Legacy Ottoman Hotel

Disappointing Experience – Not a 5-Star Standard

Unfortunately, this was not a 5-star experience.

Cleanliness and Maintenance
The ground-level toilets were in terrible condition—out of five, all were either broken or filthy. I considered sharing a photo but found it too unpleasant to do so.

Room Issues
Upon arrival, the staff tried to manage expectations, likely due to the number of recent negative reviews. The hotel is old and clearly in need of refurbishment, but the real issues went beyond aesthetics.
There was poor ventilation in the room, causing steam from the shower to linger and create an unpleasant smell.

Additionally, the air conditioning did not work. The staff mentioned this at check-in, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it was just another inconvenience that added to the overall experience.

Spa and Pool
The sauna rules were overly strict—no phones (understandable), but also no water bottles. This seemed unreasonable. When we questioned it, the staff insisted but eventually backed off after we expressed our frustration.

The pool was too cold, which the staff mentioned during the tour. However, for a 5-star hotel, it should have been better. The changing rooms also need significant updates.

I was required to wear slippers for a short 5-metre walk from the changing room to the sauna, only to be told to remove them immediately upon entering. It felt like the staff were watching my every move, telling me how to walk. 😂

1/5 – It’s not a relaxing experience in the spa area.

Service and Communication
The cleaning staff knocked on our door while we were resting, asking if we wanted the room cleaned. We said, “not now, please come back later,” but they just responded with “no cleaning then” and never returned.

Later, I requested bottled water at reception around 1 am. I was told we could only receive two bottles per day, and I had to walk outside to buy more. After explaining we didn’t receive water because our room wasn’t cleaned, they assured me two bottles would be sent to our room. They never arrived, and I’m glad I went out in my PJs to get some.

I’ve read other reviews complaining about the bottled water situation at this hotel. It feels like they are penny-pinching and trying to squeeze guests for every little thing. I’ve stayed at much cheaper hotels in Istanbul that were far more generous, offering water and other items on request. This isn’t about the cost—we spent a significant amount to stay here, and for the price, it seems unreasonable to be so strict over something as small as bottled water.

My partner also had an odd conversation with customer relations. It may have been a misunderstanding or lost in translation, but they kept mentioning how many Australian guests stay without issues. We weren’t even complaining—just mentioned that the stay was okay, not wonderful—but their response felt overly defensive.

Overall Impression
The entrance to the hotel is beautiful, but that’s the only positive thing I can highlight. The staff seem more concerned with responding to complaints than fixing the actual problems.

I tried to overlook many of the minor inconveniences, but they added up. If you’re looking for a relaxing, high-quality stay, this is not the place.

This is a three star hotel with five star pretensions. No hotel can truly be considered luxury with carpets like these. The rooms were OK, but the bathrooms leave much to be desired. One room had an unusable and frankly disgusting bath tub, and I couldn't get the AC to work. The breakfast buffet is pretty good, though, and the location is great.

Book somewhere else. This hotel is not a 5-star hotel. The service has been pretty good and location is great other than that the quality is awful. The sheets feel as if they are made of paper and they don't even cover my feet. The rooms are small. The bathroom is tiny and has mold in it with the water spilling out from the shower. The lights don't turn on and off as they should when you leave the room. Everything is extremely cheap. We got woken up at 9am to ask if we wanted water. The irons are old and left a stain on my wife's pants and all of this is just the second day being here!

A history of theft, foul odors, and terrible management.

The first thing you'll notice upon entering your room is the overwhelming stench. It smells like you're stepping into a sewage plant, and the odor lingers the entire stay. We had to keep the window open just to get a breath of fresh air.

Secondly, the room is outdated and poorly maintained. Mold was growing behind a painting on the wall, as well as around the shower and showerhead. To top it off, after using the shower, the bathroom turns into a flood zone, with water pooling all over the floor.

Security is also a major concern. Be warned: items can go missing from your room while you're away. My wife and I went out for dinner around 6:00 pm, leaving the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. When we returned at 8:15 pm, we found that someone had entered our room and stolen my wife’s two rings and watch. When we approached management and requested to view the hallway camera footage or access the key log, they refused, insisting no one had entered our room. Their lack of empathy was shocking. When we asked for assistance in contacting the police, they responded with indifference, saying we could do it ourselves but offering no help.

If, after reading this, you still consider staying here, be sure to take all your valuables with you when you leave the room. The two young men working with room service are often seen loitering in the hallways.

In conclusion, do yourself a favor and choose a different hotel. The rooms are filthy, and theft seems to be a recurring issue here. If you don’t believe me, keep scrolling and look at the numerous other negative reviews with similar issues.

I stayed at Legacy Ottoman Hotel in Istanbul from September 20 to 27, 2024 and unfortunately, my stay was quite disappointing for several reasons.

Negatives:

The rooms were very dark and not at all welcoming.
The hotel surprisingly doesn’t have a lobby, which felt odd.
The staff spoke little to no English, making communication difficult.
There were major issues with the room's electricity. The power cut off in the middle of the night, leaving us without air conditioning, which made it impossible to breathe in the room.
I left the window open to freshen the air, but when I returned after a few hours, the room smelled heavily of smoke.
The room walls were dirty and in desperate need of cleaning.
The hotel’s location is very inconvenient. No cars are allowed in the area between 9 AM and 8 PM, meaning you can’t get a taxi directly to the hotel. We had to walk half a mile with our luggage to get there. The hotel does offer transportation to and from the airport, but as you might expect, it's super expensive.
The traffic in that area is so bad that taxi drivers refuse to go near the hotel, forcing you to rely on public transportation. On our last day, we moved to a hotel closer to the airport to avoid this hassle.
When we raised concerns about the room, the receptionist made fun of us, sarcastically saying, “You got the standard room, sir,” with an unprofessional smirk.
After complaining to the guest relations person, we received an email offering us a 10% discount at the hotel's restaurant, which didn’t seem like a meaningful response to our concerns.

Positives:

The breakfast was decent.
There are some nice cafes and restaurants nearby.

I've seen several reviews mentioning similar issues, and the hotel management always replies that they’re "striving for excellence" and "aim to improve," but based on my stay, no real improvements have been made.