Grand Kum Boutique Hotel Restaurant

We only stayed one night at the end of March, thankfully. We were driving from Istanbul Airport to Samsun, arriving late, but had let the hotel know ahead of time. We’d specifically booked a non-smoking room. Instead, it smelled intensely of smoke, as did the sheets, pillows, and towels. There was even a used ashtray in the room, which made it seem like it hadn’t been cleaned properly. The bathroom had awful black mold, the pedal bin had a sharp nail sticking out, and there was no toilet paper until we went to ask for some. Breakfast was cold and unpleasant, and we barely ate it. The hotel's reply on Booking.com says we arrived claiming we'd booked by mistake, were shown three rooms, rejected them, and were offered a King Suite for free. None of that happened. We arrived just before 2 am, got a key card and room number, and were shown where our room was. Nobody showed us other rooms, and we never said the booking was a mistake. We needed a place to sleep after driving from Istanbul so we could continue our trip the next day. Maybe they confused us with another guest, but that account is simply untrue. Their accusation that our review had no connection to reality and was unethical felt especially unfair. My photos on the original review are proof of what we found. They could have just apologized instead of posting that response. I don't take kindly to being lied about, so we'll take this further and report their reply to the Turkish Tourism Industry, where they can provide their own proof as I have. Other reviews also make me feel our account is fair. We'll see what happens, but guests shouldn't be offered a non-smoking room that reeks of smoke.

The price was outstanding for what we got, and breakfast was better than average. We spent one night here with our family while traveling from Trabzon to Istanbul. The rooms were clean and had air conditioning, and the staff gave excellent service. We arrived in the evening, and I’d happily recommend the hotel.

The bed and shower were good, and it seems like a practical budget place for an overnight stop. Beyond that, nothing really stood out. The hotel could use a proper clean, and there was a smell around reception. Dogs were in the reception area and walking through the restaurant. Staff were just about polite enough, though I worried they might get abusive if too many complaints came in. I wouldn’t come back; it’s only fit for one night.

After a long drive, this is just the place to unwind. You can park right in front of the house, check in, and sit down to a delicious dinner. The kids will be happy with the playground, too. Every day seems to end on a good note here. Six stars feels right for this hotel.