Nobel Hotel — Hotel in Fatih

Don't let me begin with the lilliputian sized rooms! On arrival,my husband and I were more than shocked to find out how tiny the room was (not to mention the fact that we had booked a double room but got a double room instead.) The second noticeable thing was the bathroom's broken handle. We noticed that almost immediately because my husband locked himself in and he had to struggle for a while before he could get out of that hellhole. I call the bathroom the hell hole because it was always filled with thick cigarette smoke (we don't smoke) that reminded me of Dante's Inferno. Anyways...at night...noise,noise,noise. Then, we realized that the lights from the opposite buildings were so dazzling that we felt the need to draw the curtains...little did we know that the curtains were too small and too short to cover the huge patio window. We somehow managed to sleep despite the red flashing lights. Let me tell you about the nice cleaning ladies. They always made sure you made yourself at home.They are so nice that even when the "do not disturb sign" is hanging from your door, they would enter the room and clean the place just like your mom would! Ladies, that one star is yours! Ever wanted to educate yourself on the lifestyle in the middle-ages? Look no more! For you have found just the place! No WiFi, 10-24 hours blackouts and grumpy staff at the lobby who look at you suspiciously whenever you drop the W or E bomb. (seriously, never mention anything about the WIFI or the electricity or they'll have you hanged or something.) Ever seen one of those movies in which people transport to other places in tubes? In this hotel, you'll be able to transport yourself up or down in one! Except that it is in the shape of a cuboid and it is called an elevator...for one. (for two if the passengers are Lilliputians) Oh the breakfast, or I'd better call it the leftovers of the days or maybe even weeks before. Unless you are not in need of nutrition and nutrients, feast on all the biscuits and stone like cupcakes and cheese and the poisonous milk that made my husband sick for a whole week. Enough grumbling. The hotel is located within walking distance to a metro station and not very far from a small-sized mall called Historia(?). Hope this review has been as helpful as it has been frightful.Enjoy your...

As we were travelling by train we could only book 12 hour ahead and it was also China's holiday so most places were booked out. This wasn't in the centre and we had trouble finding it, even the taxi drivers didn't know where it was! We arrived by metro and saw a Nobel Hotel but it was the wrong one. We had got off at red line Aksaray instead of the blue tram line. Even so when we got there it took a while to find behind the main street. However, a great hotel, fabulous staff on reception, housekeeping and catering. Rooms are very clean, bathroom good with constant hot water, good shower, never plugs though! Decor a bit retro but hey! Good breakfast served till 10.30am with views of the Bosphorus. We were told by locals never to be out late but after a days sightseeing we were usually home before 9pm. We found the locals very friendly and helpful. There is a good shop across the road that sells basics including alcohol as so many hotels and restaurants don't. I bought the best bar of chocolate I'd ever tasted and cheese and olives and salted almonds that I'd never tried before. The tram station is a short work away(when you havn't got huge suitcases to lug!) and only 5 stops to Sultanahmet and Grand Bazaar. But beware early morning was scary at first as youve just got to sqeeze in as its so busy, It really quietened down about 11am. The staff couoldn't have been more helpful, gave you an umbrella when it rained. Complimentary, toiletries and slippers. The only critisism was when we returned every evening there was a terrible smell in reception, like sewerage I suppose. Aksaray is very busy but the windows cut out all the noise. It is in the heart of wholesale clothing shops so great to people watch. Once we left the window open and I was woken to the sound eminating from a minaret but this morning they had a choir and it was out of this world! The Mosque in Aksaray by the tram station is very beautiful by day or night, very intricatey carved and the prettiest I'd seen. I would...

Daylight Robbery!

We had two very unpleasant incidents at this hotel, which are the main reasons for my negative review: Scam Over Room Electricity: We were two guests in the room, but the receptionist refused to give us two room cards. As a result, I had to leave my debit card in the slot to keep the electricity on so my phone could charge while I went downstairs to have breakfast at the hotel restaurant. When I returned, the receptionist was shouting, accusing me of “damaging the room’s electricity” by using my debit card in the power slot. He then demanded 2,000 lira as a fee for an electrician to come and “fix” the room! I refused to pay, as this was clearly a scam. We were left without power in the room for about an hour. I was about to call the Tourism Police (112), but my roommate decided to pay 1,200 lira after the receptionist lowered the amount. A short while later, the cleaning lady (who had also served us breakfast) came to the room and, right in front of me, replaced the battery of the door lock, and suddenly the power was restored. It became clear that the receptionist had swapped the battery earlier with a dead one while we were away, making it look like there was a technical issue just to charge us money for a fake repair. Total scam. Fake Checkout Attempt: On our last night, when I returned to the hotel, the room card no longer worked. A new receptionist was on duty and told me that I was supposed to check out at 12:30 PM that day. I explained that our booking clearly showed we were staying until the next day, as confirmed and prepaid through Agoda. After much back and forth, he finally believed me and reactivated the room card.

To be fair, the Iranian staff member was polite and professional. However, the Turkish receptionist was dishonest, loud, rude, and completely...