Istanbul Royal Hotel

We booked for six people expecting a comfortable, hygienic stay, but the experience was deeply disappointing and distressing. For the price paid, the conditions were far below what I’d expect from a property advertised with a hotel star rating or description. The room was dirty, with a rotten half-eaten apple and other rubbish under the bed. The floors were unclean, and the sheets seemed to be changed only once a week. We got old blankets and thin sheets instead of proper quilts. Towels were changed every few days, the toilet seat was broken and unstable, and there was a persistent bad smell. There was no kettle, cups, tea, coffee, or bottled water. The Wi-Fi was unusably weak, just 0.2 Mb/S. Breakfast was inadequate, with no toaster and several items not replenished. Staff were dismissive and unprofessional. I raised the problems with management, but nothing was done. They said refurbishment might happen next year, which doesn’t fix anything for guests now.

Our twin room was spacious, clean, and quiet, though the furnishings felt a bit old. The staff were really friendly and the service was very good. Breakfast was tasty and good quality for the price, even if the menu never changes. The hotel is well placed, with all kinds of transport not far away.

The breakfast was good and healthy, and the location and service were great. The staff went out of their way to help us. But sleep was almost impossible: the walls are paper thin, so we heard people talking, urinating, laughing, and making other noise from nearby rooms. People also kept smoking in their rooms, and the smell was overpowering. Our twin room was tiny. There was no iron, and the hairdryer was ancient. At least the window opened so we could get some fresh air. The location is very good, but the noise made the stay uncomfortable.

I liked the comfortable bed and slept well, but the stay didn’t feel like a four-star hotel and I wouldn’t come back. Room service was rubbish: there were no toiletries, water, or kettle in the room, and we had to pay for those things. Breakfast was the same every day and got boring. I’d expected a much more continental spread.