Mercure Istanbul Altunizade

It does not deserve much praise, although it is luxurious, has a resort and a swimming pool, and the rooms are comfortable and clean. The reason is that I came sick and they took a very high price from the written price, from 2999 to 5780. They told me that there is free parking. I do not have a car. I pray and I cannot swim. I stayed in my room all day sick and in pain. Breakfast was not brought, although they took its price and did not clean it. By six, I got better, so I called the reception and asked for food. They took its price. It is worth mentioning only some of the kind workers and Mr. Murad. He came and cleaned my room. He connected the internet to me and found the remote control. He is a kind gentleman. The second day I went down, they said breakfast was over, so they took its price. I want to break my fast and take my medicine, even water and soda. When I wanted to leave, it was 1056. It is good that I did not drink a fancy drink, so I will not return. Caring and appreciating the situation are more important to me than the perfect appearance.

Overall, this hotel has its positives but also areas that need improvement to meet the standards of a 5-star establishment.

Be prepared for minimal smiles and mostly stares from the staff, when spoken to they are nice enough but everyone has such solemn looks with the exception of a few who would return my smiles and hello’s.

The hotel and our room were clean, and the beds were comfortable with a good selection of pillows. The first room we stayed in lacked a window, making it stuffy even during the winter season. Despite the positives like a comfy bed and a great shower, there were negatives like a dirty toilet brush and kettle, and a malfunctioning air conditioner.

However, the hotel did address our concerns promptly by moving us to a better room with more space. As for the dining experience, the hotel restaurant fell short of expectations. The buffet breakfast and room service meals were subpar, with stale and unappetizing food. A particularly unpleasant incident involved finding moldy capsicum pieces in the breakfast spread, which was not handled appropriately by the staff. This incident was a significant disappointment and raised concerns about the overall food safety standards at the hotel.

In the end, we opted to dine at Ganache nearby, where the food and service exceeded our expectations at a more affordable price. It's advisable to avoid dining at the hotel and explore other dining options like Ganache for a better experience.