The Lola Guest House

I'd booked Lola Hotel, but when I arrived, they put me in Laila Hotel without telling me or asking. They run both hotels. The place was extremely dirty, with stains on the walls and marks on the bedsheets. They never changed the bedding, just folded it and put it back each day. Even with a Do Not Disturb sign on the door, the cleaning lady would knock, open the door, and come in. That felt disrespectful and disturbing. A very disappointing, unprofessional experience. I don't recommend it.

The room was so foul I couldn't wait to leave. It smelled damp and musty, and felt mouldy and filthy. I slept in my clothes on top of the bed, covering the smelly single pillow with my own clothes. My son felt sick just being there, though nothing physical was wrong. We stayed one night, then went to another hotel. On arrival, no one was there. The locked door marked 'reception' gave us no way in, so we knocked on another guest's door to find out how to get our keys. They were hidden in another building on a different street, with no signage or mention when booking. The desk guy spent five minutes chatting with a friend on his phone without acknowledging me, then checked me in reluctantly. The pillows stank, the mattress was dirty, the sheets didn't fit, there was black mould, no soap, and the TV didn't work. The staff were horrendous, the bathroom was dirty, and the only thing provided was a kettle, without cups or anything else. It could've been lovely, but it wasn't. This place is the armpit of Istanbul. Don't book here under any circumstances.

We got there around midnight, after the tram and other public transport had stopped running. The receptionist was rude from the start. Instead of asking our name and explaining the check-in, he questioned when I booked, how much I paid, and when we were checking out. Then he said our room had gone to someone else and offered another one for an extra 2000 lira. I refused to pay for a problem that was his fault, and he rudely told me I couldn't get a good room at that price and could either stay or leave. After speaking with the manager, he let us use a room for the night, which was miserable. The ventilation was very bad, the balcony door wouldn't open, and the stairs were dangerous. This place was a disaster, and that receptionist shouldn't be working with guests.

The hotel is a short walk from the main Sultanahmet area, and Selim and the rest of the staff were always helpful. Selim gave us ideas for getting around and things to see. When there was confusion about the beds and breakfast, they sorted it out quickly and without any fuss. There are some small maintenance jobs that need attention: the entrance handle came off, the bedroom door handle had a loose screw, and the bathroom grout needs work. The bathroom could also be cleaner. These details add up to a place that feels like it needs a revamp.