Nuray Hotel

Our six-night stay was a mess from the start. We booked through Airbnb 2.5 weeks before arriving in Turkey. At 9:30pm the night before our flight into Istanbul, the host messaged to say our booked room was no longer available, but offered another one. When we checked in, the ceiling in that room had so much water damage that water had soaked through to the mattress. We asked for another room. We stayed in a third room for four nights, then at 5pm got a message saying we had one hour to pack and leave it because we couldn’t stay there anymore. We were a 30-minute walk away and had to rush back. The fourth room had no fridge, no air conditioning, and no phone reception. It was smaller and right by the front door and reception, so there was less privacy and more noise. We’d bought food and asked what to do with it, and said we needed air conditioning. We started looking for somewhere else and asked for our money back for the return airport transfer. The host, Yusef, offered a better room and promised to turn on its air conditioning. We moved into a fifth room for our last two nights. The TV screen was broken, though he did replace it. The AC was broken and needed fixing, so he supplied a fan instead. It also had so much black mould that we wouldn’t have wanted to use it anyway. On our final day, there was no running water all day or night, so we couldn’t shower or use the toilet. The host didn’t contact us about it; we had to message him to ask what was going on. When we asked how we were supposed to shower, we were told to use the mosque. Some things can be out of your control, but communication is a good start. We were moved through five rooms in six nights. They all had disgusting amounts of black mould and water damage, which felt unhealthy and unsafe to breathe in. I’m so disappointed we spent our time in Istanbul there. I wish we’d trusted our gut and left earlier. For what we paid, we could have stayed somewhere much nicer. The property is listed under Amida House / Nuray Hotel. I strongly suggest avoiding it, it’s not even worth one star.

It’s a little far from markets and transport, but the staff are friendly and kind. They’ll help if you run into any room issues.

We stayed just one night because it was already late, then found another hotel the next day. I didn’t sleep at all. The place was incredibly noisy, and we could hear our neighbors talking. Rooms facing the garden had mosquitoes, and the sheets and towels had old, visible stains. The rooms were damp, with marks on the walls and furniture, and the bathroom was moldy with a sewage smell. It was horrible to go in there. Breakfast was very poor and nothing like the pictures. We’d also booked an airport transfer, but after our flight was delayed, no driver was there when we arrived. We waited 25 minutes in the cold with a crying baby, then took another taxi. Yusuf, a hotel employee, wanted us to pay the 20 euro deposit for the taxi and said we should have waited for the hotel car. Yusuf denies the hotel's problems. Nothing can improve if they won’t acknowledge what’s wrong. The hotel needs a full renovation and different staff. Don’t book it!

The bed linen seemed clean, and the breakfast at Nuray hotel was okay. They also claim to have parking, but that isn’t true. They try to find somewhere on the small streets nearby or on a sidewalk for your car. We booked one night about a month ahead for 45 euros, with the booking guaranteed by credit card, and told the hotel when we’d arrive. Instead, because the hotel was full, we were put in a building next door. A reservation only means something if they keep it. The room was probably the worst I’ve stayed in, especially for the price. I’ve been in hostels that looked much better. The room didn’t resemble the photos on booking at all, and you shouldn’t give a guest a room with mold. The bathroom was in terrible shape, with mold on the shower curtain and door. There was mold on the sink too, covered with sealant. There was no shower cabin, so you had to wash while sitting on the toilet. The furniture was worn and rusty, the TV didn’t work, and the carpet, especially in the hallway, smelled old. Laundry bags were left at the building entrance. We only stayed because it was late, we were tired, and it was just one night.