HHK Hotel

We chose this hotel because of its good Booking reviews, but after arriving in Istanbul we saw all the negative Google reviews, especially about bed bugs. Don’t trust those Booking ratings. Our room was in a separate building downhill, so getting breakfast or going to the pool would mean walking uphill every morning. Sheets and towels were spread along the hallway floors, and the mattresses were stained, dirty, and covered in hair. When we raised our concerns, the receptionist denied everything and called us ‘malicious’. We were so uncomfortable that we left straight away, even though we knew we wouldn’t get our money back. We found a cheaper hostel that was much cleaner and had far friendlier staff. I absolutely wouldn’t recommend this place.

This could have been a quirky local stay, with a cute pool and lovely views, but it fell short on basic care and on services that were advertised. Staff seemed unenthusiastic and struggled to manage a smile or even say hello. Maybe they’re tired of hearing guest complaints. The Wi-Fi barely worked, so bring your own if you come. We had no hot water for the first 3 days. When we complained, they replied, “But it’s warm weather?” The breakfast room is like a lean-to greenhouse, and the morning sun beats down on most of the unshaded area, making it uncomfortable for some. A few things tasted good, but the food was basic. One day the power went out, leaving guests without air conditioning, running water, or Wi-Fi. The mechanical generator then droned away to keep things going. Worst of all, we found blood on the sheets and bed bugs in our room. Getting bitten while asleep was awful, and I’m sure you get the picture. The place is run down, and the owners must know. They seem like chancers who still get plenty of guests. Don’t be one of them. How can we bring a class action against them? Get this place shut down NOW!

There are serious problems here. Avoid the hotel. The worst issue was the bed bugs. We arrived very late in Istanbul, and within two hours of getting into bed my partner had been bitten at least 10 times. We were exhausted and thought they might be mosquitoes. The next night, at 01.00, we woke to bed bugs and other insects crawling over the bed and sheets. It was disgusting. We went straight to reception and showed the receptionist my partner’s many bites, including a line of painful red ones along his back. He didn’t seem concerned, so we asked him to look at the bed. He saw the bugs and blood stains, then moved us to another room for the night, which was ridiculously small. The next morning we complained and were told we’d be moved again. My partner said the rooms needed disinfecting and spraying. The receptionist just shrugged and said they knew there was a problem. We got no compensation. This was over a week ago, and my partner still has scars from the bites. It’s unacceptable. I checked the hotel reviews afterwards, which I should have read more carefully before booking, and saw reports of an ongoing bed bug infestation for over a year. A hotel that has bed bugs and does nothing about them is unacceptable. There were pigeons everywhere, too. At least 30-40 were around at any time, sitting on the roof, splashing in the swimming pool, then flying back up again. Guests having breakfast beside the pool had pigeons flying around them, and there was pigeon droppings in the pool and on the surrounding floor. There are plenty of ways to deal with pigeons, but nothing seems to be done. Maybe it doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it’s very annoying to pay for a pool you can’t use because of pigeons. Breakfast hygiene was another serious concern. Cheese, yoghurt, and other buffet food sat out in the heat for about three hours. It wasn’t in direct sunlight, but the air was still warm, and eggs and cheese weren’t refrigerated. The breakfast was exactly the same every day, which got tiresome when we were there for several days. By the end, we stopped eating it even though it was included. Some mornings we had to clear our own table because the others were covered in dirty dishes. The employee wasn’t clearing them, as he was on his phone all the time or nowhere to be seen. There’s a serious lack of cleaning and care here. The hotel’s photos on Booking look nice, but in person the place is quite dirty and the employees don’t seem to care. Do yourself a favour and avoid it.

The location has plenty of public transport nearby, and the views are lovely for the price. The building dates back to the early 1900s but has been updated to modern standards. Getting up from the main road is a bit of a climb. There’s also a nice pool, though it was too cold for us to swim during our stay. Great value overall.