Ferah Otel

I booked two nights but left without staying because the room was dirty and had a faint smell. It could have been smoke left from a past guest, or just a particular smell from the old building. The host denied there was a smell, perhaps his sense of smell isn't as sensitive. Only the bedsheets looked clean and changed. There was hair, a sunflower seed and paper on the floor. The bathroom floor was covered in water, and there were water drops all over the outside of the toilet too. It looked as if the previous guest had showered before leaving and no one had cleaned up. Maybe they always do it this way, or the cleaner had a bad day and missed this room. I can't say which. I asked for the room to be cleaned. The woman first denied the problems, so I showed her the dirty spots. She mopped, though the floor needed sweeping or vacuuming too, and it did improve, but some dirt remained. I could have asked for more cleaning and given detailed instructions, but I didn't feel I should have to manage the cleaner. I thought it over for a while, then decided to leave. On my first impression, the area didn't feel very safe for a woman either. I requested reimbursement because of the problems and later got one night's refund through booking.com's system. It's a cheap place, but the quality wasn't very good, and I realized there on the spot that my standards are a bit higher. Based on the booking reviews and ratings, I'd expected somewhere a little better.

A great-value single room in a quiet but charming area. There's plenty close by, including eateries, grocers, roast chicken shops, mini marts, hairdressers and all sorts of other stores. Halic metro station is just minutes away. From Istanbul airport, it's about 90 minutes via the M2 and M11. Highly recommended.

For a low price, you get a private room with a private toilet, so this is an acceptable budget place to sleep. Everything is basic: a bed, fridge, fan and toilet, and there's visible hair in the toilet and on the room floor, so it's not sparkling clean. Still, it's tolerable for what you pay. The location is handy for walking to Eminönü Otobüs Peronları, which I think is like a bus interchange, and the Egyptian Bazaar.

For the price, this little hotel was okay, even good. My main issue was the neighbour, who talked and laughed loudly on his phone from 22:00 until 00:00. In the heat, I couldn't sleep, and the fan only worked a little. Next time I'll book somewhere with AC.