Hostelworld Match-up: Explore Sultanahmet, Stay at Cheers Hostel

We told Hostelworld that we wanted to explore the central region of Sultanahmet, home to the Aya Sofia, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Markets, in the ancient city of Istanbul.

Aya Sofia

Hostelworld matched up our goals and set us up with a stay at Cheers Hostel.

Cheers Hostel

Cheers Hostel exceeded our expectations when it came to customer service, and they also have this amazing rooftop bar where you get a clear view like this:

Perfect view of the Aya Sofia from the hostel rooftop bar.

Our first impression of the hostel was 1) damn it’s busy, and 2) damn there are a lot of Aussies here.

Ok, it was a lot of Aussies and a few Kiwis.

Being just after Anzac Day, tours of Australians were on their way back home with a final stop in Istanbul, and it did get a bit loud. Leave it to the Aussies to enjoy a good drink, or 8! Pat and I had hopes of joining in the fun in the cozy rooftop bar, only I was still struggling to beat a sickness completely to the ground, and it didn’t last long for us.

Hanging in the bar area.

Luckily, the Cheers Hostel has two buildings, and the one across the street and away from all the party action is where most of the private rooms are located. In other words: I slept like a baby on our double bed.

Inside my room.

When it comes to décor, hostels are generally pretty minimalistic, as is Cheers, but they do that minimalistic very well. Our bedroom had this really cool piece of Turkish clothing adorning one wall, and the Turkish light cover produced a beaded effect on the wall.

Major Perks of the Hostel:

Putting the killer location to use. We could seriously walk wherever we wanted to go in Sultanahmet, especially right over to the Aya Sofia.

Having a beer with the hostel staff. I know I had to be lame because of illness, but Pat still enjoyed partaking in a beer and a chat with hostel staff in the rooftop bar.

Playing with the hostel dog. Ok, hostels with hostel pets are now creeping towards the top of my preference list.

Indulging in a hostel breakfast. Where have all the hostel breakfasts gone?! If you’re a hostel and serve up a substantial breakfast – like one with eggs – you are immediately cool in my book.

Hanging in the outdoor seating area. On a nice spring or summer day, it’s the perfect place to eat breakfast, meet other hostel goers, and use the internet. Oh yeah, free internet all the way.

I’m not going to lie. If we were to return to Istanbul again, I’m pretty sure we might choose Cheers Hostel for our stay.

*Our stay was provided through the partnership of Hostelworld and Cheers Hostel, but all words in my review are my own.