Romance Istanbul Hotel is stunning place to stay. Room comfort is great. Silent room. Sleep quality…read moreis high. Rooms are old city view.Recommended...

Excellent service...great location...everyone was very helpful, especially Hakan at front…read moredesk...perfect boutique hotel in old city...highly recommended...

Nice stay - great views from the balcony…read more We were staying here for four nights and couldn't have been happier. It's not a 5-star luxury behemoth, but a nice and charming little boutique Hotel. The location is wonderful. Just a few minutes away from the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia. If you need to go anywhere else, there's a tram station about 10min away by foot. Restaurants are to be found everywhere around the Hotel. I would go to the Akbiyik Fish House (bad reviews....but criminally underrated, we loved it). We had a room with balcony which had wonderful seaviews. The room itself was a bit on the older side and not really big, but clean. But mostly we sat on the balcony until late and enjoyed the views. It's also in a really quiet area of the city. On weekends you might hear some music from some bars...but nothing bad. Staff here was friendly and really helpful about everything. They also organize transfers to the Airport for 7 Euro pp, which is a really fair deal. There's free WiFi and breakfast (buffet) is included and also has a courtyard to enjoy your meal in. There's a small bar in the lobby. But you also can purchase a bottle of wine to enjoy in your room (fair prices). For this location and the really way above average staff this place offers a fantastic value. Highly recommended and will stay here again.

Great place! We had a free pickup from the airport and arrived to two big rooms. One with a big…read morebalcony with a panorama view of the sea. They were clean and equipped with free water, coffee and tea and all necessary things. And perfectly working air conditioning, which we needed, arriving in the middle of July. The location is perfect. It's located in a nice, quiet area with many restaurants and small handcraft shops. A bazaar is 2 minutes away and the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofya 5 minutes away! Couldn't be any closer, and these are some of the biggest attractions in Istanbul. The palace and the big bazaar is also close by, walking distance. The breakfast is every day from 7:30 to 10:30 and it's delicious! There is a nice garden to eat in, and the buffet has everything you could want. Variations of bread, fruit, cake, eggs, hot dishes and cheese. I would very much recommend this place.

We stayed here (husband, wife and two 17 year olds) June 2019 for about eight nights…read more Location: perfect for exploring the Sultanahmet district, which is the main historic zone in Istanbul (Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Cisterns, Grand Bazaar, Topaki Palace, etc.). A short walk to the tram station which will take you most anywhere else. Lots of cafes and restaurants nearby, from very inexpensive to the Four Seasons Hotel. Rooms: clean. small but very comfortable, with AC. Not ok if you have physical disability preventing you from using stairs. But staff is extremely helpful with luggage (they carried it all to our room). Staff: very friendly and accommodating. Concierge staff helped us book tours and restaurants, called taxis, and generally advised us in a sincere and friendly manner. Excellent English too. Breakfast: delicious buffet style, fresh Turkish style with breads, fruits, yoghurt, eggs, jams, coffee, juice, tea, etc. eating at the garden tables was fantastic. We will be back!

This is a cool small European-style hotel with one of the most unique locations in Istanbul…read more The lobby literally shares a wall with the old palace hamam (baths) ruin and the garden is bordered by its walls and domes. From the garden you can look through the windows into the ancient unrestored baths built in 1483. There are a variety of room types including a very romantic penthouse apartment. My mid-floor room was decorated in traditional Turkish style and had an able heating and air conditioning system. The bathroom and shower was made of full sheets of marble and the hotel makes its own olive oil soap. Every morning was a stunning Turkish-style breakfast buffet of house-made apricot preserve, yoghurt, simple bread, fruit, fresh tomato, feta, olives and more. You can carry your breakfast to a few tables adjacent or outside to an overgrown Mediterranean garden. This hotel has a peerless staff. They are full of advice, interesting, and when I stayed, someone was available, speaking English, 24x7. I enjoyed hours exchanging insights on our respective cultures with the desk staff. That exchange one-on-one is the finest of travel experiences. The hotel is part of a network of small independent hotels throughout Turkey. They can and did suggest and arrange booking for me at one those beautiful small hotels. There is no elevator and the stairs are very narrow. I carry my own bags, but their staff is glad to help with that. The hotel is adjacent to Istanbul's backpacker district and to the Four Seasons, so you have a variety of possibilities for dining and socializing nearby. I like to walk. From the Empress Zoe location, you can walk over the hill and across the bridge to Istanbul's Brooklyn- and Aoyama-like neighborhoods. If you are looking for an American-style business hotel, newly constructed, standard room setup, standard services, this is not the hotel for you. There are plenty of those available in Istanbul. This is a European-style hotel we need more of in America, bigger than a B&B, which America does well, and smaller than an Ace-Standard, also well done in the States. The Empress Zoe is a beautiful small romantic hotel with a peerless staff representing the finest Turkish hospitality and culture in a great Istanbul location.

Hello,…read more I was with my boyfriend for one week there (28th Dec - 4th Jan)- This hotel is located in the old town of Istanbul. It is neat to the busstation and tramp 2min.(Findizade). Next to the hotel you can find a turkeish kios, which is al day open . But be careful it is also expensiver Because only 5min far way you can find a small supermarket. There is also a bakehouse, a pharmacy and a post office when you walk to the station findizade. But you also find a supermarket when you walk to the station haseki. Wenn you come in,a porter opens the door and it looks nice and friendly. Only staff from the reception speak english or try to understand you. When we saw our room, we were suprise :) tiny and simple! But the bed was okay! Only the bathroomI can recommed not to use! As we first entered our room we were pretty impressed but on a second look we noticed a couple of unexpected surprises.For instance, there was no safe in the room and the bathroom entirely cleaned up. The hotel provided safetyboxes at the reception and although it is a 4* hotel, you had to pay 1 euro per day for a safetybox. And after talking to other guests of 4* hotels in Istanbul we got to know that these people did not pay for their safetyboxes at the reception, this was a little disappointment for us. But anyway we paid. Since the room was not very clean (so was the bathroom too), we went to the reception and we expressed our complaints about the dirty room and the bathroom.To our surprise the staff understood our complains and cleand the róom up again. The breakfast is actually alright, but I advise you to be there as early as you can, then you have a much greater choice of bread.All in all is the breakfast pretty big, it gives the guests of various opportunities to start in the day.They have a lot starting from soups to eggs and so on. I personally was missing a greater selection of fruits. They had only slices of lemons and oranges. The glasse were not always as cleand as they should be, especially the milk can looked like it has been never cleaned in its entire life. The staff in the restaurant was not very ambitious nor did they greet you with a good morning or something equal to that. Above all I have to admitt that the restaurant was alright. though. The lobby was relaxed and you could wait for the one or other one. The hotel also disposed a lot of other room like a fitnessroom,computerroom,a bar and a hairdresser, but we have never entered these rooms. The minibar is extremely expensive but to our great luck there was a supermarket nearby and we bought a couple of details there. On fridays there is a fair at the exact opposite of the hotel, where you can buy lots of good things for a very small price, this place is mainly visited by turkish people.And all these people there are very friendly and look out to help you, not like some other rude people at the grand bazar As I talked to some other hotelguests, I noticed that some other hotels in Istanbul (also 4*) were in terms of hygiene pretty much the same. If you are capable of the the turkish language and the terms of hyigiene and service are not that important to you, will find himself or herself alright in this hotel. I personally would stay in the Mövenpick-Hotel in Istanbul for the next time. I hope this review will help you finding you the right hotel for your stay in Istanbul!

From the moment we arrived at the Çırağan Palace Kempinski, we knew we were about to experience…read moresomething truly extraordinary--but nothing could have prepared us for the sheer magic that unfolded. This wasn't just a hotel stay. It was a journey into a fairytale, meticulously crafted by history, luxury, and most importantly, people who live to deliver excellence. The location is unparalleled--nestled on the Bosphorus with panoramic views that defy description. The fusion of Ottoman grandeur and modern-day elegance takes your breath away at every turn. Waking up in a palace where sultans once lived, and watching the sun rise over the shimmering water, is a feeling I will carry with me for life. But what truly sets this experience apart--what elevates it to world-class excellence--is the leadership and hospitality of Manager Mesut Erbaş. Mesut Erbaş is the soul of Çırağan Palace. His presence radiates warmth, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to guest happiness that is rare even in the finest hotels across the globe. He doesn't just manage a hotel--he orchestrates an experience, where every guest feels like royalty. From the smallest gestures to the most elaborate arrangements, Mesut ensures that no detail is overlooked. He remembers your name, anticipates your needs before you even voice them, and creates an atmosphere of care that makes you feel completely at home--within a literal palace. Under his direction, the staff is flawless--kind, impeccably trained, and sincerely welcoming. Every team member reflects the same values: excellence, elegance, and a deep respect for their guests. The culinary experience? Sublime. Breakfasts on the terrace overlooking the Bosphorus, world-class dining in opulent surroundings, and a level of service that reminds you what five stars should truly mean. The grounds? Impeccable. The infinity pool overlooking the water, the spa that revives both body and soul, and the lush gardens that seem to whisper stories of the palace's majestic past--all meticulously maintained and endlessly enchanting. Whether you're visiting for the first time or returning as a loyal guest, Çırağan Palace Kempinski is more than a destination--it's a sanctuary of beauty, peace, and absolute refinement. Thank you, Mesut Erbaş, for making our stay the most memorable experience we've ever had. You are the heart of this palace, and your leadership is what turns excellence into something legendary. We will return, again and again--not just for the palace, but for the people who make it come alive. If you're considering staying here--don't hesitate. You're not booking a room. You're claiming a piece of timeless paradise.

We came here after a river cruse to visit Turkey . Just here a few nights . We had dinner at the…read morehotel Bellini . Well the evening went well. We complemented the beauty and had a very good meal. However, as we ordered our meal. We ask the waiter to refer us to some good wine . I looked at the menu and made a unforitnate mistake by over enjoying myself and taking his recommendation without any consideration of the cost of the wine we were about to enjoy. The waiter knowing we were not from his country and the menu pricing in erous I never considered what the price was and neither did the waiter at anytime mention that this bottle of wine is $800.00 plus dollars. We had a simple pasta plate . I feel the waiter should have told us the cost of the wine since the pricing was not on the menu

This is one of the most unique hotel experiences I've ever had as there are several categories of…read morethe hotel I would rate a 10 out of 10 while others I would rate a 3 out of 10. A number of sections in the hotel live up to the modern, high standards of the W brand while other amenities fall very short for a 2023 version of a W hotel. Naming the things that I felt amazing about hotel, the hospitality was easy a 10 out of 10. Each and every staff member was amazing and made sure to cater to my every need. There was even an employee who went above and beyond to help me with public transportation by loaning me his transport card. That type of service sets places apart. They even set up communication through WhatsApp. I would have to say the interaction with the staff might be one of the top 3 experiences I've had with a staff in my entire history of hotel stays. One of the negatives associated with that was the communication method. WhatsApp was extremely convenient but that shouldn't be the reason that the in-room telephone doesn't work. Not only does it not work, it has a digital display face that remains lit so to sleep at night I literally had to turn the phone upside down. When it comes to reaching out, making a local call, or anything that typically requires a phone, not having one work in the room is extremely inconvenient. Another 10 out of 10 category is the location. It is the perfect location for traveling to Istanbul. A 3 minute walk from a popular bus stop that goes to several recommended places was such a convenience. Also, there might be around 20 restaurants within a quarter mile radius to the hotel. There's also a supermarket steps away, as well as a beauty supply store, etc. Pretty much everything you need. However............... I would also give the location a 3 out of 10 on the weekends in the event you need to sleep and your room is facing the popular street. You will hear loud music on some nights close to 3am. The windows do drown some of the noise but it is still loud enough to keep you awake. It was unbelievable, especially when I had to be up early for excursions. Another 10 out of 10 was the daily buffet style breakfast. For W hotels that wasn't something that is commonly found from my experience but it was so good. The spread included options for all types of diets and I doubt there is anyone who won't find something to satisfy that. Now, I have to go to something that was a 1 out of 10 and that was the accessible outlets and charging stations in the rooms. The room I occupied, which was a suite, had a single outlet next to the bed with no USB ports typically found in most 4 and 5 star hotels. There were actually no USB ports in the entire room and the only other accessible outlets were in the bathroom vanity. That made it very inconvenient when numerous devices had to be charged. Another low scoring category was the lighting in the room. I'd say 6 out of 10. Just not bright enough. Overall, I really did enjoy the hotel and the positives I mentioned. I would just expect the negative things I touched on to not be an issue at a W hotel.

1 star for staff (concierge and breakfast staff were helpful and nice)…read more1/2 star for an ok breakfast (decent offerings and some healthy options) We spent a few weeks traveling throughout Turkey and the breakfast was average in comparison to others. 0 stars for location unless your idea of a great location is where the neighborhood night clubs will have a dj pounding bass until 4am (including the W bar which stays open late). 0 stars for the amenities as the gym equipment is so outdated that it's rendered unusable. Cabanas are poorly located and too near to the rooms so the noise from people hanging out til 4am outside your room will keep you up as well. 0 stars for cleanliness as the room was a bit dusty We have stayed in many W's throughout our travels and this one in Istanbul is by far the least kept up. The rooms are also very dark even when you open the curtains and turn on all lights. W Istanbul earns 1 1/2 stars rounded up to 2 as 1/2 stars are not allowed. And that's being generous.

Gorgeous hotel that is definitely a level above in luxury to other hotel brands of its class in the…read morearea. It's a little bit out-of-the-way on an elevated hill, but that gives it superb views and is nothing that a short cab ride can't fix. From the entrance into the hotel you can tell it's gorgeous. The lobby is opulent with high ceilings and a circular staircase with an elaborate cupola. Ipec who works at reception is fantastic and so efficient and nice. I have Hilton gold honors status and at this hotel that includes an incredible full buffet breakfast in the morning. Shout out to Selin who was so helpful and charming at breakfast reception, Gamte, and terrific servers Güllü, Fartif and Cihan who made me the best iced latte. You can pick your room in advance online on the Hilton app during check in and I picked the highest floor, which is the 14th floor. Flawless AC which is very much appreciated in the hot summer months. Rooms have huge picture windows (and the smaller windows open!) with incredible skyline views of Istanbul. The standard rooms are a bit on the small side, but absolutely gorgeous with lovely ceramic details and beautiful glass ottoman style lamp fixtures. Beds are large and super comfortable. The best part are the super bathrooms that have this incredible large shower with a seating area and three different faucets. One is like a fountain and will actually shower down your back! The toiletries are also excellent and everything is a very high standard. The pool is beautiful with a Jacuzzi and has full service and a bar. There are also tennis courts. There's also a really lovely Turkish restaurant and an Italian restaurant. It's really more like a city resort than just a hotel. The only problem with this hotel is you might not leave very often to go to town because it's so comfortable and relaxing. I honestly feel like I've been at a spa because of the beautiful gym, spa amd hammam at the hotel. They have a full-size hairdressing salon as well. One thing I really enjoyed about this hotel is that the clientele is extremely international so you really do feel like you're traveling in exotic Istanbul; it's not just full of people from a cruise or tour groups. It's a very interesting and eclectic mix of guests. I really enjoyed my stay here.

The suite was lovely and roomie, just what we needed after a busy day of sightseeing. The patio…read morewas lovely with great views. I did let them know it needed a deep clean as there was lots of dust visible in nooks. Breakfast was spectacular with I think anything you could want. Would definitely stay again.

Moved here from what turned out to be a sketchy hotel originally booked. I know what to expect from…read moreNovotel. Basic comfort and cleanliness and helpful staff who can speak English is found here! Great restaurants nearby and nearly on the water. Such a great location. Near public transport lots of food options and shopping. Rooftop bar and dining & breakfast is lovely except if there is a cruise ship blocking the view. The spa downstairs in -1 is amazing! Had an incredible massage from Laura. Did not experience the hammam. Maybe next time. Lovely staff every one of them! So helpful and kind. Mehmet at breakfast made your whole breakfast experience feel welcoming and special. Kubilay at the front desk was helpful I. Retro resolve my Accor account. All the young men there were helpful. Only advice is 5th floor is below rooftop breakfast so Sunday night was endless carts/tables/chairs? rolling around. Fell asleep at 2:28am. I would restart here again!

I was meeting people in Istanbul and needed a hotel close to them.  They were staying in the…read moreKarakoy district of Istanbul so when I looked for nearby hotels I found the Novotel.  The hotel is located in the back part of an entertainment section in this neighborhood where there are clubs and restaurants.  The back of the hotel faces this area while the front faces the river; there is still a lot of construction and renovations being done around the hotel so there are not a lot of services near the hotel.  The hotel is a 3-minute walk to the main street and from there you can access the tram, taxis, as well as walk another 5-7 minutes for more restaurants and services. As you enter the hotel, you pass the elevators to go towards the check-in desks on the right-side.  There are only two check-in desks and that was not sufficient for the size nor amount of people checking-in; it was a bit chaotic and there was a long wait depending on what time you checked in.  Further into the hotel is the bar and restaurant and on the left side is the small 'business' area with computer and printers (although the printer did not work for me so I had to send it to the front desk to print out - which a lot of people seemed to do).  I checked in, received my key and proceeded to my room. The room was spacious and as you entered into the room there was a hallway which the right-side of the hallway are closets that run along the hallway.  The closest consists both of a standard closet next to another closet with shelves; the closets provided a lot of storage places.  On the other side of the hallway was the bathroom which had the sink in the middle, the toilet on one side and the shower on the other (the shower had a window to the room and I do not know why so many hotels are doing this?!!).  As part of being a full-service hotel, the bathroom did have nice amenities including fair-trade products such as soap, shower gel, shampoo, and other products.  Additional bathroom amenities included very big and nice towels, which were good quality and very large towels.The room was spacious and had all the amenities of a nice hotel.  You entered into the a hallway on At the end of the hallway was the main section of the room which had two beds with nightstands on either side as well as reading lights.  The beds were bigger than a twin but definitely smaller than a full  so were both bit small in terms of length and width but they were comfortable enough and provided a comfortable sleep; the duvet on top was also comfortable as well.  Between the bed and the long window was a chair and a couch which was nice to sit and enjoy the view; in front of the bed was a desk to work on and a TV mounted on the wall.  In the bedroom section but connected to the closets was a section for the coffee maker, a fridge, and a safe in the room.  These were in the nook in the closets and provided a nice touch. As a full-service hotel, there were many amenities that were provided. The hotel contains a bar, a restaurant, a pool, a fitness center,  a spa, free wifi, laundry services, room service, and a barber shop.  Most of these amenities were located on the basement level - I went during COVID so not all amenities were available.  The amenities I used were the free wifi, which was average and decent; and in the time of COVID a PCR test I booked through the hotel.  I needed a PCR test for arrival into my next country so I emailed the hotel and booked a PCR test through the hotel; if I had one in the morning I would have the results by the evening so I booked it for late morning.  The hotel got the timing wrong and I only found this out the night before when I went to confirm my appointment which turned out to be early morning and not late morning; all went well and I got my test done and the emailed the results to the front desk to print out (as the main printer was not working). In the end, it was an average stay at the Novotel.  The full service amenities provided by the hotel were nice, the location of the hotel was decent but this did not compensate for the poor customer service.  The hotel provided poor to minimal customer service.  The Novotel provides full service amenities, but not the full service customer service.