We have been traveling around Turkey with family by car, and our last but not least stop was planned to be Istanbul Intercontinental in Taksim square. This was our first visit to this hotel, but definitely not the first in Istanbul.

The lobby and spa/swimming pool area beautiful and very well maintained, rooms are also nice, even though a little not my most preferred type of interior with a bit old furniture (we have been upgraded from junior suite to executive sea view suit, with amazing view over the Bosphorus), but the comfort overall in the room was very pleasant and room itself was very clean and no bad smells of smoke or anything.

The very disappointing part indeed was check in process, where we have been hosted by a reception lady, who messed up our reservation and without speaking this out to us - had allocated a different reservation type to us: i was specifically selecting and paying for the reservation with breakfast, while she did it without breakfast, and if we wanted bfast - it would have been paid separately on top. I only found this out next morning at the breakfast and had to spend my time to go downstairs and settle it again in the reception, which was very much disturbing in the early morning.

At the same time, during the check in process, this lady was so quickly to demand a deposit from us in quite a significant amount per night, explaining that this was a mini bar deposit (which i doubt can potentially be stuffed for the value daily value requested) - and when i tried to explain, that i hold a Platinum membership for long years with IHG hotels and i was never asked to pay a deposit ina nay of Intercontinental hotels in different countries before, she asked the IHG guest relation manager to speak for her. This gentlemen was extremely rude, not allowing me to speak even, and interrupting my attempts to explain my view or my preferred way of settling this deposit issue - by immediately picking up the phone and asking the bellboy to lock the minibar in our room - this was his decision in return for my explanation that i was never asked to pay deposit before and this solution was not agreed to from my side! After check in, by the way, when we entered, the full buffet cupboard with a fridge and kettle and everything inside - was locked by a huge hanging locker, as if they were protecting something from suspected thieves.

If i would be alone, i would immediately leave the hotel after such disrespect shown to me and my family at the check in desk, however we were traveling to Istanbul to see off our son traveling to the U.S. in 3 days time for University study, and I really made a big personal effort to keep it all to me not ruining the overall trip and my boys’ impression!

After this bad experience and next morning, after realizing that the IHG guest relations gentlemen (i think his name was Can or similar) was very rushing the previous night to lock our minibar without due care and respectful communication, however was not attentive and careful enough to check if the details of our reservation were entered into the system correctly so that i would not have problems with breakfast - i again met him and told about this problem with breakfast. He checked in the system (after all had already been corrected by me with another receptionist) and started arguing that my reservation was with breakfasts included and that i am wrong, and again started to communicate with his sarcastic unfriendly tone. I then said that at least they could have provided a kettle for us to be able to make tea in the evenings, which he did not respond anything and I left. The kettle was provided later that evening.

As i understood this gentleman who i regretfully had to face through the stay - was a senior guest relations manager - i really was confused who i could pass my concerns to, and not finding anyone - had to just continue to be patient. Upon check out - I mentioned this situation to a lady at Reception who proposed the bonus points as appreciation and passed her apologies.

Nevertheless, I wanted the chief management of the hotel to be aware of their member of staff who will now be the only factor for me or anyone of my family/friends refraining to ever visit Intercontinental Istanbul again.