Emir Palas Konaklama

It's very quiet, with no noise, and the rooms are small but clean. The hotel is within walking distance of tram stations. We enjoyed the stay.

Our previous stay, about five months ago, was ordinary, with nothing special but nothing missing. This time was terrible. The room lights were broken when we arrived. They said they'd fix them, but they didn't. That wasn't even the main problem. Everything in the room seemed to be left as the previous guest had used it, including the sheets. They'd only tidied the surroundings. The towels smelled dirty and damp. The pillowcase was clean, but the sheet smelled awful. They gave us a used blanket without a cover, which smelled of cigarettes and perfume. It had been left on a chair in reception, then taken away and told to us as reserved for our room. Even the remote was dirty. The toilet had no paper and was full of hair. They hadn't even wiped the seat with a wet wipe, never mind cleaned it. The welcome was the only good part. But when we said the room wasn't worth what we'd paid, we weren't treated warmly anymore. I wouldn't recommend staying here.

The room was a little small and the bed wasn't very comfortable, but everything was there and it was very clean. The hair dryer worked, which is a detail I notice as a woman since they often don't work in many places. The location is close to everything, though it's hard to get around without a vehicle. The neighbourhood is just OK, but being on a dead-end street makes it feel like its own little area. We came by motorcycle and parked easily right outside the hotel. The staff were lovely, attentive, and good people. We were happy with our stay, and the view was really nice.

The hotel itself is clean, well kept, and respectable, with a Bosphorus view on a street known for slipper makers. But the price we were given over the phone was raised when we checked in. They said arriving at noon meant paying a third more and told us to come in the evening to avoid the extra charge. Even they struggled to explain this odd policy. When we returned that evening, the electricity was out.