Your stay — simge
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The Property — simge
The Simge is a modest 3-star in Rize’s city centre, across the road from the Black Sea promenade. The lobby is small and tiled, with a front desk that works efficiently, and a breakfast room that fills early with tea and simit. It suits travellers who want a clean, no-fuss base for exploring the tea plantations and Kaçkar trekking, not those expecting charm or views. The USP is location: you’re a short walk from the main bazaar and the ferry jetty to Ayder.
Chronicles of Rize
Rize grew from a medieval Greek and Genoese trading post into the Ottoman Empire’s tea capital. Its modern form came in the 1950s when state subsidies turned every hillside into green terraces of çay. The city’s architecture is a functional concrete jumble: apartment blocks stacked up steep slopes, with only a handful of 19th-century wooden houses left. Today, Rize is proudly provincial, with a brisk, practical energy focused on tea factories, the university, and tourism spilling over from the Kaçkar mountains. The local identity is shaped by a relentless drizzle, fierce loyalty to the Laz culture, and the clinking of tea glasses at every hour.
Best Time to Visit
Full Rize guide →Best months
June and September offer the best balance of warm days (20-25°C) and lower rain probability than spring or autumn. July is drier but can feel crowded. September keeps the green landscape and harvest activity without peak crowds.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are peak months, driven by Turkish domestic holidays and school breaks. Hotels in central Rize often double their off-season rates. The main events are the Rize Tea and Culture Festival (usually late July) and weekend trips to Ayder Yaylası.
Budget shoulder season
May and October are true shoulder months. March to April rates can drop 30-40%, but expect heavy rain. In May the tea gardens are in first flush, and October has mild days (15-18°C) with far fewer tourists. Best for budget travellers who don’t mind a jacket and umbrella.
Weather & packing
Rize gets rain on roughly 180 days a year, even in summer—expect afternoon drizzles. Pack a waterproof jacket with a hood, and always carry a compact umbrella: it can start raining without warning in June.
Live City Briefing — Rize
- Rize’s Ayder Yaylası is currently under a construction moratorium (2024–2026) to curb overdevelopment; some cable-car and lodge projects are paused, so check access before visiting.
- The new Rize-Artvin airport (opened 2022) now has daily direct flights from Istanbul and Ankara, cutting travel time from the coast road by an hour.
- Seasonal note: June tea harvest means early-morning truck traffic in the city centre, especially around the Tea Bazaar—plan your breakfast to avoid 7–9 AM congestion.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to simge, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the rear (away from Atatürk Caddesi). These floors get less pavement noise and better light.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid any room on the 1st floor — it's directly above the lobby and breakfast area, plus street-level noise carries. Also skip rooms at the front of the building on floors 1–2 facing Atatürk Caddesi.
Best views
A rear-facing room on floor 4 may give a glimpse of the hills above Rize. Front-facing rooms overlook the main road and commercial strip — more busy than scenic.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4
🔊 Noise notes
Atatürk Caddesi is a main arterial road with constant traffic, motorbikes, and delivery vans. The single lift is audible in nearby rooms. Breakfast clatter from the ground-floor dining room travels upward.
Insider tips
There's no EV charging, and parking is 300 m away at Rize Belediye Otoparkı — drop your bags first at the ramp entrance before moving the car. Ask for a room key that doesn't require re-registering Wi-Fi each day; login is by room number and surname, so keep your details handy.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — simge
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms and public areas, sufficient for browsing and email; login via room number and surname.
Single lift serves all 4 floors, no stairs-only sections.
No digital newsstand or physical newspapers; local TV channels available in rooms.
Check-in from 14:00; early bag-drop available from 10:00 free of charge. Late check-out until 13:00 costs 50 TL, subject to availability.
Free luggage storage at front desk for same-day arrivals/departures; overnight storage not permitted.
Step-free access via ramp at main entrance; lift to all floors, but no adapted bathrooms or wheelchair-width doors in standard rooms.
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park is Rize Belediye Otoparkı, 300 m away, 20 TL per night. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required at booking; 100 TL incidental hold on credit card at check-in
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Turkish Lira, TRY
Use ATMs for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at Trabzon Airport or tourist spots as they give poor rates.
Visa/Mastercard widely accepted in shops and restaurants; contactless works in many places, but smaller cafes and street stalls may be cash-only.
Round up the bill or leave 10% in restaurants; tips not expected in taxis but rounding up helps; small tip for hotel staff if they carry bags.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Filter coffee from a local pastane (patisserie) or bakkal (corner shop); about 20-30 TL.
A dürüm (wrap) from a lokanta or simit from a street cart with çay; about 50-70 TL.
A pide or lahmacun at a casual eatery; about 80-100 TL for a main.
Along the coastal road near the town centre, especially around the bus station and market area; look for grilled corn, chestnuts, and simit stalls.
A101, BİM, and Şok are the discount supermarkets you'll see everywhere.
The main shopping street (Atatürk Bulvarı) and the municipal market (Pazar) on weekend mornings offer affordable clothing.
Minibuses (dolmuş) cost around 10-15 TL per ride; for airport transfer, take the Havaş shuttle from Trabzon Airport to Rize (about 30 TL).
Eat at lokantas for set menus rather than tourist-facing restaurants; use N10 card for discounted travel on public minibuses; buy tea directly from local tea producers in packs rather than tourist shops.
Good to know — Rize
Type C/F · 230V
not safe — drink bottled
$1 ≈ ₺46.98 · TRY
Emergency Contacts
RizeFor all emergencies in Rize, Turkey, dial 112 (national emergency number) for police, ambulance or fire. For non-urgent help, call the local police directly at 0464 212 3355. Keep your passport and accommodation details handy when calling.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Rize, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at simge
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Rize Minibus Terminal → Çamlıhemşin Town Centre
💡 Get off at Çamlıhemşin, then take a 10-minute dolmuş ride up to Ayder. Cheapest combo but adds 20 mins total travel time.
Rize City Centre → Ayder Elif Otel
💡 Negotiate the fare before starting. Drivers often quote higher for tourists. Agree on 400 TL as a firm upper limit.
Rize Town Centre (near Semerciler Mosque) → Ayder Plateau
💡 The road is steep and winding. Sit on the right side for better valley views. Last return from Ayder is around 19:00.
Trabzon Airport (TZX) → Ayder Elif Otel
💡 Book a Havaş shuttle from the airport to Rize town centre first for 60 TL, then a local minibus to Ayder. Saves at least 500 TL.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at simge?
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the rear (away from Atatürk Caddesi). These floors get less pavement noise and better light.
Which rooms should I avoid at simge?
Avoid any room on the 1st floor — it's directly above the lobby and breakfast area, plus street-level noise carries. Also skip rooms at the front of the building on floors 1–2 facing Atatürk Caddesi.
Is simge noisy?
Atatürk Caddesi is a main arterial road with constant traffic, motorbikes, and delivery vans. The single lift is audible in nearby rooms. Breakfast clatter from the ground-floor dining room travels upward.
Which rooms have the best views at simge?
A rear-facing room on floor 4 may give a glimpse of the hills above Rize. Front-facing rooms overlook the main road and commercial strip — more busy than scenic.
What are insider tips for staying at simge?
There's no EV charging, and parking is 300 m away at Rize Belediye Otoparkı — drop your bags first at the ramp entrance before moving the car. Ask for a room key that doesn't require re-registering Wi-Fi each day; login is by room number and surname, so keep your details handy.
What time is check-in at simge?
Check-in at simge is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does simge have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms and public areas, sufficient for browsing and email; login via room number and surname.
Is there a city or tourist tax at simge?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near simge?
A dürüm (wrap) from a lokanta or simit from a street cart with çay; about 50-70 TL.
What is the cheapest way to get around from simge?
Minibuses (dolmuş) cost around 10-15 TL per ride; for airport transfer, take the Havaş shuttle from Trabzon Airport to Rize (about 30 TL).
When is the best time to visit Rize?
June and September offer the best balance of warm days (20-25°C) and lower rain probability than spring or autumn. July is drier but can feel crowded. September keeps the green landscape and harvest activity without peak crowds.
Top Attractions in Rize
💡 Go at sunset for the best light. Path up is a bit steep—wear sturdy shoes.
💡 Ask for 'Çay Demlik' (pot of tea for two, about 20 TL) if you're sharing. Avoid peak hours (2-4 PM) for a quieter seat. Cash only.
💡 Bring a packed lunch. The café at the entrance adds a 20% service charge, so skip it. Visit after rain—the waterfall runs stronger.
💡 Free entry applies to most exhibitions, but special shows may charge a nominal fee (usually 5-10 TL). Check their Facebook page for current exhibits.
💡 Entry is 5 TL (roughly £0.15). Allow 30-45 minutes. Ask the attendant to see the tea-making demonstration in the back room.