Kervansaray Suite

The hotel's location is a bit of a trek from the city center, so getting around took time and was a little disappointing. Still, the hospitality more than made up for it. Around noon we were heading out and weren't sure where to go, so we asked the security guard at the guest entrance for suggestions. I didn't get his name, but he had blonde hair and blue eyes. He was really patient and wrote out a list of places on a piece of paper. We followed it and had a great time. After dealing with rude security at some other tourist spots, his kindness stood out.

@turkishairlines put me up here during a long layover. Even with a busload of people arriving, the front desk kept things organized and got us to our rooms quickly. I found good places within walking distance, and the breakfast was better than any I've had in the USA.

The dinner buffet had a good selection, and the room was a decent size, but I wouldn't call this five-star by most standards. The room smelled of stale cigarette smoke and the air conditioning barely worked. Front desk staff were curt with us tired travelers, and restaurant staff brought over a credit card machine to charge for our wine just a minute after we ordered it, before dinner had even started. I won't be back.

The staff were generally friendly and helpful, which made our one-night stay better than I expected. Breakfast was fantastic, with lots of options, though the dinner buffet could use improvement. The rooms and interior are a little dated but still quite nice, and the hotel is very close to a highway.