The Hotel Beyaz Saray Old City

The hotel has a great location — very central and perfect for exploring Istanbul. The staff is friendly and helpful, which we appreciated. However, there are some clear downsides: The breakfast is mediocre at best, with limited variety and average taste. The pool is ice cold and only free from 12 PM to 7 PM. After that, it costs €10 to use and you’re required to wear a swim cap — which they conveniently sell at the hotel (feels a bit like a money-making scheme). Rooms are quite small, and occasionally brown water came out of the tap, which was concerning. The lobby restaurant is overpriced and charges in Euros, which adds up quickly. Overall, an okay option for a short city trip, but the value for money isn’t the best.

We stayed at the hotel for 5 nights (my wife, our two-year-old son, and I). Overall, the hotel is beautiful, the lobby is spacious and elegant, and the location is excellent—close to all tourist attractions, markets, and the tram station, which was one of its main advantages. We arrived late at night and were received by a receptionist named Murat. Unfortunately, his behavior was unprofessional and impolite. He gave us a room facing the back street instead of the Beyazit Square view we had requested. When we tried to explain the issue, he was uncooperative and raised his voice, which made us uncomfortable. On the other hand, the other receptionist, Omar, was very kind, respectful, and always playing with our son, which created a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We were pleasantly surprised to find a crib already set up for our baby in the room, which we appreciated a lot. In terms of cleanliness, the hallways were clean, and the rooms were quiet with no noise. However, we noticed that the bed sheets were not changed regularly. We placed a small mark on the sheet, and it remained there throughout our stay. We also had an issue with the air conditioning. It was never fixed during the last four days, and instead, we were given a portable heater as a temporary solution. Another issue was with the door lock—the key card didn’t work on the first try, and we struggled with this for three days until the hotel technician reprogrammed it. As for breakfast, it was excellent and varied, served from 7 AM to 10 AM, and definitely one of the hotel’s highlights.

“Wouldn’t Even Give 1 Star If I Could” I had one of the worst hotel experiences ever in this so-called 4-star hotel — in reality, it barely deserves 1 star. • When I entered the room, the toilet literally had someone else’s feces still in it. • The sink was clogged, and the bathroom lighting was extremely dim, making it hard to even see clearly. • The TV didn’t work at all, and even if it did, it wasn’t a smart TV — so no YouTube or Netflix. • The bedsheets were clearly unwashed — I have sensitive skin and immediately got itchy and uncomfortable during the night. • They only provide cheap plastic goblet cups instead of glass. No spoons were available for tea or coffee either. • The mini fridge was useless — it barely kept anything cool. • No iron in the room. When I asked for one, they brought it and told me I had to take it back to reception myself when done. • There was no shelf or holder for a toothbrush in the bathroom. Just poor, thoughtless design all around. On top of that, the staff were shockingly rude, and some even behaved in a racist and dismissive way. One staff member who helped carry our luggage refused a thank you and demanded a tip instead, saying “don’t say thanks, I need money.” As for breakfast — unless you’re okay with just some fruit, you’ll struggle. If you’re picky or even just expect decent variety, you’ll be disappointed. ⸻ 🚫 Definitely not worth the money, not even for a night. Save yourself the stress and book somewhere else. I seriously don’t know how this place has four stars.