Bird Nest Suites — Hotel in Şişli

Upon arrival, the room looked quaint, cute, and homey - a great place to spend a few nights on vacation. This seemed a promising start to my time in Istanbul, especially after coming off a long flight from the US. Things immediately took a turn for the worse when I entered the bathroom. There was a rotten stench. At first, I thought it was me having just traveled for the better part of 14 hours but I quickly realized it was not. I searched everywhere for the source of the smell and found it emanating from the shower drain. It was awful. I alerted the front desk person, Cem, who checked me in not more than 30 minutes prior. He came up to the room armed with a large bottle. He realized the smell immediately when I pointed it out and then proceeded to spray the entire bathroom with the bottle. Only then did I realize that it was just a scented spray meant to mask the pungent odor. Anyone who has previously experienced a bad smell, trying to cover it up with fragrance is a fool's errand. Not content with layering the bathroom with this cloud of aroma, he proceeded to cover the living room as well, including the curtains, the couch, and whether wittingly or unwittingly, my open suitcase with my clothes in it. All this did was give me a headache on top of the weariness from my travels. Before he left, Cem indicated that housekeeping would come by in the morning to see about the smell.||I tried to sleep that night but tossed and turned even though I made sure to keep the bathroom door closed. Unfortunately, because there's only one AC split in the living room, I had to keep the door to the bedroom open to stay cool. I knew I could not spend another night here.||In the morning, I messaged the Whatsapp number provided and let them know that I would be checking out and went to the front desk before the standard 11AM checkout time. The front desk person at the time was different and he contacted the hotel manager, Hassan. Hassan apologized and said that the smell was the result of the reservoir/sewer nearby. He did offer to change my room but I wondered what a room change would do if the root cause of the smell was their poor plumbing setup that prevented noxious odors from seeping up through the pipes. I told him that I was too traumatized from my experience thus far and did not have confidence that the issue would be any different, especially since he was clearly aware of what was creating the problem at the hotel in the first place. Hassan then stated that they could not refund me for the remaining part of my stay because of "hotel politics" and made it seem like there was nothing he could do about it. I was extremely disappointed, particularly because I was lured into booking here based on the numerous 5 star reviews and praise given to their service. My experience was anything but.||I promptly left and fortunately found a Westin not more than a block away. Wouldn't you know it, no such smell from this hotel, even though it's proximity to the reservoir/sewer is the same.||I'm not sure what a bird's nest smells like but I imagine it's what room 201 at Bird Nest Suites smelled like on a hot and humid day. If you're looking for a pleasant stay in Istanbul, I highly recommend you...

Upon arrival, the room looked quaint, cute, and homey - a great place to spend a few nights on vacation. This seemed a promising start to my time in Istanbul, especially after coming off a long flight from the US. Things immediately took a turn for the worse when I entered the bathroom. There was a rotten stench. At first, I thought it was me having just traveled for the better part of 14 hours but I quickly realized it was not. I searched everywhere for the source of the smell and found it emanating from the shower drain. It was awful. I alerted the front desk person, Cem, who checked me in not more than 30 minutes prior. He came up to the room armed with a large bottle. He realized the smell immediately when I pointed it out and then proceeded to spray the entire bathroom with the bottle. Only then did I realize that it was just a scented spray meant to mask the pungent odor. Anyone who has previously experienced a bad smell, trying to cover it up with fragrance is a fool's errand. Not content with layering the bathroom with this cloud of aroma, he proceeded to cover the living room as well, including the curtains, the couch, and whether wittingly or unwittingly, my open suitcase with my clothes in it. All this did was give me a headache on top of the weariness from my travels. Before he left, Cem indicated that housekeeping would come by in the morning to see about the smell.

I tried to sleep that night but tossed and turned even though I made sure to keep the bathroom door closed. Unfortunately, because there's only one AC split in the living room, I had to keep the door to the bedroom open to stay cool. I knew I could not spend another night here.

In the morning, I messaged the Whatsapp number provided and let them know that I would be checking out and went to the front desk before the standard 11AM checkout time. The front desk person at the time was different and he contacted the hotel manager, Hassan. Hassan apologized and said that the smell was the result of the reservoir/sewer nearby. He did offer to change my room but I wondered what a room change would do if the root cause of the smell was their poor plumbing setup that prevented noxious odors from seeping up through the pipes. I told him that I was too traumatized from my experience thus far and did not have confidence that the issue would be any different, especially since he was clearly aware of what was creating the problem at the hotel in the first place. Hassan then stated that they could not refund me for the remaining part of my stay because of "hotel politics" and made it seem like there was nothing he could do about it. I was extremely disappointed, particularly because I was lured into booking here based on the numerous 5 star reviews and praise given to their service. My experience was anything but.

I promptly left and fortunately found a Westin not more than a block away. Wouldn't you know it, no such smell from this hotel, even though it's proximity to the reservoir/sewer is the same.

I'm not sure what a bird's nest smells like but I imagine it's what room 201 at Bird Nest Suites smelled like on a hot and humid day. If you're looking for a pleasant stay in Istanbul, I highly recommend you...

Absolutely Amazing Stay!

Bird Nest Suites truly made our family trip to Istanbul unforgettable. We had 5 rooms and different age groups. They all were very satisfied with their stay. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with warmth and professionalism. The staff are fantastic especially Hasan, who consistently went out of his way to check on us and help with anything we needed. His kindness and attention made a big difference.

The rooms are spotlessly clean, beautifully designed, and very spacious; perfect for relaxing after a long day of sightseeing. We also felt very safe and comfortable throughout our stay thanks to the secure and well-maintained environment.

The location is ideal: safe, central, and surrounded by everything you could need: supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and pharmacies are all just steps away.

Highly recommended for families or anyone looking for a peaceful and welcoming place to stay in Istanbul. We’ll definitely be...