The Palm

Daily room cleaning, a good breakfast, and friendly staff. The location near Taksim Square is great. The shower and windows could use improvement. It suits you well if you’re mostly out exploring and only come back to shower and sleep.

The breakfast was decent, though it was the exact same plate each day. It came with the room, so I can’t really complain. I stayed nine nights in room 503, a single with a decent sized bed, bedside table, desk, small fridge, TV, and bathroom. It was very dated, with shabby furnishings and a hole in the wall near the floor covered by what looked like a picture frame. The location is fabulous, just a few metres from Istiklal Caddesi and a short walk to Taksim Square. The two men at reception and the two women who handled breakfast and cleaning were great.

Mr Arash Oruji was extremely kind and friendly, and Palmiye Hotel made our trip really pleasant. We stayed eight nights as a family. Our room faced the side street, and it was spacious and comfortable. The staff, location, and cleanliness were all great.

The staff marked me as a “no show,” which meant I couldn’t post a review, then charged me a “10 dirham penalty.” The dishonesty and unprofessionalism were unreal. When I asked the cleaner for help, she was incredibly rude and yelled at me. Breakfast was pathetic: a cold egg, hard bread that could chip a tooth, and a tiny plastic packet of cheap jam. The room looked nothing like the online photos, more like a cheap storage room than a hotel room, and I paid almost twice what I pay elsewhere, where hotels are clean, modern, and professional. It was narrow enough that I could barely turn around without hitting the walls. The air felt heavy, the floor was sticky, and dust was everywhere. From the moment I arrived, the place smelled awful, like dust, dampness, and neglect. This place is deceptive as well as disappointing. Save yourself the misery and stay somewhere else.