Happy Inn Gebze Hotel

The food was the only decent part. The place was dirty, smoky, noisy, and right beside heavy traffic. Getting clean towels and toiletries was difficult, and the staff were stubborn and unhelpful. Their handling of things made me miss my flight. They didn't take me the 3 kilometers to the hotel, then brought me back without warning. The next day, the staff's unreasonable behavior made me nervous. Everything felt deceitful.

The beds were really comfortable, and the hotel was very nice and clean. Staff were polite too. Breakfast was okay, though the selection wasn't as good as at other Holiday Inn hotels I've visited in Europe. The "pocha" was already gone by 8h. The juice needs work: it tasted like "step," as we say in Bulgaria, artificial, bad, and unhealthy. The espresso wasn't very good either.

The rooms are spacious and great, and the English-speaking staff were very helpful. It's clean and pleasant, within walking distance of the city centre, cafes, and shops. The downside is the main road right beside it. Traffic can make it noisy.

On my second visit, the staff's English had improved over just three weeks, and breakfast was included. But the waitress took a long time to bring my tea because my name wasn't on the breakfast list. She never offered me a second cup, and cleared the table while I was on an international call. The basement spa should be avoided. Communication was poor, and the staff were very rude when I couldn't find my way out after the massage. It seemed to be for local men only and isn't part of Holiday Inn. First review, back in Sep It's the cheapest Holiday Inn in Istanbul, but it's at the city limit, far from the centre. I saw three staff members, and only one spoke enough English to help. The others, especially room service, didn't answer the phone at 1120 A M despite several calls. Later, one said service was available only at noon, so it isn't 24 hour. Traffic makes it very noisy, and some staff are rude. I don't think it's worth the money.