I just arrived back home after a 6 night stay at the Galata Antique hotel. The hotel is in an absolutely perfect location, right around the corner from the Tunel Sq. funicular stop and also the modern metro. It is very easy to get into the Sultanahmet/Old City area via public transport. We actually found ourselves primarily walking to the old city by way of the Galata Bridge which made for an interesting way to explore the neighborhood. It is about a 30 minute (very scenic) walk to the Blue Mosque/Aya Sofya/etc. The reason why we stayed in this area as opposed to Sultanahmet is because we were looking for a good place with lots of nightlife and we sure picked the right spot. The hotel is about a 2 minute walk from Istiklal St. with innumerable bars, restaurants and shops. This is definitely a less touristy area than the old city and seemed to be much more lively at night with plenty of live music and comfortable places to have some drinks and meet the friendly locals.

So, aside from the location, the actual hotel was a very pleasant place to stay. Our room was a bit small but it was very clean and cozy. It definitely made a good home base for sleeping and taking a break after a long day of sightseeing, which is exactly what we wanted. The staff was very nice and accommodating and made us feel at home from the moment we arrived. There is a free breakfast every morning on the rooftop with a great view; the breakfast itself is okay, nothing spectacular but plenty of coffee, tea, fruits, jams, bread and usually sausage or eggs.

I only have one minor complaint about our stay at the Galata Antique. The hotel has free wireless access however the reception is quite bad. We had no access from our room and had to use wireless from the lobby, where the reception was also poor. This was definitely not a big deal but it was a minor annoyance.

All in all, this is a great little place with friendly staff, clean rooms and a wonderful location. I would strongly recommend considering this hotel if you are planning on staying in Istanbul.

Oh, and one more quick tip: The main entrance to the hotel is located on a side staircase off the main road. It's not that difficult to find but just an FYI.

I ve stayed at the hotel for almost 9 days. At my arrival at the Ataturk International airport was nobody there from the hotel to collect us, when I did the reservation almost one month before of my arrival. I got the room that I reserved after almost 6 hours after my arrival in Istanbul. The hotel is situated in good location near to shopping area and the transport. The rooms are small but clean. Some details like bulbs in the bathroom was not working, the laundry takes long before getting back your clothes and the staff were not very cooperative.

We spent 4 nights at the Galata Hotel and we had a great time. The hotel is around 120yrs. old and still has the charme of an old villa from back then.
The rooms are small but very nicely furnished. And the view from our room (4th floor) and terrace are amazing. You can see the Topkapi Palace, Gatata Tower, Bosporus, Mosques and a lot more.
The hotel is situated in a small street just off the main shopping and nightlife area of Istanbul. Perfect location! You can sleep in quite but you are in the middle of everything in just 1min walk.
Prices are moderate - compared what other hotels charge. And they give 5% discount if you pay in cash.
Breakfast is not amazing - but tasty. Fresh vegetables, fruit salad, cheese, yoghurt, börek and more. Every day the same though - so if you stay longer then a week you might wish for some changes.
The staff is friendliy and helpful - most of them speak poor English.
This hotel is definitly a recommendation. If we should go back to Istanbul we would stay there again.

Nightmare experience. Arrived stayed in room 305. Toilet, shower, hairdryer not working. Black bin bags covering shower walls. No ventilation, mosquitoes in room.Complained and received abuse from uncooperative hotel staff.
Would not stay at this hotel again. What good is a terrace view if service and standards so low.