We are taking our elderly mother who is slow but capable of walking smaller distances on her dream trip to Istanbul. She is naturally slower and will tire at 92 but is very mentally sharp. Going along is my husband who is fit 60 something and his equally fit brother. I have been to Istanbul, so has my husband, and my question is regarding public access to non squatting bathrooms (she is 92) and the walkability to the main attractions. Looking for a good quality hotel very close to the attractions which offers 24 hr desk and daily concierge. Comfort is key but not ritz Carlton level. Any sound advise? We had thought Istanbul may have been too difficult for her at first but she is terribly keen to go. On her dream list.
Posted by
Southeast US
3951 posts
I stayed at the Magnaura Palace Hotel in May. It is close to sights and has an amazing view from its rooftop breakfast area that was until recently (like a week ago) a restaurant during the day and evening, too. Anything in the area is going to require a bit of walking, of course.
Posted by
Ohio
1564 posts
Any chance of taking a transfer chair? My memory of Sultanahmet is that it is very hilly and cobblestoned.
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
6277 posts
Here is a recent trip report that has info for instanbul.
I was just told by a forum member, that in Sultanahmet area, she only ran into one toilet that was not "western" style.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
I remember the cobblestones. I also remember a tremendous amount of walking but I am thinking the family will focus on one main interest per day so to limit that. I have looked into a Ta-da portable walking stick which transforms into a stable stool if she tires. We had discouraged Istanbul because we thought it would be too taxing and had booked Italy, but she still kept voicing her disappointment in not going. This may be her last chance to do a special trip.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
763 posts
Not directly related to Istanbul, but ....
My 88 year old mother decided that she wanted to go to the Holy Land last year. She is in good shape physically and mentally. The best decision she made was to hire a physical therapist several months before the trip to work with her on handling stairs, hills and uneven surfaces. Thanks to some of the techniques she learned from the therapist, she was able to handle, Jerash, Petra, Masada, Jerusalem, and more.
I have never encountered a situation in Istanbul where squat toilets were the only option, but I also don't take frequent bathroom breaks.
Sorry I can't give any advice on hotels.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4656 posts
I don't remember any squat in Sultanamet tourist area even when there 10 years ago. So there must at least be Western options....but she may want bandanas or hankies to dry hands while out.
I enjoyed my stay at Hotel Nena, but it is a few blocks from the main hotel area. It had slopes, not hills, to traverse. Looking at a map, it may be as close as you can get. At least look in that area for lodging, as it doesn't have the steep climbs you will find closer to the coast.
Looking at street view, I see sidewalks may be smooth, but there are occasional steps to deal with the inclines. I was going to suggest a wheelchair, but that won't work with those sidewalks. Maybe they can be rented at sights, like the Topkapi palace. It's pretty big.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thank you for the input. I do think a wheelchair at the Topaki Palace would be helpful. Will also look into the hotels mentioned.
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
2575 posts
As I recall every major site had a western style toilet, usually the stall marked with the "handicapped" placard. There was often a line of western tourists waiting for that one.
This article may provide some information. A quick glance through it appears that some of it is out of date (try googling "Istanbul accessibility" to get more options): https://www.sagetraveling.com/Disabled-Access-in-Istanbul
As for hotels, try searching on a site like Booking.com that allows you to filter hotels by specific amenities, like wheelchair accessibility and 24 hour front desk. I don't see a filter for concierge but you can check individual hotels to see if they have one. Booking also has specific accessibility filters for room amenities (e.g. walk in shower, grab bars).
Sultanahmet does have hills and cobblestones, no way around it. The trams are very, very crowded, so you may want to consider using taxis (read up on how to make sure to get a legit one). When I visited, much of the area around the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia were surrounded by barricades for crowd control, making it quite a walk to get out of that complex area. There are spots to sit along the way but just be prepared that you may not be able to go directly from point A to point B.
Good on you for taking your mom on a dream list trip.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Appreciate all the input. Really helps.
Posted by
Portsmouth
5461 posts
I don't remember any squat in Sultanamet tourist area even when there 10 years ago.
The first restaurant that I visited in Sultanahmet two weeks ago had a squat toilet and that was the only option so there are certainly places where they exist and are the only option.
Posted by
Northern New York
79 posts
Hi. My husband and I both have some mobility issues and are going to Istanbul for a few nights in October. We booked the Hotel Saint Sophia hoping that its very central location will help us navigate the most popular sites. You may want to take a look at it. I also purchased a tada chair for a NYC trip this past March and found it very helpful. The chair itself isn’t for long term sitting but helps relieve pain from standing and can give a break from walking when other sitting options aren’t available. If you order from Amazon, you could try it out and return if you don’t like it. Hope you have a fabulous trip!