Dedeman Istanbul Hotel

The location worked well for getting to the airport via Gayrettepe metro station, and the view was superb. Staff were friendly, fluent in English, and helpful with my questions. Breakfast had a wide range of high-quality options, and cleanliness and hygiene were very good. The room itself was less comfortable. Furniture looked dated, some drawers were hard to open, and the shower seemed broken and splashed water around. Sound insulation was poor, so I could hear both traffic and noises inside the building, making sleep difficult. Turkish Airlines covered my one-night stay at Dedeman Istanbul. The service and breakfast were strong, but the hotel's physical condition didn't feel like a 5-star standard to me. I'd put it at a solid 3-star or, at most, a lower-tier 4-star. Refurbishment and better soundproofing would improve the rooms considerably.

Lacin from housekeeping deserves a mention. She left the room spotless and looked after it carefully, and her attention to detail stood out. I spent two nights here through the Turkish Airlines stopover program. Breakfast was genuinely good with lots of choices, staff were attentive and professional, and service felt polished. The atmosphere was solid too. But the room felt dated and small, and its windows only opened about 20cm, so it got stuffy if you want fresh air and proper ventilation. It's good value when included in a stopover, but I wouldn't pay for it myself given the 5-star claim and the expectations that come with it.

Reception staff were friendly and helpful, breakfast was decent, and the location near the metro is great. The room had slippers, a kettle, and a hair dryer, but no robe. I stayed two nights using a Turkish Airlines voucher. At best, I'd call this a 3.5-star hotel, nowhere near 5-star. The washroom smelled of sewage, and the room stayed cold even with the thermostat set to 30C, so I wore a sweatshirt the whole time. There were stains and smears on the walls. My room on the 5th floor had no view, and the place lacked the rich, opulent feel or luxuries I'd expect from a 5-star hotel. To me, it's basically a 3-star establishment.

The reception staff wouldn't help when I asked about getting simple medication such as Panadol or directions to the nearest pharmacy. They just said “sorry,” with no effort to assist or show empathy. My night in "room no. 7003" was very difficult. There was a strong cigarette smell, but my request to switch rooms was refused because I was told the hotel was fully booked. It was very cold, and the heating didn't work properly. Even when on, it was noisy and disruptive, so I couldn't relax or sleep. The room equipment was extremely outdated, from the TV to coffee-making facilities that seemed older than I am. Housekeeping brought a device to improve the smell, and a technician tried to fix the heating, but neither effort worked. The room didn't meet even a basic level of comfort. I wouldn't recommend this hotel, and hope its cleanliness, facilities, and customer service improve.