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Richmond Hotel vs. Karakoy Port Hotel

I'm having a hard time deciding between Richmond Hotel and Karakoy Port Hotel. I'll be spending 5 nights in Istanbul in September. I'm traveling with two friends and we are all females in our mid-20s. We want to have a safe, clean hotel in a central location. We will probably go out to dinner at night and want to be able to get back to our hotel without worrying.

Can anyone help me decide between the two? The Karakoy Port Hotel gets better reviews online but seems a little more out of the way. The Richmond Hotel is a bit more expensive but seems to be in a very central location.

I appreciate any advice! Thank you!

Posted by
7054 posts

Hands down, stay on Istiklal Cadessi (street) in the Beyoglu neighborhood - Richmond Hotel. Tons of restaurants, street life, night life, etc. that's perfect given you're in your mid-20s (much livelier location than the Old City - Sultanahmet). If you're not sure about the hotel itself, there are a gazillion others to choose from (there's even a cool looking hostel there). I don't think you need to worry about anything. It's a safe area. You will have to take the funicular and then tram down to the Old City for the touristy attractions, but it's easy and doesn't take that long.

If you want to see all hotels nearby then check out booking.com and use their map function. If anything, the number of places to choose from in Istanbul is overwhelming. Beyoglu is definitely a great neighborhood.