“Correcting an error”

I wrote the preceding review. I made a mistake in the rating scales and got it backwards, thus rating low when I meant to mark. I am redoing it, but cannot undo the previous review. As a result, my possible scores now will only average out the mistaken poor scores. Good hotel. Beds are a little hard but other than that it was great.

“Very very nice”

An excellent location close to many of the must see places. Good restaurants just around the corner. Breakfast buffet was extensive, varied, plentiful and tasty. Located in the Sultanahmet (old town) area, the narrow cobble streets, unique shops, varied restaurants, sounds in the air of calls to prayer 5 times a day, the now and again rumble of a passing train or tram all blend together in a cultural mosaic that is Istanbul. The hotel staff, in particular Okan,Ercan and Gokhan, were extremely helpful with directions, answers to our touristy questions, transfer to the airport, etc.. We had great shopping at the Forum Istanbul shopping mall about 20 minutes from the hotel. Taxi very reasonable. Cruise up the Bosphorus was great. The Grand Bazaar is unbelievable. The mosques are incredible. The Topkapi palace and others are heritage landmarks. Istanbul is a modern vibrant city with past cloaked in intrigue. Two things are a must in Istanbul. 1 - BUY A RUG 2 - BUY A HAT

“Great family place”

We stayed for 4nights in a suite on the top floor.the room was very spacious, with excellent views of the sea.the staff w very courteous. The hotel is a five minute walk to the blue mosque,really convenient. The breakfast was more than adequate,but is exactly the same everyday and can get boring, but overall a very good place, would comfortably recommend it.

“New and Clean”

The hotel is about a year old so it is in good condition. Probably among the better ones in the Sultanahmet neighbourhood. Services are quite basic but at least it is not like some of the very small and tight ones in the neighbourhood. The location is close to the attractions but it is sited next to the railway track and the train passes by quite frequently. But overall, the rates are good for what you get.

“Don't ask for ice !!!!!!!!!!!”

When we arrived the front desk clerk tried to up sell us to his friend who had a tour guide business. He became unfriendly when he saw us using another tour group. Like any travellers we had our own recreational beverages, staff were reluctant to supply ice and at one point said there was none, machine was broke. When we went to the machine behind the bar it was full. Another time they were all unplugged, "you don't buy your booze here was said". The next time our friends asked for ice they received the same replies. The breakfast was the same fare each and every day, not a single change. Rooms on one side really close to the train tracks.

“A very adequate and pleasant hotel”

This a pleasant and well situated hotel on a quiet street. Its whiteness and tiered columns are somewhat pretentious, yet appealing. The reception area is congenial. The management was friendly and generous with information. Despite the publicity on the website, some of the rooms are too small for comfort: I requested and received a change with no price adjustment, but this might have been less likely during a peak period. The mattresses are a bit hard, but that's typical for the area.There is a rooftop patio where you can dine with a superb view of the Bosphorus. The hotel is only an eight-minute walk from Sultanahmet--the heart of the city. I enjoyed my stay there.

“Good Location”

This hotel is quite nice and the staff helpful. The only surprise was that it was located next to the train tracks. While the trains do not run overnight, forget about an afternoon nap. The rooftop has a superb view of the Blue Mosque and the Sea of Mamara. It is convenient to the tourists sites including the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia and Topkopi Palace. The hotel helped us hire a local guide who took us to these sites. Otherwise it would be impossible to see them on our own, due to the crowds and short time we were there. The breakfast buffet is included in the room rate, and was quite good. The hotel also arranged for transportation to Ataturk Airport, which was helpful.

“Antis”

Small rooms, but what do you expect with such a cramped community. Close to the sites, so I was very pleased to have a nice walk to the mosques and bazaars. If you would like to take a nap with the window open I would suggest a different hotel, this one sits right next to the tracks and woke me up every 10 minutes.

“Nice but...........”

The hotel was clean and neat, two of the most important characteristics of a good hotel. However, the next item in the big three is warmth and courteous nature of the front desk staff. I found the staff to be dismissive and bordering on rude. I would not go back here.

“Not the Worst, But I'd Would NOT Reccommend it!”

This is a decent hotel. But there are a number of issues: First, Don't Upgrade! Expedia says that you'll get two double bedrooms, but apparently these rooms don't exist. They give you room with two singles, and if you ask about the discrepancy in price, they just glare at you and tell you that your room is an upgrade... Second, this hotel is right next door to a mosque. Obviously, in Muslim cities, there will be a 5AM call to prayer. But when you're immediately next door, there is no way to sleep through it. In fact, I found it difficult to get back to sleep after the full 10 minute call. Third, this hotel is right next to a set of train tracks. Trains run from 6AM to Midnight. The hotel will vibrate, and you will feel the train racing past, but it's no where near as bad as the calls to prayer. Fourth, as I alluded to above, the customer service was bad. But on the plus side, the room was clean, and the free breakfast was pretty good.