The Now Hotel

We were drawn in by a menu that looked cheap and cheerful, with most meals at 600tlr or less. Our host suggested mixed kebabs for four, with salad and fries, and thought one portion of fries would be enough. Service was slow even though the restaurant was nearly empty. After a couple of drinks, salad, dips, and wraps arrived. We ate most of those while waiting for the kebabs. Then came the show: a firework was set on our table and lit, followed by a huge plate of mixed meats, salad, rice, bread, and two bowls of rock salt. The food was fine, but there was far too much for four. The host was right about the fries. We ate most of the meat, but couldn’t manage much of the bread, rice, or salt. Too full for fruit, we asked for the bill, wondering what the feast would cost. I’d expected dinner for four with drinks to come in under 6,000tlr. Once we’d unknowingly ordered a mountain of food, I revised that to 12,000. The bill was 21,500, a horrible surprise. We felt scammed. It was hard to make sense of the bill, but, as other reviewers have said, it included lots of extras we hadn’t ordered, including water, plus a very large service charge. We’re partly to blame for not asking the prices of the drinks or the mixed kebabs, which were 2500tlr each. Still, I didn’t expect them to be so far out of line with the other menu items. We questioned a few charges but didn’t make much of a fuss. Ironically, the waiter seemed disappointed that we couldn’t pay the full amount in cash. Those one-star restaurant reviews are right. Please don’t make our mistake.

The breakfast was good, the hotel was very clean, and the Wi-Fi worked well. Staff were professional and easy to talk to. Two people stood out, and both spoke English. Imen at reception was really friendly. She explained how things worked, helped arrange our room, and pointed out nearby tourist attractions. She also warned us that heavy rain was expected one day and offered to lend us an umbrella. Without it, we’d have been soaked. Big thumbs up! Omar, who invites people into the restaurant and bar, also did a great job. He didn’t pressure us to visit when we declined the first night, just said maybe another day. When we did go, he chatted with us and other guests. The right person for the job. Big thumbs up! The hotel was top notch.

The location was ideal, very close to Taksim Meydan, and the service was outstanding. The staff were welcoming, polite, and professional, and I felt genuinely valued. Everything was taken care of, and the hotel was kept clean every day. My stay was comfortable, relaxing, and memorable. I’d absolutely recommend it and would gladly stay again.

They tried to charge us more than double what we calculated the bill should be. At first they claimed they only accepted cash, but after we kept asking, a card machine suddenly appeared. Then they continued trying to add extra fees and wouldn't split the bill. When my friends refused to go along with it, they made racist comments and got aggressive. Awful experience. I’ve since read other reviews describing the same scam.