Ramada Plaza By Wyndham Istanbul Tekstilkent

The people in the restaurant were friendly and polite, and my room was spacious and mostly clean. I did notice dust in places, and the windows were so dirty that the view was hard to enjoy. The pool area was the biggest letdown, neglected-looking and below what I'd expect from a hotel in this category. Minibar costs were another unpleasant surprise: about CHF 64 for a little iced tea, one small vodka, chips, and two protein bars. The vodka by itself was around CHF 32, excessive even by international hotel standards. Depending on where you're going in Istanbul, the location might suit you, but it wasn't convenient for me. The staff were kind and helpful, yet the stay didn't match my expectations.

On my third visit, the steam room had a temporary fault for one day, but it was fixed quickly and working again the next day. Breakfast had a little less choice than before, though it was acceptable. Zehra from the cleaning team was especially efficient and helpful. Spa officer Muahrrem and his staff went out of their way to help, and my massage therapist Shari was very professional. Manager Bahar and receptionist Guliz were extremely helpful and available whenever I needed them. My first stay was five stars. The second was four because the spa, the main reason I stay here, wasn't working apart from the gym and sauna, and everything else was out of action, though the food was still excellent then. I'll certainly stay here again.

The room was comfortable and big enough, and the food was okay, though nothing special. The toilet was acceptable but hadn't been cleaned well. I even found a woman's hair on the wall behind the shower door, probably missed during cleaning. My stay was average but comfortable. Viaport Venizia is about a 30-minute walk or a couple of minutes by car, with pharmacies, clothing outlets, restaurants, and money exchange at an acceptable rate.

Breakfast was fresh, nourishing, and had plenty of choice, and the hotel restaurant had tasty food and a nice atmosphere. Room service was prompt and dependable too. Housekeeping also left two complimentary bottles of water each day and replaced them, a thoughtful touch. I had a comfortable, enjoyable stay with excellent service from beginning to end. Highly recommend it.