Amara Hotel Old City

The location is the one positive. My room wasn’t clean enough for my standards, there was no electric kettle, and the safe wasn’t anchored down. Smoke from people smoking in their rooms seemed to drift in from balconies or windows.

We stayed for a week, my daughter and I, and the friendly, helpful staff did everything they could to make it enjoyable. The quiet street was a nice setting, with the main historical attractions, spice bazaar, and grand bazaar all conveniently located for visits. The Bosphorus was an easy walk for boat trips, and we’d especially recommend Princes Island. I also had a massage, spa, and hammam, which was fantastic. I’d definitely come back if I visit Istanbul again.

The location was excellent, and the staff member who helped us was very helpful. The facilities were okay, though not quite what I’d expect from a hotel. The room was average too. The bed linens didn’t cover the whole mattress, which felt odd, but otherwise it was just okay. The massage was the biggest disappointment. We paid €50 each and were taken to a basement on level -2 in the hotel next door. It looked unfinished, with bare walls and broken doors, and the towels didn’t seem properly clean. It felt like a total scam. My therapist did a decent job, but the person who worked on my partner didn’t seem professional at all. Based on her clothes, she looked more like cleaning staff. My partner stopped after 15 minutes because the massage was so bad, and they wouldn’t give us any money back. It’s really disappointing that the hotel offers this service and takes no responsibility when things go wrong.

The rooms were pleasant and clean, and the staff were too. But we had a really unpleasant stay because the hotel knew the roof was leaking and didn’t tell us. When we arrived, there were towels along the walls and the bedside table had been moved, which seemed strange. Overnight, heavy rain flooded that table. My toiletries bag and all my devices, including my phone and smartwatch, were floating in the water. Then, after our stay, they emailed to say they expected us to rate them 10/10.