If you plan on just using a room as a waystation between trips to the tourist spots, a night of dancing at the clubs and an early morning trip to yet another tourist attraction, a hostel may be the right accommodation for you. This is also your option if you’re looking to save money on accommodations and spend it somewhere else.
You will be surprised to note that there are a lot of hostels in Istanbul. Remember, Istanbul is a popular destination, especially among students and backpackers looking into getting immersed into the culture and getting the opportunity to get to now more of the city’s history.
Hostels usually provide you with a simple bed (there may be two to four beds in a room), which you can share with other like-minded tourists, breakfast (a basic meal that can tide you over until you have the chance to go out for a meal) and common bathrooms (although there are some that have bathrooms inside their rooms).
Hostels are for those who like to meet new friends. You can share a bottle of beer or a cup of raki while you share war stories about your travels, what you think about the world in general and Istanbul in particular. The mood is generally relaxed and easy-going.
Hostels are a way to have a place to stay without having to spend so much. Additional facilities may include security lockers, 24-hour receptions, cafés, bars, a TV room (with a satellite connection), a computer with internet connection, hot water and centralized heating.
As there are a lot of hostels you can choose from, the best thing to do is to browse through descriptions and reviews of the difference hostels and make your choice. The thing you have to look into would be what the reviews say about the facilities (bathroom, rooms, etc.), the location of the hostel and the price per night.
Here are some websites you can look into:
www.hostelsweb.com
http://www.hostels.com/tr.is.html
http://www.travbuddy.com/Istanbul-Ili-hostels-p1321
http://www.hostelz.com/hostels/Turkey/Istanbul/Istanbul
www.sinbadhostel.com
http://www.hostelseurope.com/hosteldetails.php?HostelNumber=30794
http://backpackingeurope.com/searchresult.asp?Search=istanbul&Submit=Search
http://www.trav.com/Hostels/Turkey/Istanbul
http://www.hostelworld.com/findabed.php/ChosenCity.Istanbul/
http://www.hostels.com/en/tr.is.html
http://www.trav.com/Hostels/Turkey/Istanbul