Louis Appartements Galata — Hotel in Beyoğlu

From the moment we arrived at the Louis Appartements I knew we’d hit the jackpot with our choice of accommodation in Istanbul. It was amazing.||On arrival, we were met by the absolutely delightful Oguljemal (my wife adored her and would have gladly adopted her as our own given the opportunity!!) who sat us down, served us chocolates, Turkish Delight and black tea while providing us with incredible advice, insight, tips and a travel card to make the most of our 4 day stay. Our bags were taken up to our room on the 6th floor - we stayed in the Tower Suite - where a fantastic view of the city and a complimentary bottle of wine awaited us.||The air-conditioned room was immaculately clean, well furnished in a modern style and finished off with a super-comfortable, super-king size bed. We didn’t use the small electric hob and microwave which were in the room, but these definitely provide an option - there is also a full range of utensils, glasses, plates etc if you did want to make a meal. There’s a mini- bar, reliable, free wifi and plenty of space.|The view from our balcony was off the charts and I hope that our attached photos show that the apartments are right in the heart of the bustling Galata district. A huge range of bars, cafes, shops and restaurants are on the doorstep and it is a 2 min walk to The Tunel station, which will connect you to the wider public transport system.||I can’t speak highly enough of the staff (as well as Ogundlia, Tufan the manager was turbo-friendly, helpful and always made time to take tea with us in the mornings and chat about our plans for the day). All in all, our experience of the service, atmosphere, location and accommodation at the Louis Appartements mean that we now wouldn’t stay anywhere else...

Warning We booked an accommodation through Booking.com that included a sofa bed as part of the reservation. However, upon arrival, we were informed that using the sofa bed—which was clearly offered in the reservation we had booked—came with an additional charge. This condition was not clearly stated at the time of booking. What’s most concerning is that when we tried to resolve the issue, Booking completely washed their hands of it, acting merely as a “messenger” between the guest and the property, passing us from one agent to another without providing any real solution. I insisted on escalating the complaint and contacted senior Booking.com agents both by email and phone. Unfortunately, their repeated response was that they couldn’t do anything about it. To make matters worse, the property refused to cancel the booking or waive the room charges, meaning we had no choice but to pay for a stay under conditions that were not clearly disclosed at the time of booking.

So I ask:

What is the actual service Booking.com provides to its users? Why do we pay a commission if, when a problem arises, they disclaim all responsibility? What’s the point of using a platform that offers no real commitment to its customers? This kind of situation undermines user trust and renders meaningless the role Booking claims to play as a reliable...

The apartment is located in close proximity to Galata Tower, very cosy and comfortable, clean and warm. Despite the touristy place, it is quiet enough. There are basic kitchen utensils: kettle, coffee machine, cooker, fridge. There is a MigrosJet nearby and other shops with fresh food. Very comfortable bed and quality linen. Nice is attention to detail, such as the availability of umbrellas. The reception desk is working, the staff at the apartments are always very warmly welcoming and were in touch via email and whatsapp before arrival. This is also where you can make coffee and leave your luggage after check out. Close to Galata bridge, Istiklal and public transport (10-15 minutes), but instead of walking uphill from the bridge I would recommend taking the funicular as the height difference is noticeable. What could be improved - the lighting is adequate and quiet, but I prefer brighter one. There is a coffee machine in the apartment but capsules are included in the minibar, although a few a day could be offered to guests at no extra cost. Didn't feel like leaving. If we get the chance to visit Istanbul again, we will...