Riverside Hotel

The rooms are compact, poorly soundproofed, and have no towel warmers or USB chargers. We could hear people next door talking loudly until 2am, and management did nothing. Towels were stained, complimentary water wasn't refilled, and breakfast was limited and only suited locals. The TV had local channels only, and there's no parking on site.

I got here directly from the airport by metro, which was a huge plus. This small hotel is pretty and cozy, and within walking distance of most popular places in Istanbul, so it's very convenient for exploring. The atmosphere felt warm and welcoming, and I was comfortable during my stay. Thanks for hosting me, I really enjoyed my time and will definitely come back.

Despite its good location and budget-friendly price, this hotel fell short on cleanliness, pest control, and guest service. The room was cramped, the air felt poor, likely because it hadn't been cleaned, and there were gaps in the walls and corners that seemed to be how a mouse got in. It damaged our sealed tea and Turkish delight, kept us awake, and made us feel unsafe. The bathroom had no shower door, so water flooded the floor, and the room wasn't serviced during our stay. We expected no luxury, but basic upkeep was missing. At 3 AM we reported the mouse. The overnight receptionist tried to help with a broom and paper, but seemed unprepared. Promises of another room or a clean room by morning went nowhere. We spent the rest of the night awake, listening to the mouse dig its way out of the makeshift trap. By 7:30 AM the receptionist was asleep at his desk and said nothing could be done until someone checked out or the owner arrived. The owner finally appeared at 12:45 PM, hours late, and wouldn't offer a meaningful solution or compensation. We'd already booked somewhere else because we couldn't face another night there. We asked for one night's refund or about 30 Euros for the damaged goods, a modest request, but the owner declined. He said all he could do was move us, even though the mouse problem was still unresolved and our peace of mind was gone. The receptionist was respectful but had no authority to decide anything and seemed more afraid of the mouse than we were. We left disappointed and feeling disrespected. We'd strongly recommend paying a bit more for a place that looks after comfort and safety. This is a summary due to Google’s character limit. For the full story, including how we nicknamed the mouse “Chapito Turk,” see our detailed review on Agoda, where we booked the hotel. We hope this helps others make an informed decision.

At check-in, we found the hotel in terrible condition. The floor was dirty, the sheets were stained, and there were hairs underneath them, probably left by previous guests. It was a very unpleasant and unacceptable start. We asked politely for an immediate fix, either a clean room or proper cleaning right away. Otherwise, we'd have to ask for a refund.