The Diderot Hotel

I loved the decorative string lights over the street at night, and the hotel was a handy base for walking to the concert at Kucukciftlik park/garden venue. It was also close to Takism square, in the heart of modern Istanbul Turkey. Staff helped us arrange transportation despite the language difference. The hotel is very close to Aston hotel takism, whose entrance is the pickup and drop-off spot for online flight and Ephesus tour bookings. Getting around on foot takes care, though. Some streets are very steep, especially on the way down to the Galata walking bridge, traffic gets busy, and sidewalks are narrow. Watch for the one-way street spikes. I stumbled over them, and saw others do the same. The shower drain in my room was very slow, so I didn't like standing in dirty water. I think you have to ask staff to change the linens and take out trash. I didn't ask. Still, it was a perfect place for the concert walk, and I was very happy about that.

I won't recommend this place. We were put in a basement room, reached by a long staircase with no elevator, something that hadn't been mentioned when booking. We asked several times for a different room and were ignored. The power went off more than once, and nobody helped. We had to ask each time for towels and breakfast. The breakfast was so poor that we tried it once and didn't ask again. The hotel appears under more than one name on Booking.com, which I found confusing and misleading. I also requested an invoice and never received it. I messaged them on WhatsApp starting Saturday and got no reply. I'll attach photos of the bathroom and stairs, along with screenshots of the unanswered messages.

The service and attitude were the worst I've experienced. The room was dark with no sunlight, so it was hard to tell day from night. We were told it had a balcony, but it was just a tiny enclosed glass space about the size of a bathroom. The listing also promised a washing machine and wardrobe, but there was neither, nor a kitchen, shelves, or anywhere to put or wash clothes. The small fridge and two glasses were about the only things there. No stove or basic utilities, and no water, tissues, or paper towels either. We had to buy all of those ourselves. The bathroom handle for controlling the water was damaged. There was no cleaning service. Even towels had to be requested in person, and they weren't supplied unless we asked. The lift existed, but we were assigned a basement room with difficult stairs, despite someone in our group having leg problems. Staff said they'd change the room after two days, then each day said they didn't know or the hotel was full. That continued for the whole stay. The power was out for seven hours one day, starting at 10 a.m. When we asked, staff said they didn't know and seemed careless. Breakfast was said to start at 9 a.m., but the serving was just two olives, a tiny bit of cheese, two tomatoes, and some jam. You had to ask for it yourself. Hospital food is better, and we didn't try it again. We'd already paid by credit card when we arrived, but the owner said the payment hadn't gone through. After a small issue we paid cash, then asked several times for a receipt, which never came. Last time in Turkey, we paid the same price for a hotel with service 100 times better. Do not book this place.

I spent a couple of days at Diderot hotel and had a wonderful stay. The location was fantastic, and the design was lovely. My room was spacious, clean, and had everything needed for a comfortable visit. The bed was so comfortable, I slept well after long sightseeing days. The front desk team made check-in easy and offered useful local recommendations. The staff were friendly and accommodating, and available around the clock to help with questions or requests. I'd happily recommend Diderot Hotel as a cozy, welcoming place, and I'll be back next time I'm in town.