Ecole St. Pierre Hotel

Ecole St. Pierre Hotel is the hotel closest to Galata Tower in our selection: it stands on Galata Kulesi Sokak, a few steps from the monument, in the garden of the church of Saints Peter and Paul. It is a small hotel, with six room and suite types, in a building that has been in turn a school, a print shop, a carpenter's workshop and a family home.

The school's story

The Collège des Frères St. Pierre was founded in 1842 by the Catholic congregation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, under the administration of Italian Dominicans. Lessons were in French, with Ottoman Turkish as the second language, and Christian, Jewish and Muslim pupils studied together. The building was designed by the Italian architect Gaspare Fossati, who also built the neighbouring church of St. Pierre and restored Hagia Sophia.

The 1914 war threatened the school, which leased part of its premises from 1922 and closed in 1935 for lack of pupils. The ground floor was briefly a print shop: the lithographic stones found there are displayed at reception. A young carpenter, Kostantin Yordanidis, then set up his workshop; his future father-in-law, coming to meet him, bought the whole building from the church and gave it to him as a wedding present.

Inside the hotel and in the courtyard stand remains of the Genoese walls of Galata, built between 1304 and 1317 and mostly demolished in 1863.

The rooms

The rooms table details all six categories. The Guest Room, the smallest, sleeps one or two and looks over the rooftops of Beyoğlu; the Courtyard Room with Balcony, facing the courtyard and its ramparts, is the one that sleeps up to four. For a couple, the Galata Suite with Terrace has Galata Tower in view from its private terrace; the Galata Suite with Bathtub, the largest, is the one for a special occasion.

All have a Nespresso machine, Le Labo amenities, a goose-down duvet, a minibar, a safe and free wifi. Room service runs from 7 am to 11 pm local time.

IL CORTILE

In the courtyard, the Italian restaurant IL CORTILE Ristorante & Pizzeria wraps around the remains of the Genoese walls, in the building once used by the church choir. Hotel guests dine there.

Location

The hotel stands on Galata Kulesi Sokak, in the Pera, Galata and Golden Horn area. The tower is a few steps away, İstiklal Avenue at the top of the hill, Karaköy and the Galata Bridge below. Istanbul Airport (IST) is about an hour's drive away without traffic.

Rates

In October 2026, for two nights from 1 to 3 June 2027, the cheapest room was offered at €389 a night for two adults, €778 for the stay, room only and non-refundable, including taxes and fees.

Sabaro's view

For whom: couples who want a small hotel full of history at the foot of Galata Tower. See also our boutique hotels page.

Strengths: the location; the building's history; the Galata Suite and its terrace facing the tower; a Google rating of 4.9 out of 5, the highest in our Istanbul selection.

Good to know: Guest Rooms measure 16 m², and the hotel has no spa or gym. Google Hotels lists it as 3-star. For a hammam in the same area, see The Bank Hotel Istanbul.