Hotel Nanda

I used to speak highly of Hotel Nanda. I stayed there for two months before and had such a good experience that I recommended it to my family for their Istanbul trip, from July 12 to July 22. Before they booked, I called to check the rate and was quoted $100 a night as the discounted price. I told my sister to call from the United States and reserve a room for my parents and nephew. When she called, the quote suddenly jumped to $160 per night. The amount itself wasn’t the issue. If they’d quoted $160 from the start, I would have paid it. What upset me was being given one price, then seeing it change when my U.S.-based family member called to book. Whether or not that was intentional, it gave the impression that the price depended on who was calling and where they were calling from. It felt exploitative, disrespectful, and deeply unprofessional, and it left me embarrassed in front of my family after I’d vouched for the hotel. I’ve traveled extensively and rarely had an experience that did so much damage to my trust. A city can be beautiful, safe, peaceful, historic, and charming, but pricing games that make foreign visitors feel like walking wallets quickly overshadow all of that. Travelers remember whether they were treated with respect, and inconsistent quotes are hard to forget. Hotel Nanda lost my family’s booking, my future business, and any recommendation I might have made. I used to defend this hotel, but I won’t anymore. Foreign travelers should get every phone quote in writing before making plans around it. Based on what happened to me, the rate I was told clearly wasn’t reliable when it came time to pay. I hope this helps others avoid the same experience.

We asked the reception before booking whether the area was flat and easy to walk, without uphill stretches. We were assured it was, but the location had many steep ups and downs and was very difficult. Don’t rely on their information. We also had a terrible stay in the family room with relatives. Even after room service, it was still dirty and somehow messier than before. One staff member, Dowlat, was aggressive and unprofessional, with the rudest, most irresponsible behavior I’ve experienced at a hotel. Based on our stay, I wouldn’t give this place more than two stars. I’d strongly advise people to avoid it and not waste money on such poor service and management.

The staff seemed friendly, but the strong insistence on getting a positive review made their hospitality feel like a façade. I wouldn’t recommend Nanda Hotel to anyone expecting real 4 star standards. The décor was kitschy, with cheap plastic details trying to look luxurious. Cleanliness was poor: mold in the bathrooms and dirty shower seals that were peeling, plus rooms cold enough to be uncomfortable. Breakfast was low quality and made with cheap ingredients. It’s advertised as a 4-star hotel, but by European standards I’d say it barely merits 2 stars. My ratings would be 1 star for cleanliness, 2 for breakfast, and 2 for the rooms.

Breakfast was very basic, with little variety, and our child’s crib was extremely dirty. The hotel sits on a steep hill, a real inconvenience with a stroller or an elderly person. Nearby, it’s mostly wholesale clothing shops, with no good restaurants; at night the area is quiet and quite dark. We were four adults and one child in a family room, and had to ask several times just to get one extra chair. When it finally arrived, the staff’s attitude was unpleasant. The room itself had no closed wardrobe, and the safe was mounted so high it was hard to reach. The first day’s cleaning was awful. Staff came in with dirty shoes and left dust, hair, and dirt across the floor. The bedding looked messy, and towels we’d left on the floor were put back on the rack as if clean. When we complained, the receptionist, Dowlat, got angry and said we were being picky. We showed him all the spots that hadn’t been cleaned properly, and he took pictures on his phone to send to housekeeping. Cleanliness was definitely below standard.