iron in your room. You have to pay to get your clothes ironed. They quoted 1 euro for one shirt and on checkout decided ofcourse to increase this to 5 euros stating I misheard. I did not. Ended up paying more for ironing than I would have for a Phillips turbo steam iron.
The location is great though the views from the room are poor despite what the pics show you.
It’s a dusty old hotel unclean and not worth the price tag
Would not come here again nor would I recommend to anyone.
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Date of stay: July 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Bring your own iron
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Arena Hotel, Genel Müdür at Arena Hotel Special Class
Responded Aug 10, 2023
Dear Nageena, Your comment and 1 point is very extra ordinary for us plus regret your expression style is very disturbing for us. Majority of our clients commrnt are ejecting your's. Your reservation was for two classic and one family room. Although we upgraded your classic rooms to queen suites without asking for extra charges still you are not happy. It is not possible for us to put pictures of every single room. Therefore their views change as per prices. We never mislead or cheat our clients or exagerate room pictures. Smoking people are clients like yours under no-smoking sign among children. If informed front desk could avoid it. Our open buffet breakfast has more than 70 items and is praised by majority of our clients and has a big fame among nearby hotels. We have big enough signs in block capital letters to lead your way to reception. If you are still lost it's your problem. If you forget yout plastic key card in your room we oprn it with master key. In your case it happened several times why? During check-in registration card you signed stipulates that ironing in rooms are prohibited for your safety. İroning prices have 50 percent discount. If it is a shirt one euro, if it is long abaya it's 2.50 euros. If you can buy philiphs turbo steam iron for 2,50 euros we also wish to buy several of them for our use. At the and your complaints reason revealed stating high prices this is true if you visit istanbul at the high seasosns. Best regards.
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Our room was large, comfortable, quiet (except for prayer calls) and very clean. We spent almost two weeks at the hotel. Breakfast was very good Turkish - style food. Tomato, cucumber, feta, fresh fruits, omelette, hard boiled egg, bread basket. Coffee, juice and of course tea. The staff helped with taxis, directions, recommendations, shopping, subway stops and our very important PRC test to return home. There is also an excellent local restaurant. MY TERRACE has a beautiful top floor terrace that has a view of the sea plus excellent fish, meat, fire beef! Great ambience! Cold BEER.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:King size bedrooms are large and comfortable.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Arena Hotel, Genel Müdür at Arena Hotel Special Class
Responded Sep 13, 2021
Dear Kyle We are very glad that you had a wonderful experience during your stay in our hotel, hope to see you and host you again.Best Regards
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The room was not too bad. We did not had much expectation so I think it was fine.
The staff was nice and cooperative.
There was no "Do not disturb card" on the door. The cleaning lady would come into your room if you do not respond to 2 knocks.
I wanted to stay in a hotel near Hagia Sofia. To be honest, the hotel is not too bad but I would prefer to pay more to get a decent hotel near Hagia Sofia.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ask for a room with a view otherwise you will see a building from your window
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Arena Hotel, Genel Müdür at Arena Hotel Special Class
Responded Apr 5, 2022
Dear Daniel Many thanks for your scoring and comment ,after you left we checked and do not disturb card of the room was available . Normally if you do not respon after 2 knocks house keeping enter room. Best Regards
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Jakarta, Indonesia89 contributions37 helpful votes
Hello Jorn, do you mean from the Hotel or any public transport? You can contact the hotel for sure they can manage with some charge. But public, I am not really sure (sorry not fully helping). The streets around the hotel are very narrow, was not even imagine yet crowded. I saw taxis everywhere- so by taxi you can manage it or from the nearest metro station. If you don’t bring soo much luggage- walking around is manageable. The hotel quite close from the metro station. We walked nearly every time around. Hope it helps. Enjoy 😊
Cape Town, South Africa12 contributions5 helpful votes
The rooms my friend and I got were more or less the same. Small and no service. The bedding did not even fit. We would leave early for our daily tours and not once on arrival round about 5pm,was our room made. It was a terrible experience and i will never recommend this hotel
Sorry about delay in finding your question. There was no sign of any swimming pool at the Arena but they claim to have a haman (Turkish Bath ) and I did see a lady in a white coat who would seem to be the attendant.
Swimming pools do not seem to be high on the list of facilities in the sultanamet area, I only saw one on the roof of an up-market hotel. This property prides itself on being OLD, I don't doubt that it is on the site of the old family property but the info in the lobby states that a lot of work was done and it would appear to be a major reconstruction. But there is no space for a pool, the "garden" is a courtyard - with tables and chairs.
One good thing which I failed to mention in my review, our room had a comprehensive adaptor plug in the bedside table so one could plug in and charge without searching for a suitable adaptor.
There are more places to choose from in the Istanbul area.
PRICE RANGE
$56 - $102 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
arena hotel istanbul
LOCATION
TürkiyeIstanbulSultanahmet
NUMBER OF ROOMS
43
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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