Shmayaa Hotel - Special Class

The rooms at Shmaya Hotel had names drawn from Mesopotamia’s rich history, which gave the hotel a distinctive touch. Its location made it easy to walk around at night. I stayed there in January 2023, and although this review is late, I still remember what a beautiful hotel it was and how memorable the stay felt. The only problem we had was that the AC stopped working when the electricity went off during the night while we were asleep.

All the rooms are named after traditional Mesopotamian characters, and the atmosphere feels romantic and friendly. It’s an authentic old town hotel, a good choice for a visit of a few days. The hotel is beautiful, with excellent service and breakfast.

The staff were pleasant, and the hotel manager was especially friendly and helpful. I was glad to find this place in Midyat, with its excellent location and old world character that suits the town so well. I even looked at rooms beyond my own, and each had its own special touches. It was a real treat, and I was happy to come back in the evenings. See pics as well...

The setting is gorgeous, in a beautifully restored house over 1,000 years old, and the bathroom was the nicest I’ve had in any hotel yet in Turkey. The hotel is lovely and could be great, but the staff need better training. Reception had little information on what to see or do, and I knew more than they did. They also asked me every 20 minutes from 8.00 am when I was checking out, even though checkout was at noon. Very annoying. I loved the restaurant setting, but the lack of a non-smoking section was a dealbreaker for me. Turks smoke like chimneys while they eat. Breakfast had an ethereal feel with soft music until a staff member put the soccer game on TV, which ruined the experience, even though I love soccer. Hotel and local authorities need to take the issue of children aggressively begging for money seriously. It makes visiting the old part of the city impossible. Disappointing in some ways, but still worth a visit.