DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Istanbul - Sirkeci

We barely noticed any noise, even though the hotel sits in a crowded tourist area. The room was very clean, comfortable, and equipped with everything we could need. Every staff member was friendly and helpful. It’s conveniently placed near the historic buildings, about a 10-15 minute walk, with lots of restaurants and food options nearby. We had a great time staying here.

Getting around was easy, with the tram and Metro just a 2-5 minute walk away, and historic mosques and other sights nearby in busy Sirkeci, Istanbul. I stayed for a week and had a great experience, from the easy check-in to checkout. The staff were friendly and helpful, especially ‘Serkan’ (Al pacino), who was great to talk to. I’d definitely book here again.

The rooms were spacious, lovely, and very comfortable, and breakfast had a great spread of fresh, high-quality food that was nicely presented and kept stocked. The F&B team were attentive and friendly, too. Check-in with the welcoming, professional reception team got the stay off to a good start, and staff were helpful throughout. I had a very pleasant time and would be happy to return.

The location was convenient, with a park and major sights within walking distance, though taxis may have trouble reaching the hotel. Housekeeping was excellent. The woman looking after the sixth floor was efficient, consistently friendly, and approachable, and every interaction with her was a pleasure. Checkout on 2nd Nov was smooth, and the receptionist was friendly. Our taxi transfer never showed, so we accepted the doorman’s offer to arrange another one. The driver had already put 500 liras on the meter when he arrived and added more at the airport. We paid twice the proper fare, and when I questioned it he became aggressive and confrontational. Since the hotel arranged the car, this left a very bad impression. I’ve stayed at DoubleTree properties in several countries, and this one fell short of the usual Hilton standard. Before arrival, they wouldn’t accept American Express and asked me to pay early through a separate website, even though I’d selected pay on arrival. Check-in itself was friendly and easy, but on the way to the lift we were given a hard sell for the rooftop restaurant, which felt odd. The room was small and dated, with worn carpets that I find unhygienic, signs of wear, a damp smell, poor ventilation, and a shower without enough pressure or hot water. The balcony was dirty and looked onto an abandoned, run-down building, so we didn’t use it. The beds were comfortable. Breakfast was okay, but the room was hot and stuffy and the selection was average. Scrambled eggs and fruit often ran out and weren’t reliably replenished. One woman in a chef’s hat seemed to stand around complaining about customers and gestured about putting her fingers in the Halloween display, which struck me as highly unprofessional. There were too many staff standing and watching, the service was uneven, and on our last day, 2nd Nov, the man checking us in for breakfast looked us up and down rudely and was unfriendly. I wouldn’t recommend the hotel. The inconsistent service, breakfast, and room quality were the main problems, and Istanbul more generally felt full of scams targeting tourists as cash cows.