Taksim Neo Pera Suites

It felt like home, and the apartment was very clean. Shops are close by, and Taksim Square is only about five minutes away. Before my arrival I asked the owner about things, and he always told me not to worry. He was right, every time I needed help he came through. I’d happily stay there again whenever I’m back in Istanbul ❤️❤️

We arrived confused after the airport taxi took us to Oriella Hotel instead of Neo Pera. The Neo Pera Suite was across the street, without a sign. A clerk first said it was unavailable because of a last-minute booking, but I showed him my confirmation from three months earlier. He went to Taksim Doorway Hotel and came back with Akheef, who checked things and photographed our passports with his phone. We were then told our suite had been double booked. They offered two rooms at Oriella at no extra charge, with a move to Neo Pera the next day if we preferred. With two young kids, separate rooms weren’t ideal, so I agreed to one night and asked for the apartment I’d paid for. Akheef said he’d sort it out, and I thought he was in charge of Neo Pera. The next day, after sightseeing, we were told Neo Pera wasn’t available because we hadn’t packed our suitcases. Nobody had told me to do that, though the clerk insisted he had. We stayed a second night at Oriella, packed before leaving in the morning, and were moved late that afternoon. Our room was on the second floor, up a steep staircase with no lift. The handrails were flimsy, wonky, hollow aluminum and felt dangerous. My wife, kids, and I had to be very careful, and getting 25-30kg bags down those three slippery flights was awful. The room also didn’t match the photos or description. The floor sloped, the beds tilted with it, and the mattresses had collapsed springs and a huge dip in the middle. The toilet was loose, the shower holder broken, and the kitchenette socket was right above the sink. Cupboards had rubbish left by previous guests. The double glazed windows had gaps and didn’t block the noise from the neighborhood. The sofa bed armrest was broken, the coffee table’s castors were broken and it looked like a spare kitchen cupboard, the WiFi didn’t work, and there was no safe for valuables or passports. When I complained, the clerk dismissed it and insisted the floor was level, though he said he’d have the beds raised the next day. Four nights later, nothing had been done. Then my wife’s gold necklace, worth about $1,300, was stolen from her locked luggage. The clerk and Akheef offered no help, wouldn’t contact the managers Mehmet/Lamia, and wouldn’t check CCTV. It was deeply distressing to get no help from the hotel.

They canceled my reservation without a valid reason. They said it was because the Turkish lira had collapsed, even though I’d booked in euros. They have no self-respect. One star only because the review form requires one.

It was dirty and smelled awful inside, and the place didn’t look like the photos. The owner asked me to pay to cancel, but I refused. I felt they were trying to fool people and take their money. Don’t book without seeing it first, or you may be shocked by what you find. P.S. In Turkey, double-check everything. What they say can be ten times better than what you actually get.