Four Points by Sheraton Istanbul Kagithane

UPDATE. I'm updating my review following a manager’s outreach after I originally posted feedback. They took the initiative to contact Marriott customer service on my behalf to assist with a points refund. While I’m not sure exactly how many points I originally used (and didn’t have time to check), they refunded 23,000 points for a two-night, two-room stay. That effort—though delayed—was appreciated and showed some professionalism in trying to make things right. Because of that follow-up, I’m raising my rating.

That said, my experience during the stay itself was a major letdown. The only reason this review gets more than one star at all is because of Server Yiğit, the gentleman who checked us in. He was genuinely exceptional—efficient, warm, and professional. He made a great first impression and was the only bright spot in an otherwise very poor experience. He alone earned three stars.

The rest of the stay, unfortunately, was uncomfortable and frustrating. Both rooms smelled strongly of smoke—one so badly that it was hard to breathe, especially as I have asthma and some of us have allergies. The air conditioning didn’t work, and the temperature remained stuck around 84°F (29°C). I had booked the hotel expecting a restful base while exploring Istanbul, but we were met with stale air, false assurances, and a lack of real solutions by the night staff.

I was initially told the AC just needed resetting, then that it was being worked on, and later that it was a hotel-wide issue. The only solution offered was to open the window—which, in a noisy part of the city, meant a sleepless night for me and my kids. They woke up with irritated throats and swollen eyes. We were all exhausted, and it threw off the next two days of our trip.

The next day, I followed up again and was promised the issue would be fixed—but returned that evening to find nothing had changed. Another miserable, overheated night in a smoky room.

During the stay, no one offered any form of apology or compensation, which made the situation feel even more frustrating. It was only after my review that someone made the effort to address it.

In contrast, the Four Points by Sheraton in Pendik was clean, reliable, and far more pleasant. Had I been told the AC wouldn’t be fixed, I would’ve gone back there. I won’t return to the Kağıthane location, but I do recognize and appreciate the post-stay effort and the professionalism of Server Yiğit. If they have non smoked in rooms and air condition that works and fix the way they hadle things like that initially, then, it would be worth returning to.