Anthemis Hotel

The room had a strong cigarette smell, even in the curtains, as though someone had smoked there before. Odors from nearby cafés also came straight inside, and the sewage smell was terrible. The windows were dirty and the balcony was basically unusable. We were in room 502. The hotel's location was good and the place itself was nice, but breakfast was only okay. With the variety Turkish breakfasts usually have, this felt limited and underwhelming.

The location was convenient for mosques and restaurants, and the room was a reasonable size for one night and fairly clean. The night itself was rough: our room was noisy until 3 am, so I got no sleep before our 5 am checkout. The AC wouldn't blow cold air, and reception said nothing could be done. Rain meant I couldn't open the window. The hotel arranged our airport transport. The car smelled and was old, but the worst part was the driver's erratic driving. For the room and transport price, it wasn't worth it. I probably wouldn't stay again for an overnight layover unless I could choose another room location and count on a safe driver.

The location made getting around easy. Hotel Anthemis sits in the old part of Istanbul near the main tourist sites, and the tram entrance was just a few minutes away on foot. The breakfast buffet had a broad choice of traditional Turkish dishes as well as food suited to more conservative Western tastes. My husband and I had a very enjoyable stay. Staff were welcoming and attentive, our premium room was spotless and spacious, and it had all the amenities we needed. We loved the balcony view of the Blue Mosque and the Bosphorus Strait. I highly recommend it for comfort, convenience, and great service.

The room was on the small side, but clean and comfortable, and the staff were kind and friendly. The view from the breakfast restaurant was lovely. The location was perfect. I also recommend the restaurant down the stairs. Hotel guests can get a 20% discount there.