Berk Guesthouse

10/10

Exceptional

26 Oct 2025

Frances

Quiet family-run guesthouse. Friendly and informative. Unfussy and just what I was looking for.
Very enjoyable stay.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

25 Oct 2025

Rousslan

It was recommended as a good place to stay in Istanbul. I loved the location and the view. The hosts are very nice and guest like people. I would definitely stay again in this place, if I visit Istanbul again.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Sep 2025

Faysal

Very friendly and helpful owners. Gave us. A free upgrade to the room with an elevator. I would go there again.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

19 Oct 2024

Desmond

The best part of your stay here are the hosts - super friendly and knowledgeable. The place itself is old, so hallways and rooms have an antique feel to them. The location is outstanding with less than 5 minute walk to some of the most amazing attractions in Istanbul. There are 100s of good restaurants and shops literally next door. Breakfast is okay and it can be a bit noisy at night, but the price makes it a good deal.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

09 Jul 2024

Lissette

Great staff, but unfortunately i got a room close to the street and next to lobby i can hear everything, the worse part was the garbage truck in the window, was scared

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2024

James

Small and a bit loud

The room was at street level and therefore a bit loud. That was unfortunate. Then the AC wouldn't work (owner got it to work in the morning but we were leaving). Due to this, it was even more loud with trash truck day at 11:00pm. Room was small but ample. Breakfast was simple and the owners were there and made us feel welcome. Nice rooftop terrace to see the full moon. May stay again

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2024

Greg

Great gem in the middle of old Istanbul

We loved our time in Istanbul, and Berk's was a great place to have as our base - so close to many places, and very personable and friendly service. We had no concerns at all, and felt that the staff were always available to help us out - including helping us navigate local transit, and providing Turkish coffee for breakfast :-). We loved it!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2024

Andrew

Amazing stay in Istanbul. Great location. Can walk everywhere, and the owners where very helpful and friendly made my stay awesome

Self

10/10

Exceptional

03 Mar 2024

Alex

Excellent hosts and guesthouse

We had an amazing time with Yesim and Ahmet. They were excellent hosts and made us feel very welcome in their guest house, as if we were guests in their homes. We look forward to staying with them again.

The guesthouse was very close to the main touristic sites, and if you'd like to venture further afield and eat in some nice restaurants, Yesim and Ahmet will give you great recommendations.

Alex and Lisa

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2023

Chew

This is the best hotel that I have stayed at, bar none. My family along with another family are invited to dine with Yesim, Ahmet and their family. The hosts make sure that our stay at Istanbul is well taken care off. Our family looked forward to breakfast every morning. Partly because of the food but most importantly, the chats that we have with the hosts and other hotel guests.

When you're in Istanbul, stay at Grandma's guesthouse. You will be treated like a family. An experience that you won't get at a faceless, corporate hotel, even if you have paid 5 times the costs.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jul 2023

Timofey

Thanks, it was nice to stay at your place.
It really feels like Grandma's house.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Oct 2022

Ramiro

Super friendly and helpful staff.
Family atmosphere.
At the center of Istanbul's most important gems.
Excellent value for the money!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2022

James

September 2022

Amazing location for site seeing, the owners are brilliant very helpful and friendly and very professional, we actually had the pleasure to dine with them which made our stay very memorable, it really feels like you are visiting family, we will definitely be back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Aug 2022

Zohre

Grandma's house was the best choice we could have made for our first-time visit to Istanbul. The owner, Yeşim, was attentive, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond during our visit. The same for her staff, particularly Homayoun. This is a place we will come back to when we return to a city we fell in love with! You can't go wrong when choosing this property both in terms of the character of the place and the owner and her staff.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2022

Fariya

This guest house is perfectly situation in Istanbul. You are close to all the main tourist attractions. This guesthouse is very clean and I loved the breakfast which was traditional Turkish style. The owners and staff of the guesthouse are so friendly and welcoming that it really did make our trip extra special. I loved staying here and will definitely stay here again! Thank you!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

17 May 2022

Alexander

Nice homey

Self

10/10

Exceptional

28 Apr 2022

Wain

SUPERB

Simply super..... location, hygiene excellent. Room comfortable & well equipped with air con, fridge, hair dryer, safe box & comprehensive breakfast.
professional, caring service from staff & kind, knowledgable & very helpful owners who will go out of their way to make your experience of Istanbul as easy & enjoyable as is possible.
Excellent value for money, I sincerely believe I wouldn’t have enjoyed better if I’d paid £150 a night in the Sheraton Hotel which is opposite.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

22 Apr 2022

Theresa

Great Stay in Central Location

Yesim and Ahmut were very friendly and helpful. They joined us for a very robust breakfast and allowed us to store our bags. The rooms were very clean and as advertised. The only thing I wasn't expecting was the super hard beds, but it's in an amazing location and I highly recommend this personable location.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

21 Oct 2019

Edward

Good location, cozy spot

Nice comfy, cozy place. Rooftop has a great view, the location is excellent, and the price is good. Breakfast was very nice, and the staff was very friendly and helpful with getting around. My only complaint is that the bathroom smelled a bit like sewage. which is oddly common in Turkish hotels.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

It's a 5 star hotel for its amenities, attention, location, and cleanliness. I felt at home and very safe. I have already recommended all my friends to stay here. Thank you so much. The only thing I didn't like were the stairs but it was the only room available. Wonderful!

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

12 Sep 2019

Myriah

The owners were absolutely wonderful. I felt extremely welcomed and like I was one of the family. They rooms were simple, clean, and comfortable. The building was very secure and as a solo female traveller I felt very safe. The location can’t be beat.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

05 Sep 2019

Rajdeep

Lovely host

Lovely host in a very good location. ❤️

Family

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jul 2019

Jay

Family feeling in The Heart of Old Istanbul

The owners are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. They made me feel like family. I will go back to Istanbul just to meet them! Breakfast was great and the location of this hotel is the best in old Istanbul! I really enjoyed the party they had and the live band was fantastic! I can’t thank them enough for their hospitality!

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2019

Tom

The property is very well located within walking distance of the main historical tourist attractions. The staff and hosts were also extremely friendly and very helpful and I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone travelling to Istanbul. The rooftop terrace is also quite nice for an afternoon beer after a busy day of sightseeing.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

26 May 2019

Verified traveler

We very much enjoyed staying at Berk’s Guest house. Yesim and Ahmet were so welcoming and helpful, they went out of their way to make our visit to Istanbul a wonderful one. The location is outstanding for visiting all of the sights, convenient, and on a quiet street, so we slept well. Highly recommend!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2019

Maria Dolores

Charming

The hotel is in perfect location and the family and staff make you feel at home. Warm and welcoming place.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2019

Mohamed

It is a very nice place to stay in, just in the heart of sultan Ahmed area, close to all transportation ways
it's clean and comfortable
Thank you Yasim for all the help you provided to us

Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Apr 2019

Amjad

Great place to stay

Hotel staff is great and very welcoming. Hotel manager was very helpful in guiding which places to see and visit in istanbul. Room was very clean and tidy with nice complementary breakfast in the morning. Hagia Sophia, Blue masjid and topkapi palace are few minutes walk from the hotel. Terrace upstairs has great view for local attractions. I would highly recommend this place.

8/10

Excellent

06 Apr 2018

Kenny

Our room was very basic but exactly what we needed. Very comfortable. Shower and WC were small but not unmanageable and the shower had plenty of pressure and hot water. The breakfasts were simple but delicious. The owners were extremely friendly and made us feel at home. They allowed us to store our luggage after we checked out until it was time to leave for the airport. They were very helpful with suggestions on things to do and see. And even went so far as to arrange our taxi to and from the airport. We would definitely stay here again.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Feb 2018

Mark

Perfect location, and great hosts.

My wife and I met our son in Istanbul and stayed two nights. The hotel is in a perfect location, and suited us perfectly. The view from the rooftop is spectacular and you can finish your evening with a nice glass of wine up there, and the next morning the breakfast downstairs is also terrific, a large Turkish breakfast. The owners are great hosts, and very helpful. We will definitely stay again when we want to be in Sultanahmet.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Oct 2017

Verified traveler

Short stay in Istanbul

Pretty nice and cozy guesthouse. The guesthouse owners Yesin and Ahmet are very nice and super helpful! We will be back for sure!

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2017

Tracey

Sweet guesthouse with lovely owners.

The owners were welcoming and warm. The hotel was easy to reach by tram near the Blue Mosque and Orange Hagia Sophia and the Palace. Great view can be seen from the rooftop too. Overall I enjoyed a wonderful stay in Istanbul. Thank you!

8/10

Excellent

03 Apr 2016

myrna

Location was excellent

Former home of owner's grandmother. Very friendly. Invited me for a drink one evening. Gave me free 1.5 liter bottles of water. Gave me fresh towels when I asked. All major attractions just a short walk away. Bring your own toiletries. Heater works well.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2015

Zhengyi

A great place for a short stay in Istanbul

The hotel/hostel was clean and neat. The room was reasonably sized and served with free bottled water. Staff were very nice and helpful. We enjoyed our breakfast and had a nice conversation with the host. We specially enjoyed the spectacular panoramic view from the roof-top terrace of the building. The sea view was wonderful and the Blue Mosque and the Ayasophia Mosque can be seen at a great angle. Yes, this hostel is at walking distance to these two places of interest and many resteraunts, 3 minutes to be exact.

The only downside of this hostel was the bed. The mattress was a bit aged so it wasn't at its best comfort, but acceptable. The shower room is a bit small but again acceptable considering the price we paid for the room.

Overall, we very enjoyed the stay.

8/10

Excellent

14 Oct 2015

Eric

Basic room, great location

Walking distance to all major Sultanahmet attractions. Friendly staff, decent breakfast. Very basic room, but functional.

10/10

Exceptional

31 Aug 2015

Verified traveler

Wonderful hotel, sweetest staff!!

We loved this place. Close to everything, lady who works there is adorable, held breakfast for us one morning when we were running late. Loved everything about it!!

8/10

Excellent

19 Jul 2015

DCtraveler

Nice hotel, perfect location.

Berk was perfect place to stay for our four days in Istanbul -- the location was ideal for seeing the sites, only a 3-5 minute walk from Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Ottoman Palace and the tram stop to get to the rest of the city. Despite being in the midst of everything, it was on a fairly quiet street -- watching the sunset from the roof top terrace was a nice way to end a day of sightseeing. The room was clean, and the staff was incredibly helpful and friendly. It was nice that breakfast was included in the stay, but it was a fairly simple spread of food -- I wouldn't say it was the highlight of our stay at Berk. The location and friendliness of the staff definitely was worth it though! I'd stay here again, without hesitation.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jul 2015

Audrey A

Home in Istanbul at Berk

What can I say? Charming Hostess, wonderful Staff, delicious breakfast, clean linens, hot water, location and view unprecedented. Room 41 on par with the Four Seasons (whose garden it looks into)! I have stayed at Berk before and I will again. Competitive prices but feels like home.

8/10

Excellent

14 May 2015

Verified traveler

Great location, super helpful staff

We were pleased with our stay. Staff went out of their way to be helpful. The gracious owner was around every morning, almost like staying with family.

6/10

Pleasant

21 Oct 2014

Amanda

Autumn break

Unbeatable location, spotlessly clean, very good value.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 Oct 2014

Rebecca

We wish we could have stayed longer.

We arrived later than anticipated and were politely greeted and personally shown to our room which was comfortable and clean. The breakfast was nice. There's a nice view from a rooftop terrace from which we could see the Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque. We could only stay one night and wish we could have stayed longer!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2014

Prof and Mrs EB

Warm friendly service, best location, great views

Melissa the lady in charge could not do more than what she did for and shared with us, nothing was too much trouble. We really felt like being in grandma's house only better because everything was taken care of. We even got an upgrade to a superior room with a balcony and the view from the roof terrace is priceless. Everyone is friendly, helpful and took much trouble to give us tips and help us with searches, maps, got taxis for us and even notes to the taxi driver to help us get around to the places we wished to visit. It's close to the most important sites. Will stay there again if we visit Istanbul again which we hope to some day.

8/10

Excellent

09 Jun 2014

sonali

Nice hotel, centrally located.

This hotel is good if you want to be spending most of your time in Istanbul sight seeing and shopping. Its centrally located in the heart of Sultanahmet. The staff is very helpful, tells you everything you would want to know about travelling and about the hotspots you should visit.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2014

Monika

Great stay

The room is very clean. The shower had plenty of hot water and good water pressure. I'm pleasantly surprised that the mattress and comforter were very comfy. My trip was in mid April, the weather was nice enough that I let the window open at night. The view from the roof top was great. You can see Bosphorous Strait from there. The breakfast hours were a bit later than my liking, but Yesim was nice enough to have the food ready by 8AM, half an hour before the official start since my tour picked me up at 8.30. They gave me a big bottle of water when I first arrived. There's a convenient store next door where you can grab some snacks and drinks.

6/10

Pleasant

19 Apr 2014

Carmen

Fantastic Location

This hotel is in a fantastic location. About a three minute walk from the main square of Sultanahmet. It was very clean and the bed was comfortable. The bath room was the smallest I have ever seen and our room was incredibly small as well. The place is family run and that is fantastic, however it is an old building so we had to listen to the pipes and radiator bang all night long. Obviously this is not the fault of the owners, however, it did affect a good nights sleep. It is possible that other rooms do not have the same problem, but our room was not meant for a good nights sleep. Also, the walls are very thin so you have hear people come and go at all hours. It is well located, very clean and a reasonable price. If you can negotiate a room whose pipes don't bang and is not in the main hall way, this is a great place.

8/10

Excellent

15 Apr 2014

Verified traveler

Very enjoyable stay in istanbul. Hotel was clean and friendly. No problems, just a wonderful visit!

8/10

Excellent

18 Jul 2013

Darrow

Great location

Perfect location, nice clean hotel. I will stay there again when I return for a longer visit.

6/10

Pleasant

11 Dec 2012

Verified traveler

Very good location

5/5 on friendliness and helpfulness of the staff. 5/5 on location. 3.5-4/5 for value of money. The building and facilities are a bit dated. If you have limited mobility, access might be an issue.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Aug 2012

Kristin

Great Guest House in a wonderful location

We really enjoyed our stay at Berk Guest House. The people are very friendly,helpful and generous and the facilities are well-maintained.The only slight problem was the first night we had to sleep in the front room and since there was only an electric fan it was very very hot and uncomfortable in that room. This room would benefit from an air conditioner.The second night and third night were much more comfortable in an air conditioned room.Thank you!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2012

Verified traveler

Perfect location, friendly guesthouse

A friendly guest house, great staff, ideally located in the shadow of the Blue Mosque and Ayasofya. It isn't a luxury accommodation, but I found it clean and well kept.