Reading some of the other reviews, it is possible that we were very unlucky with our stay here - though I am aware that some hotels will put on their own reviews to 'bump up the ratings', which I would not put past this place and their owners/staff. But first for the positives to provide a fair review: the location is very good, 5-10 mins from main sites (through 'Arasta bazaar', which is far, far better than the grand bazaar if, like me, you hate the hustle & bustle/people/jostling etc.); the breakfast (and breakfast/cleaning staff) is fairly impressive and above average apart from the rubbish tea/juice (or rather squash). However, you would expect this from a hotel that markets itself as 'boutique' - this is a bad joke as it's nothing of the sort, which is obvious from pictures anyway. The only reason we stayed here is because everywhere else was booked up for NY.
Now for the bad, which are plentiful:
(i) We booked a transfer there and back. Back was fine and the transportation/driver was good. However, when we arrived (granted, with a 30 min plane delay) we had to wait 20 mins for the driver to show up. The 'meet and greet' guy was not exactly the most welcoming, which is indicative of the owners/staff there in general. It's all about getting as much money out of you as possible i.e. pushing their new year night at overinflated prices for whatever commission they receive. Very obvious. They are indifferent otherwise. The transfer costs are 25 Euros one way and you can get it for 15 up the road, possibly less elsewhere. A taxi may well be cheaper.
(ii) The rooms. The terrace is ok and you can see the sea (hence, 'deniz') through the wire gauze on the terrace (extra cost) and it has a nice swinging chair, which was the best thing about it. A small tv with generally bad reception; a light-switch that requires you to have a main light on in order to have any others on (not good for going to the toilet during the night); a small 'double' bed (no good for tall people, I'm below average height as it is) with a horrible spring mattress that gave us bad backs; a shower with occasionally hot but mostly cold water and weak pressure - the door was not fixed on properly and highlights how management have attempted to cut costs; worst of all, broken glass on the sidetables - shocking not to replace these really. Shabby at best.
(iii) We were kept awake at night by hotel staff having very loud conversations. I had to go out during the night to compllain at 3.30am. They were quiet after that but it's still very loud first thing in the morning. The walls are very thin and you can hear everything i.e. coughing through the night from next door and loud banging from kids in the room upstairs. And, of course, you have trains going by fairly regularly and it backs directly onto the tracks.
(iv) They even leave other people's luggage outside your door on the ground floor. Inexcusable and lazy.
(v) Upon checkout and after all of the above points, a staff member/owner tried to overcharge us. If anything, we should have had a significant discount. 90-95 Euros is one big rip-off. The staff member even had the insolence to become agitated when we paid by card. Such a chore for him!
There you go. Read this review and make your own mind up. I wouldn't be swayed by other more positive reviews, as we were to an extent. Do yourself a favour and go elsewhere. Or take your chances if you wish, but you have been warned...
Room Tip: Avoid the ground floor as very, very noisy - though all will be with the train running behind it! Be...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
January 8, 2013
We thank you for sharing your opinions whereas we are also surprised and disappointed with some of your ideas for which we need to say a few words.
First of all, we never and ever write a fake review on any site for our hotel and we are ready to pay any penalty if such a review is proved to be done so. Furthermore, we consider such a claim to be very unfair for the other people leaving good opinions about us on this web site. You might have had some problems at our hotel for which are sorry, but that does not render other people's ideas exaggerated or incorrect ;nor our hotels deserve all of your bad remarks.
As a reply to your individual remarks,
- The transportation service is offered as an optional service to our clients and not obligatory. We also do not charge any advance payment for this service and payment is done at the hotel upon your arrival. As you noted your flight delayed about 30 minutes and it is very reasonable that we can not keep the car at the airport for an inordinate time of arrival or your show up. The transfer service is provided by our sister company, which is one of the leading travel agencies providing this service in Istanbul. Regarding you did not show up at the agreed time for transfer due to your flight delay and no advance payment charged, you could easily preffer to taxi from the airport as there was not any binding situations. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the return transfer service which was arranged properly on requested time as there was no delay on your party.
On the other hand, you claim our new year party programmes being expensive whereas these were also optional packages for which the providers define the prices and we do not involve in this pricing. As suggested by the nature of doing business, we get a commission for any sale in which we involve. The prices might have been beyond your budget, whereas it is nothing to complain with the hotel service. Moreover, none of our staff going much further than informative purposes in such services.
- Referring to your complaints about the room, we do our best to change their rooms if the guests are not happy with their room, but that is subject to guest request and room availability. I have been by my reception staff that you had not had such request during your stay. We also employ technical staff ready on duty for 24 hours to meet guests' immediate repair demands. We wished if you had shared your requests with us during your stay.
- We are very sorry for the noise at the reception at night which was our night shift staff's fault and we have warned the staff accordingly. We apologize for that inconvinence.
- The issue with the laguages should have been a temporary incidence due to crowdedness of the hotel during the NY holiday. They are kept in safe in usuall conditions.
- We are sorry as we do not find your discount request a fair one considering the similiar hotel rates during NY. It is obvious that you would have booked at another 4 or 5 star hotel with that pricing if there was such availability for the price. We always offer the best value for the price.
We will continue to do our best for our guests and hoping to be appreciated by our guests as it has been the case so far. However, we may also not meet some particular expectations with a negative point of view.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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