White Monarch Hotel

The air conditioning was broken, the lift was unreliable and smelled strongly of damp, and the breakfast was horrendous, far below any acceptable standard. There were also brown stains on the mattress, flickering lights, strong smells in the bathrooms, and rooms and communal areas that were generally dirty and neglected. The hygiene standards were appalling. I found multiple bugs in my room that were clearly bed bugs, and a staff member confirmed it. They told me to keep my belongings closed while they “figured out what to do,” and said to wait 5 minutes. I waited nearly two hours without an update. When I went to the lobby, they said they couldn’t move me, even though there was an empty room, because it couldn’t be cleaned until the next day. A young staff member told me to go back and sleep with the bed bugs. I refused. Another guest was complaining about the same problem. He was moved, while I sat in the lobby. I showed staff a bed bug on my things. They said nothing and just looked at me as if it was normal. No apology, concern, or remorse. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and nearly in tears after hours in the lobby. Staff laughed among themselves instead of helping. Apart from one staff member, I found the rest rude and dismissive. There seemed to be no real management around. I was repeatedly told the manager would come, but they never did. It felt like the hotel was being run by very young, inexperienced staff who weren’t equipped to handle serious hygiene and safety issues. At one point I passed out in my room and was unresponsive. My friend, who lives locally, called the hotel worried about me and gave my full name and details. Staff hung up on her. That showed a complete lack of care for guest safety. This was without question the worst hotel experience I’ve ever had. It shouldn’t be operating, let alone advertised as a four-star hotel. I’ve stayed in Istanbul more than six times and never experienced anything like this. This isn’t normal, and the way staff treated it as normal is deeply concerning. The experience caused severe distress, exhaustion, and financial loss. I’m writing this to warn others: don’t stay here.