Mevlana Hotel

The rooftop terrace was lovely, with great views of the Blue Mosque and the Bosphorus river. The location is handy too, close to restaurants and about a 10-minute walk from the Blue Mosque. The hotel and rooms were clean, with daily cleaning. My room was very small, the bed was hard, and the hotel feels dated and needs an update. Paint was peeling off the ceiling, and the shower door fell off. I wouldn't recommend Mevlane hotel, since there are better-looking hotels nearby.

I had to dispute a charge with my credit card company after the hotel charged me twice. My Booking.com reservation said I'd pay at the property, but they charged my card days before checkout without telling me, then charged it again when I checked out. Even after I followed up several times over five days, they didn't fix it or refund me. The lack of communication afterward left me feeling misled. The room I was first given was on the 4th floor, right below the restaurant. Noise went on until about 10 pm each night, and the poor soundproofing made it hard to sleep. They did eventually move me to a quieter room. Housekeeping also often forgot basic things like restocking bottled water, and I found bugs on the walls. Breakfast was inconsistent. One staff member was noticeably unfriendly to me, though she seemed pleasant with other people, which made me uncomfortable. Several mornings, the hot water tasted strongly of coffee. I hadn't planned to write a review, but the unresolved double charge seemed important for other travelers to know about.

The restaurant on the terrace was excellent, and the hotel was clean, with daily cleaning. Its location is really convenient. I'd been a little worried by reviews I'd read before the trip, but my stay was better than I expected. Watch out for taxis near the hotel. Even the orange ones may charge what they call different rates.

The breakfast was horrible, and everything tasted old and disgusting. Our room was filthy too, with cockroaches. When we told them, they said to wait until the next day, but didn't offer another room, so we had to sleep there. Never again.