Aelbistan Otel

I’ll leave my own subjective opinions aside as much as I can, especially since the owner was warmly hospitable. This was my first business trip here, and I’ve never had a hotel stay like it, despite staying in two different hotels most months. You can read reviews and wonder why one person had such a bad time when everyone else seemed happy. Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself. The room smelled strongly of damp, or perhaps mothballs. I looked for water when I arrived, but there wasn’t any. Exhausted, I dropped onto the bed and felt the springs. It wasn’t comfortable. The toilet and sink didn’t look clean enough, and there were big patches of rust on the taps that disgusted me. There was no hot water when I tried to shower. I reported it to the manager downstairs, who turned on the thermal water and said it would warm while I had breakfast. When I went back, it still wasn’t hot, but I used it anyway and felt cold. Breakfast looked like the photos, except the cigarette börek had been replaced by fries that seemed old and tasted like nothing. The cheeses and eggs were passable, the tea was fresh, but the salami looked so dyed I thought it was inedible. Later, I looked for a duvet and found only a bare blanket with a cigarette burn hole. I wondered who had used it, but had no choice. I’d planned to shower before bed, then figured I’d wake up dirty anyway and went to sleep. The air conditioning was the only good part of the hotel, and leaving was the only thing I looked forward to.

I came from Germany for two nights, and meeting the family who runs this place was a real pleasure. They welcomed me with smiles and kept that warmth right through to seeing me off at the door, like I was one of their own. The rooms were spotless, and they clearly care a lot about cleanliness. Breakfast was filling, and the garden was wonderful. I’ve already got my place booked for next year.

Everything felt comfortable, clean, and thoughtfully looked after. The friendly staff made it a perfect family hotel. Thanks so much, and see you again!