Balat Residence

I didn't stay at the residence, but stopped by the cafe downstairs. The menengic coffee was really nice, and the gentleman working there was polite and very kind 🥹. Worth a visit.

We were traveling as a group of girls and felt at home straight away, in good hands with these friendly, hospitable hosts. They're helpful and responsible, look after you, and give great travel advice. The atmosphere is warm, cozy, and very family-like, and the place is welcoming and comfortable. The rooms were only moderately clean, and sometimes an unpleasant smell came from the bathroom ventilation. Still, for the low price, the value is hard to beat. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great hospitality :) 5 stars!

The juices and cake weren't bad, but unfortunately it felt like a scam. If they don't show you a menu with prices, you can end up paying way more than the average for this area 🥲.

The place was filthy. It was so dirty that we were afraid to sit on the couch in case we'd catch something. The sheets were disgusting, so we bought new ones for the rest of our stay. There was a constant sewer smell, and we used air freshener just to go into the bathroom without gagging. It was dusty, and the kitchen had almost nothing, just two dirty spoons and a couple of glasses. This place is a disgrace to one of Istanbul's most colorful districts. Never go there! Our booking experience was awful too. We booked through booking, but they had us pay in cash and then canceled the reservation without telling us. The listing also said free parking, but there wasn't any. Every explanation was blamed on "booking's fault," "my machine doesn't work," or "I cancelled by mistake." We believe this was all to avoid paying booking taxes, and we've already informed them. Since the reservation was canceled, we couldn't leave a review there even though we spent three horrible nights at the place. I wanted to share what happened so no one else has the same experience. The owner is an absolute fraud.