Grafen Hotel

There’s no food service, but plenty of nice cafes and restaurants nearby. The hotel was quiet at night, and I felt safe throughout my stay. Staff were friendly and ready to help. Grafen Hotel is handy for exploring, with historical sites, shops, and public transport all an easy walk away. My room was spotless and comfortable, just what I needed. I’d definitely stay again.

My wife and I left after only two hours because the room felt unsafe, cramped, and filthy. We contacted them afterward to ask for our payment back, but got no response. I’ll update this if I hear anything. We’d waited two hours for the room, despite messages assuring us it would be ready for early check-in, and they wouldn’t take electronic payment cards, so we had to pay cash. The room was tiny, with only 30 cm between the bed and wall, no bedside table, a broken table, and a broken bed that wasn’t fit for sleeping. The sheets were dirty, and the replacements were even dirtier. There was ink on the side of the bed, dust on the door, cracked doors with visible nails, and exposed electrical wires in the bathroom. The tissue box kept falling, the cup area was damp and dirty, and the air conditioner remote was filthy. The room was right by the lobby, so talking, laughter, discussions, and other noise came straight through. The refrigerator ran constantly and made a terrifying sound. The curtains didn’t block the light, so the strong outside lighting made it feel like daytime. It was too cramped and unhygienic, and the exposed wiring made it dangerous.

I’ve stayed at blue Istanbul apart golden house hotel twice, and the staff have been warm and welcoming both times. The rooms are very clean and well maintained, and everyone, starting at reception, was friendly, caring, and pleasant. I’d recommend it to locals and foreigners alike. I’d probably choose The new Istanbul apart again for the excellent service and the pleasant hotel crew.

The desk manager was polite and laid back, and spoke enough English for us to understand each other. Our room and belongings felt secure. I even left money on the nightstand and nobody took it. We ended up staying seven nights. They have laundry service, outlet plugs for Americans, and SIM cards with phones for foreigners. I’d come back. We arrived at night and stayed one night with a friend, without having time to research properly. The price was negotiable: they started around $35, and we haggled it down to about $21 a night for a room in the back. That room was small, the bathroom was small too, and it smelled of cigarettes. It was good enough for our time constraints. It’s close to tourist attractions, within walking distance or an Uber ride. Most staff spoke Turkish, with a little English. There was no air conditioning, but there was free Wi-Fi, a heater, and windows. Later we moved to one of the main rooms upstairs in the first building. It had a fridge, two beds, an electric tea pot, a propane gas “stove,” a sink, a small but somewhat decent bathroom, air conditioning, and a TV. In the middle of October it cost around $37-38 a night. That’s not cheap compared with rent prices, but it was good enough. They also take credit cards. Apparently the Galata area has many better hotels, but we didn’t look since we had little time to explore options. I wouldn’t bring kids here. It seems more suited to couples, friends, or solo travelers. It’s a somewhat decent place to crash for a couple of nights or longer. Depending on the room and how you book, it seems you can reserve for up to a month, maybe longer.